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Post by tracilg on Jul 20, 2008 14:58:59 GMT -5
I've noticed that Babe seems to have some thinning spots of hair, and yesterday, I noticed this area. Could this be mange? I've never had a dog that has had it before, so I'm not sure what it looks like. To answer some questions upfront. No, as far as I can tell, she does not have fleas. All animals get monthly treatments of Frontline. She eats Blue Buffalo brand food - lamb & rice or chicken & rice formula - with a few tablespoons of the Blue Buffalo wet food mixed in. She gets brewer's yeast tablets as well because when we first brought her home, she was itchy as all get out and had flaky skin too. Now, there is no more flaky skin, and she's not as itchy, but still has her moments.
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Post by RealPitBull on Jul 21, 2008 7:11:20 GMT -5
Could be allergies if she's been scratching a lot...possibly demo? FYI, although I haven't any scientific proof, I do believe my dog Luca had horrendous allergic reactions to Frontline. I at this point would never subject my dog to poisonous chemical flea and tick defense. There are lots of natural options to keep fleas at bay, and healthy dogs do not attract the critters anyway. I haven't seen a flea on my dog in probably 3 or 4 years.
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Post by windowdog on Jul 21, 2008 11:20:19 GMT -5
That looks pretty much like what Devin has before getting treated by the vet for genetic mange. We're still treating her 2x a month actually, it's a pain to completely get rid of, thankfully it's not contagious to humans.
The vet can tell in a couple minutes with a scratch test.
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Post by OurPack on Jul 21, 2008 11:44:53 GMT -5
I've had several dogs in rescue with mange. One that's on our adopted page (2 years now) looked like a baby elephant and literally had NOT one hair on her whole body. She had demo mange. Within 3 weeks she had most of her hair again.
We did the ivermectin and anitibiotics. My vet said that the keflex is best. It saved her life and she's still beautiful.
I have heard that it's "hard to get rid of" or "they have it their whole lives". In my own experience this has not been true at all. You have to treat it LONG enough and with good antibiotics LONG enough. My vet gives the ivermectin for 30 days PASSED a negative scratch.
My handsome and adorable Dexter had no hair either when I got him and he's gorgeous and NEVER has mange. I think it's such a treatable thing.
This is just based on my own experience. I'm certainly not an expert on it but this treatment that my vet does has worked every time..
The only way to know it hat spot is demo mange is a scratch test.
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Post by windowdog on Jul 21, 2008 13:47:49 GMT -5
Devin comes up with negative scratch tests too, but if we stop the microban dips she's back to scratching hair away within a month or so, and sure enough the next scratch test comes up negative. She could just have a weaker immune system than most.
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Post by AmyJo27 on Jul 21, 2008 17:40:06 GMT -5
I would go to your vet to be sure because it is hard to tell. Boomer (my APBT) once had dry skin and his skin looked like that but better to be safe than to be sorry!!! Also, if your dog has ever had damp/wet bedding (mainly straw) they can get larva in there skin and they get medication and weekly bathes to treat that!!!
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Post by tracilg on Jul 21, 2008 20:23:13 GMT -5
She actually never seems to scratch at the areas where the hair seems to be getting thing. Aside from that one spot on her side, it's all on the underside of her chest. And the skin there is clear. Maybe she is somehow rubbing it off?
I will call the vet to have her looked at, but just trying to get some idea of what might be going on.
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Post by Courtney on Jul 25, 2008 1:58:39 GMT -5
All of my guys are on Advantage or Advantage Multi for fleas/demo/worms/etc. We usually only use it during flea season (besides using it as treatment for demo).
I hate putting the chemicals on them. What are some natural options I could try?
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Post by tracilg on Jul 25, 2008 8:58:09 GMT -5
I'd like to know as well. We had never really used anything in the past, but the vet recommended the frontline because the cats have fleas.
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Post by maryellen on Jul 25, 2008 13:48:25 GMT -5
neem oil spray is good for bugs, petco has it, i use it , it is all natural.
diamaticus earth to spread in the grass and carpets will kill bugs to and is all natural
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