Anyone have a Lab with skin problems??

[bft131]

We have a 3.5 year old lab, last fall he started smelling bad, and itching. Took him to go get a good bath, and to the vet. The vet put him on Cephlaxen 500 mg twice a day and OTC benedryl. Cleared up quickly and itching stopped.

Well, this past week, its started again, Doc gave me 100 more pills and told me to come back before they are empty...

I know Labs are prone to skin probs but this is insane!! Does anyone else have this prob with their Lab and what type of long term meds are we looking at?

The Doc has talked about sarcoptic mange and bacterial infections but he lives in a clean house, is an indoor dog and his diet hasnt changed in 2 years....

Thanks!

 

[Militarypol21]

What does he smell like? Mine has had skin problems for some time and now that you mention it when I woke up this morning I smelled something (I first thought she crapped on the floor, and then checked my shoes, and nothing... sorta smelled like gas maybe, but she has never really had gas and has always ate the same food). As for the skin problem she flakes a lot. I put her on pills I got from Wal-mart a few months ago and it cured it up so I took her off.

 

[in_betts]

I guess I really didn't think labs were prone to skin problems. Labs are all I have ever had and only one with any problems and that was an allergy according to the vet. Not a big deal, no smell, just an irritation that would make her chew at some spots until they were raw. We used a disinfectant spray on the spots. When she was about 12 she got some spots on the outside of joints that looked like elephant skin, but vet said nothing to worry about.

Does your lab swim often? Maybe get a second opinion if you don't find the cause. The drugs are great to treat the symptom, but if you don't find the cause it will be a long haul to have a dog on those drugs all the time. Just my $.02

 

[slacker]

we give ours a person allergy pill every morning with his breakfast. Without them, he itches all the time, and gets some pretty gross looking sores from the itching/biting.

The pills we give him are about $12 / 100 from Costco

 

[jontheturboguy]

We have fed our labs salmon oil from the little gel caps you can buy in bulk.

It makes their coat nice and shiny, makes them not itch, and also cuts down on the allergens they produce for people who have dander allergies.

 

[Dogman]

Do you have carpet in your house. We had a friend that their dog had bad skin problems and it was finally traced to the carpet in their home. Think about what chemicals they must put in the carpets and the dogs are laying on it, walking on it.
Might be something to check out.

 

[RachelMarie]

Don't have a lab with skin issues but rather, a Mutt. The smell you are smelling could very well be a staph infection on the skin. I've dealt with this from out dogs. Does the dog deal with "hot spots"? After chewing on the skin an infection can start which CAN turn into a staph infection. My dog gets worse in the summer months.

I wish you the best. I know it's not fun. We call our dog, "The million dollar Pooch"! Where he scratches, clean with peroxide and but antibiotic cream on him (where it's an open wound). Also, like stated above, benadryl. It works wonders.

 

[Cain71]

Never had skin problems but the smell might be coming from the dogs ears,they tend to get a yeast infection in them,our vet used a 50/50 vinegar and water solution on a qtip to clean the dogs ears and the stink stopped for a while but then its a on again of again thing...dont know but might want to check.

 

[flyinlow78]

Our Golden had very dry, itchy skin. We had been feeding him weight loss formula food. Through lots of research, it seemed like the food was the culprit. I started feeding him Eagle Pack holistic food or the Eagle Pack with salmon. Not only did his weight not go up, his skin issues cleared up. Everything I read referenced the weight loss varieties of dog food as not having the proper nutrients and oils in them to keep the skin oils up.

He also had bad hips, but I put him on glucosamine, in liquid form, called Flexicose. It made a world of difference in his ability to run and play without his hips hurting him.

 

[bft131]

Sorry everyone for not getting back sooner....He doesnt swim (Hates water, a Lab??), and is fairly fit, he started gaining weight after we got him as he was kept in a cage most of his young life, the smell is from his skin and yes, if he starts to itch he gets some nasty ugly red / bloody areas. He has been on his meds for a week and is growing his hair back and is still flaking but I am seeing that as skin / scabs drying up from his scratching...I will keep all posted...

 

[Phil502]

Maybe the makers of your dog food changed their formula/ingredients?

A person can develop allergies to something they were not allergic to before. I assume it would be the same way with an animal.

 

[rimfire_crazed]

All of our dogs have grown sensitive to their food over time. Our Chinese crested can't be on the same food for more than about eight months before her skin goes bonkers. Sometimes we can go back to something we've fed her before.

Dogs express the vast majority of their allergic sensitivities in their skin, rather than their upper respiratory tract. Your food manufacturer could've changed things, or it's possibly just time to try something else foodwise. We've had good results with Eagle Pack, Merrick, Taste of the Wild, and other natural foods. On the lower end, Diamond makes good dry food.

 

[BE Mike]

Our Boston Terrier has had some recent skin issues (it goes with the breed). After the Benedryl drill and antibiotics cleared her up, the vet, a BT owner, started her on a fish oil supplement. It is a liquid called DermaPet. We pump two squirts into her food (Purina Dog Chow) every day. It has helped her skin and coat. It isn't real expensive at $20.00 per bottle. You might ask your vet about it.

 

[paul1968mcr]

research the BARF diet.

The breeder we bought our Lab from in the UK was one of the most respected breeders in the country, and fed her dogs this way.

when we visited the kennels, she showed us the litter with the mom....It was time to feed mom, so she just tossed her a raw chicken carcass.

I'm too scared to feed that way....salmonella etc, but apparently it ends all allergies.

 

[BE Mike]

research the BARF diet.

The breeder we bought our Lab from in the UK was one of the most respected breeders in the country, and fed her dogs this way.

when we visited the kennels, she showed us the litter with the mom....It was time to feed mom, so she just tossed her a raw chicken carcass.

I'm too scared to feed that way....salmonella etc, but apparently it ends all allergies.

I fed my Boston Terrier some chicken skin from a roasted chicken and it almost killed her. It might have been something in the seasoning, but I learned my lesson from that. I only feed her Purina Dog Chow, which she loves and thrives on. The vet said that it is very common for folks to have to rush their dogs in to a vet for immediate care due to the owners feeding them "people food".

 

[KarBill]

I can understand where you're coming from. My lab is going on 12 years old now and I can't remember a time when he didn't have something wrong with him. Eye, ear, and skin infections are regular occurrences. He's horribly allergic to fleas and the vet said he has food allergies too. Unfortunately, he's also a scrap hound so it's impossible to determine what food he's allergic to. We have to stay stocked up on Keflex and Advantage just so he can keep his fur intact. Also, my lab is deathly afraid of water and always has been....I thought he was a one of a kind!

 

[jontheturboguy]

Talked to a vet the other day... you guys need to watch out for cheap dog foods that are filled with corn. Corn is bad bad bad for your dog's skin and will create dandruff and hot spots.

 

[slow1911s]

My brother-in-law had a similar issue with his lab. Lyme Disease.

 

[JBusch8899]

research the BARF diet.

The breeder we bought our Lab from in the UK was one of the most respected breeders in the country, and fed her dogs this way.

when we visited the kennels, she showed us the litter with the mom....It was time to feed mom, so she just tossed her a raw chicken carcass.

I'm too scared to feed that way....salmonella etc, but apparently it ends all allergies.

A dog's GI system is a close equivalent to the bottom of a dumpster. Anyone that states that a dog's mouth is cleaner than a human's, hasn't a clue (think about where they lick and clean themselves). As such, a raw chicken isn't likely to hurt the dog, but the bacteria from the raw fowl is likely to get upon the dog's fur, which in turn can be rubbed upon household furniture, carpet, etc.

If chewing of the skin is a problem, bitter apple spray, et al; works well, as it places a foul taste in the dogs mouth. If you are concerned that the dog's problem are related to a topical environmental factor, such as a home cleaning product, use your vacuum hose to suck off the offending chemical from the dog's fur.

I know Labs are big hams, that love people attention. When you play with and pet him, try to massage his skin more. It tends to promote a healthier and a more healing skin, as healing skin does tend to itch.

 

[bft131]

Well...we have bought some fish oil capsules so we are gonna give them a try along with his meds....Thank you for all the suggestions and I will keep you posted!!