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Posts: 7
From:North Epping, NSW Australia
Registered: Dec 2003

posted 12-23-2003 12:43 AM         

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I'm having a heck of a time with my girl Katie (half dog, part mutt, maybe a little border collie mixed in for fun). We have recently moved to AU from the US and Katie seems to be having an allergic reaction (so says the vet) to something. She has 2 small scabs on her head and one in her ear. Has anyone else experienced a similar allergic reaction? I hate to medicate for something she MAY have as she's been over-medicated these past 6 months (quarrantine regulations)and we're trying to detox... BTW, she has food allergies as well which I'm trying to combat by making her food. Any tips/advice/info greatly appreciated!!!

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Posts: 1387
From:Portland, Oregon US
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 12-23-2003 11:49 AM         

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I would take a long hard loook at her environment, there are probably alot of new things she is being exposed to. are the three scabby spots the only symptoms of an allergy?

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Registered: Sep 2003

posted 12-23-2003 11:51 AM         

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You can get her tested for allergies, just like people. Then, knowing what she is allergic to specifically, you will be better able to figure out what to do to help her.

Jamiya

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Posts: 7
From:North Epping, NSW Australia
Registered: Dec 2003

posted 12-23-2003 01:00 PM         

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The scabs aren't the only symptom; she has mildly dry skin and gets a bit itchy at times. Additionally, she seems off her game, just not herself. I know that there are a whole lot of new allergens in her world now (my allergies have acted up since we moved!) BUT she's never had these scabs. The vet I took her to seemed to think that it was one of two things; either the poisons leeching out (she was treated with Frontline 3 times within a 35 day period!) or allergies/bacterial infection. The affected areas haven't responded to the antifungal/antibacterial shampoo but I'm reluctant to use it more than 1X every 2 or 3 days.

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Posts: 1387
From:Portland, Oregon US
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 12-23-2003 01:36 PM         

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I wouldn't want to bathe her that often either...especially if she already has dry skin. Try adding tea tree oil in the shampoo, it will moisturize her skin and help to keep fleas off of her. Why was she treated so heavily with Frontline? I would say that in itself could be why she is "off her game"...thats alot of chemical for her body to deal with. Maybe knock her diet back to a very basic mix like chiken and rice with a few veggies you know she is not allergic to for a while to let her detox. I'm not a vet but it's an idea. Putting more stuff on her skin may just compound it. A person o the Catahoula board recently posted about a cream that she used on her dogs inflamed allergy based sores. She was thrilled with it. It was made from calendula and a holistic cream. Let me see if I can get more info on it for you. She said it was very soothing.

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Posts: 7
From:North Epping, NSW Australia
Registered: Dec 2003

posted 12-23-2003 02:52 PM         

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I would appreciate that... My only concern about adding tea tree oil is that it can be drying as well. I use it on my poison ivy (which I get frequently) to help dry it out.
As for WHY she was treated with Frontline, it was a requirement of quarrantine that she be treated 30 days prior to entering AU quarrantine, 4 days prior to leaving the contry and then when she arrived at AU quarrantine she was treated again! I was more than a little upset. I don't even like to use Frontline as it's systemic and she's had a bad reaction before. I ususally use 1/2 the recomended dosage of Advantage if anything at all. I'm not big into medicating unless it's absolutely necessary.
As for diet, we're on chicken and rice right now. She seems to be doing ok on it but seems like she's hungry all the time. This may just be my warped perception as I'm home all day with her now and EVERY TIME I go to the kitchen she's there begging. Starving dog syndrome
Thanks for your input. I appreciate other animal-lover's input sometimes more than a vet's input!

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Posts: 1387
From:Portland, Oregon US
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 12-23-2003 07:01 PM         

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OK she said it's called NELSON'S CALENDULA CREAM, she said there are other brands available at health food stores or Natural stores...but she prefers this brand.

Here is a link to the manufacturers site. They had other creams that looked promising too. I typed in "Nelsons Calendula cream" in a search engine and came up with lots of places to buy it, it was inexpensive too.
http://us.nelsonshomoeopathy.co.uk/coffee/pages/0991756842.shtml

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Posts: 1387
From:Portland, Oregon US
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 12-23-2003 07:07 PM         

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PS.....I thought tea treee was supposed to moisturize. I even bought some shampoo with it already in it that says it's for that!

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Posts: 7
From:North Epping, NSW Australia
Registered: Dec 2003

posted 12-23-2003 07:28 PM         

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Like I said, I use tea tree oil on my poison ivy to help it dry out. I've also used it on zits to dry them out before they turn into something resembling Mount St. Helens. I don't know about it's moisturizing effects although I have seen it added to lotions. When used in conjunction with Witch Hazel it makes a wonderful soothing combination on rashes and itchy stuff.

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Posts: 409
From:Los Angeles, Ca.
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 12-24-2003 12:19 AM         

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Hi Kate,
Wow, that's terrible that your dog had to use something she already has had bad reactions too.
Your right, i was just going to recommend tee-tree in the lotion/cream form. I've used that form of tea-tree before on rashes on my dogs face, and it worked pretty good. Just be consistant. It's pretty thick stuff, so it does'nt remove as easily, just get it in pass the fur,on the skin.
I've also used Tea-Tree in the spray-bottle form (i guess it was diluted w/ other herbs & stuff). I always have a bottle of this around & primarily use it for minor cuts & burns/open wounds. This type/form dried out the areas that were sprayed.
Calendula cream works pretty good as well. I would like to think that Calendula is like a more potent aloe-vera type thing. Used for the same purposes. Basically, a soother/moisturizer.
Since you mentioned that your dog has had reactions to Frontline before, i'm kinda leaning on that for the spots/scabs on her head & ear.
It could very much be a mixture of all that is going on in her life right now. Stress.
The trips to the vet before the flight, trip to the airport, the flight itself, landing (meeting up w/ you again, not knowing what's gonna happen next) the trip to her new home, detox situation, Chemicals, & very much her new atmosphere (new allergens all around).
You said that your allergies are acting up as well since the move. Check to see if they are the same things your dogs dealing w/ too.
The types of allergies dogs deal w/ are very much the same as the ones humans have.
Chicken & Rice sounds good. If she's used to it, and is'nt allergic. It's very nutrtious & easily absorbed/broken down.

I'm no professional that's for sure, but my guess is that all of this just has been weighing down on her, and has'nt adjusted to it all, yet.

Keep Us Posted... & Good-Luck

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Posts: 7
From:North Epping, NSW Australia
Registered: Dec 2003

posted 12-24-2003 12:12 PM         

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Thanks for the advice/encouragement Goodboys; I'll keep you posted. Merry Christmas everyone!

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