It does not stop, i go crazy!

[D.Schäferhund]

Hi

It does not end, i don't know what else to do.
and i really do not want a naked dog!

These hot spots or what ever it is drive me crazy, i though we had it under control. after i had to shave her left hind leg almost up to the spine, and all healed well and hair is gowing in too, slowly of course but yeah!

we had two little spots on the edge of the shaved part but that was done with one treatment, crusted up and healing now.

this morning i heared her lick again, and what do i see a 2 inch long and 1 inch wide stripe right above her tail!
I treated it again and think about shaving again, don't really like, too. it is getting cold!
the skin looks healthy arround it and no irritation visibale, got me timberwolf, to feed if i have to feed kibble. other than that they eat raw and no other signs of food allergies.

The hot spot weather is over, and it is cold now.
I don't know what else to do. i don't just want to treat the symptoms i want to be done with it.
she is not a dog that is prone to allergies, or has lots of other healthproblems.
This is driving me crazy!

Is there anything else I can do?
something that might causes it i don't think about?!
i am thankful for every hint.
is it suspicious that they come in that one area, arround her hindend (left side)? or just coincedence.?!?!

[ewinscout]

Have you changed anything in your environment since these hotspots started? A new laundry detergent? A new airspray deodorant? Maybe its some sort of contact allergy that's causing the irritation leading to a hotspot? Skin issues are also a sign of a weakened immune system. Maybe have your vet draw a full blood panel to see if any of his levels are off? What are you feeding him in his raw diet? If you feed chicken everyday, then its possible that he could have developed and allergy to it. I feed my dog a raw diet as well, and one of my biggest concerns is making sure he's getting everything he needs. Maybe the skin problems are telling you that he's lacking something? These are just guesses. I really hope you figure it out. It can be so frustrating when you just don't know.
Keep us updated!

[Crossfire Bulldogs]

If your interested DH I have a wonderful salve that works wonders on reoccuring hot spots. Your welcome to PM me for the information if you'd like.

[D.Schäferhund]

Hi
thanks for all the questions, i am running them through my head to see if there might be something i missed...

l was feeding different kibble (too much protein for her), more than usual at the time it started and Kessy had foodallergies, itching mussle and chin, so this is what i took as cause the first time it occured, combined with the "hot spot" weather.

since then I am very carefull what i give them and so on..
I have to say the first time all of my dog had skin problems was wierd, and after that the hot spots showed up.
the first spots were mystirous and i took one of my little ones to the Vet.
the skin got hard and bumpy and then it broke open do drain whatever, and it itched bad. so one got a shot (antihistamin)and some anibiotics cause it was bad , the others I got just with some antibiotics and Benadryl.

the little ones are fine now, no new spots, but Kessy got a big one at her hindleg, and a little one underneith, now the bigone on the tail, but difference is to the first ones no hard skin. at the first ones it was kinda suspected poison Ivy, because the bumps looked similar, but dogs are not known to get it, so nothing for sure.
no it just looks like a regular hotspot.

Nothing major changed, no parasites as far as i can tell, they are in treatment, the diet should be balanced as far as i can tell.
I was thinking about maybe some stuff they spay on the veggies.
or the heater that is running now.

she has flakes in her coat but that can be from the slowly coming coatchange. but overall she is a little on the itchy side, i will wash her just in case this weekend, with the sulfodene schampoo.

I don't think she developed any food allergies, though!
will think a little more and maye I find something i missed.

@ Crossfire wil do..

[doberkim]

has she seen a vet?

[hipster]

I had a GSD who would get the same sores and she had allergies. What kind of food are you feeding? and yes, have you seen a vet?

[D.Schäferhund]

hi

I feed raw! so she was healthy before with royal Canin GSD 24. since we are on raw i could eliminate the morning sickness before the "heat" to.
she was even better.

she was with the Vet the first time she had it, and since we are treating it on our own.

I talked with our trainer and he made a valid point.
We all know she is highdrive and not to many trainingsessions ago we did a session in a building, along with a K-9 handlersclass, she was doing a buildingsearch for apprehension on the hidden sleeve, and she was awsome.
at this day, and a a while after that these happenings had me quite puzzeled, i knew something had happened. It was an awsome session and she was great, in very high drive and under absolut control. but still something had happened. It was like the another high (?) level was reached in partnership and teamwork.
and she seemed free totally free. if you know what i mean.

since then she was more "needy". and klingy, wich for her is a sign for absolut trust.
since then she is relaxed but i think that all kicked her up a notch in what she needs on work.

so my trainer said that this right now might be boredom. it may have started out as a hotspot in combination (wrong food/ weather)
and now is a thing that might turn into nibbeling out of boredom, we have stickers and they poke in the bare skin now, and we think once she has them out she just does not stop.

For me it will be tough now, i will give that theory a chance, because she is a dog that needs to work alot.
i am not sure what to do now, because she does walks , sorta agillity, i tech her tricks with a clicker, just for the tracking i have no time now. so it will be a challenge to get her working more.
this is the best i can think of now.

unless you know something else....?!?!?

[hipster]

It would be great if you could post a pic of these hot spots. Her condition may very well be stress related but I suspect from what you've said that it's allergy related.

When my GSD's allergies were that bad (with the hot spots, etc) - my vet would prescribe her antibiotics - sometimes up to 2-3 months (until condition cleared up).

You say you're feeding RAW - are you feeding her chicken?

[D.Schäferhund]

will post pics later, but most of the area cleared up and is growing hair now, now she just has that little one wich is allready crusting over and healing, it usually just takes one to two aplications to get them dry.

i actually do not like to give too many antibiotics if i can avoid it, would prefere if then some homoeopahtic things.
She currently gets Arsenicum album glubulis to have her detox.

Yes she gets chicken, too. but mainly we feed beef!

[IceyBlueSibes]

Just a thought, but I have owned 2 dogs, and known of one that were allergic to beef, and they had all types of skin problems. Once the beef was removed from their diet, they healed up nicely and never had any problems.

I think I agree with hipster. This sounds like some type of allergy, and allergies can pop up at any time in a dog (or even a humans) life.

[D.Schäferhund]

Yeah you are right, i will wait a little longer untill I am sure that she had time to clear up from all the symptoms, and then will go on the hunt for what causes it!
she is getting better though, and that last hotspot was the last in three weeks, so I cross my fingers, that this is it!
will put her probably and purely chicken for a while and then purly beef, see if that has any impact on her!

thanks though for giving me all that input!

[hipster]

Chicken is a common trigger too for skin related problems in GSDs - even chicken fat!!

[D.Schäferhund]

hmmm she was doing fine on the GSD 24, and this is chicken based, hmmm will try it anyway!

[D.Schäferhund]

Ok I wraped her up today and went to the Vet, to get a shot!
to get over it for now.

He thinks, too it is food related and the shot should last 6 to 8 weeks, and then i will start my search what it might be she is reacting to, so far i am lost, because we had chicken based foods, before rawfoods.

so the quest will be a long one!

[for_dogs_sake]

How are the hotspots now?
It is true, it could be an allergy, but not necessarily to food.
The inciting cause of acute moist dermatitis is usually a reaction to an insect bite. Fleas, ticks, biting flies and even mosquitos have been known to cause hot spots.
With the warm weather coming to a close and her condition clearing up..could it be a coincidence?
Check her over for fleas and ticks and treat as necessary just to be on the safe side.
Has your vet done tests for an allergy?
In the meantime, Good luck on the elimination process!