> appointment with another vet (for a seccond opinion). Here's what I > am thinking. I noticed that Chip scratches ALOT!! I know he has no > fleas, I have 3 dogs, and they all are flea free. At first I thought > it was from his collar, so I removed it (it's been off for days) he > still scratches, he also itches his eyes (even the one without the > problem). Does anyone else think this could be allergies?
It definitely sounds like allergies to me. My chi Chiclet was on a prescription food because of liver problems, and the grains and especially corn in dog food, not to mention some of the iffy preservatives used, are huge allergy triggers. She had constant problems with itchy dry skin, especially in winter. I switched Chiclet to a grain-free homemade diet and the itching stopped completely. Two suggestions. First, switch Chip to a grain-free food. I would highly recommend any of the Naturapet foods -- Innova EVO, Innova, California Naturals. EVO would be the best, probably. Also, add an EFA (essential fatty acids) supplement to Chip's food -- you can either cut open an EFA supplement capsule and squeeze the oil out onto his food, or just feed him a little plain cooked salmon with his food a few times a week. If he's got dry skin due to the allergies, that will help. Additionally, try bathing him in one of the skin-soothing dog shampoos available at good pet stores -- the ones based on oatmeal. With Chiclet, I had good results with Nova Pearls. Watch out for shampoos containing emu oil or tea tree oil, some dogs have had reactions to those. If you should want to switch to a homemade diet, Monica Segal's site (www.monicasegal.com) is a good place to start, and she has a Yahoo list called K9kitchen. A homemade diet has done wonders for Chiclet and Luna, my other chi who doesn't have nearly as many health problems. I would *always* be suspicious of a vet who wants to rush into surgery for a non-emergency situation without addressing other possibilities first. If Chip's eye itself isn't swollen and red, if it's just the flesh at the corner of his eye, this doesn't sound like cherry eye to me, particularly with the other itching and ear irritation. I'm certainly not a vet, but this doesn't sound like a situation where you need to rush into a surgical solution that won't even address the other scratching problems. Anne ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Great things are happening at Yahoo! Groups. See the new email design. http://us.click.yahoo.com/lOt0.A/hOaOAA/yQLSAA/MJOolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> " Lets talk about our wonderful little friends! Join today! " Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Chihuahuas/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Chihuahuas/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
