Ann, I will admit that I personally have never had to take care of a dog that had these issues, but I have seen many through the years,especially when I did grooming. I have to agree with others, that most times when a dog is susceptible to any skin problems, it is usually because their immune system is low. So, we have to help build the dog up. I don't know what you are feeding her, but I would make sure that she is on a good natural dry kibble that is chicken based and no grains. You can always add a little water if she is fussy. That also means you should only feed her natural meat based treats, with no grains and preservatives or additives. Wellness has many good treats. No can food.
Sometimes when their immune system is low, stress will make their condition worse for a while. She is living in a new environment and that is stress for even a healthy dog. A change in diet can also bring on an attack, so if you have been feeding her a different food then what she was use to, then that is another possibility. If you have to change her food now, then it has to real gradual, only a few kibbles added to the old diet for the first week, and then gradually increase the amount of the new food to the old food. She should be completely switched over to the new food within 3-4 weeks. It's a slow process. I wouldn't give her any people food and only stick to one type of treat. That will make it easier to keep a record of any changes that you see. Pam has a rescue that did have a skin scraping and was diagnosed with Demodectic Mange. She would know more about it, because she has been treating her Tino. I am sure she could tell you what type of shampoo to use to and the name of any meds that she may have used. I did find this link, and since you can see him and we can't, maybe the descriptions and info will help you to trouble shoot better. Did you call a vet and ask how much and exam, skin scrapping, and blood test, fecal test would be? I definitely would not give him any shots, until he is strong again. I do know that Whip worm can make a dog loose their fur by the fistful. You can't see them in the poop, only a fecal test shows them. I did go through that with Princess, my Eskie rescue. Perhaps I caught it in time, because she was not itchy nor did she have bald spots. But clumps of fur would literally keep falling out when I would pet her and it was quite bad. She was on meds for to get rid of the worms and an antibiotic to help build her up, plus I put her on a good natural chicken based high protein food. She also was given Liperderm capsules everyday. That's for the Omega oils, which I swear by for a healthy coat and less shedding. Also, ringworm can cause the same symptoms, and you will usually see red circular bald patches. You know a lot of the Petco stores have their clinics, so just for a fecal test, you could go, and you don't have to take the dog, just pay the $10.00 for the fecal kit and then you mail it out, instructions are included. It does take almost two weeks to get the results back though. If she does have worms then whatever you do, don't use the over the counter stuff, they usually don't work and make the dog sick, but you may be able to find a vet that would look at the results and give you a prescription or the meds to treat her, especially if you explain the position that you are in. You can even try calling the Vet that is on the Petco receipt. Most of those Vets have a private practice and volunteer their time for the clinics. Just an idea. Here's the link and I hope you can find some way to get the money up to get her tested. http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/demodectic-mange-dogs?page=2 Peggy & The Girls -------Original Message------- From: Anne W Date: 4/6/2012 1:41:42 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [Chihuahuas] Hello Dear Peggy, I live in Las Vegas and fleas are pretty rare here due to the hot and arid summers. I also have two cats that have no issues. Hannah does not scratch the spots on her back. When she lost the hair on her belly and chest it happened within a couple of days all at once. It was not gradual. Allergies are bad here because of the dry dusty air. 5 milligrams of benadryl helps her sneezing and watery eyes. I read she would be itchy if she had mange. I would love to be able to have a vet check her out but just cannot afford the vet bill at the moment. Thanks for the advice. Anne On Apr 2, 2012 9:25 PM, "Peggy & The Girls" <[email protected]> wrote: Hi Anne, and welcome to the group! I understand that she doesn't have fleas, but is that because she was given on of the spot on flea meds by you or her previous owner? Or has she been given any type of flea preventive? Some dogs are very sensitive to any type of flea preventative. It could even be the shampoo or a rinse or a spray that you are using on her. Perfumed detergents being used on her bed or clothes and blankets can also cause it. It doesn't always have to be food that they are allergic to, although that is on the top of the list. There is also the possibility that it can be mange. Not all mange is transferable to humans and the most common ones are treatable. You will need to take her to the Vet for a skin scraping to find out for sure what it is. You mentioned that she has allergies, what type and what are they? Peggy & The Girls -------Original Message------- From: annabellalv77 Date: 4/2/2012 11:57:14 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [Chihuahuas] Hello Hi, My name is Anne and I am new to the group I have a 7 year old Chihuahua named Hannah, who I inherited about six months ago. About a year ago or so ago, she lost all the hair on her belly and chest. She grew a little back. Now she losing fur in a couple patches on her back. It doesn't seem to be itchy and it is in a spot on her back she cannot reach. It is not ringworm and she does not have fleas. Anyone have any input? She does suffer from allergies. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Anne
