Have you ever seen this? Vet says grass allergy.

[Dogband1]

Hello Forum Friends, been some months, maybe years …. as soon as we got past the housetraining stage with your help, I stopped posting/reading much.  My apologies. 

This is about our Reilly RedSky, almost 3 years old,  our 4th CT.  About 3 months ago, he started scratching a good bit. We really try to avoid flea chemicals, so I rely on 2x daily intense flea combing and inspection.  I could not find a thing. Then in the space of an hour he, unknown to us, had chewed the base of his tail a huge bit,  it was raw, with running liquid. Of course we were off to the vet the next morning:  diagnosis flea dermititus.  Started Advantage II which all my CTs have tolerated well, a few days of steroid pill [hate those things],  and some topical Derma-Vet Ointment.  He got healed pretty quickly, wore a neck collar only a few days. Hair is growing back nicely. 

Now I found that the  lower tail had some irritation, light scabbing just this past week, off to the vet again.  He also has had 3-4 small white pimples in this area, about a half of 1/16" in diameter, filled with white liquid, of hand cream consistency. Vet said allergies to grass.  He does lay in the grass a good bit, so we have stopped this. Vet prescribed 1/2 Zyrtec in the morning and continue with the Derma Vet Ointment.  Also prescribed a bendryl in the evening, we did this one time, it made him wild.  Also prescribed weekly bath in oatmeal based, no soap, shampoo- we did this.  We rarely bath him, just the daily deep brushing.  He is our first to hand strip too.   Now he is 90% better.  I just a moment ago found another of these pimples, about 1/16" diameter on his lower foot, near a pad.  He as always eats Nutri Source, and the occasional grain free, high quality treat.  No people food.  No other drugs in his system other than continuing with Advantage II until it gets cold.  No change in food.  

So has anyone even seen a CT with these very small white pimples on the tail, near the foot pad or other location?  Occasionally his tail will look like it has dandruff.  We let his tail hair grow long and flowing, as he carries it so beautifully over his body...…...are these just the most beautiful creatures on earth or what?  I am over reactive with him, he may be our last, as I am not a kid anymore.

Any thoughts or historical knowledge helpful.  I will stay on top of this with the vet, but ……. grass allergy?  Would just like to run this by some of you.  Thank you for the kindness of your time.    

[pkcrossley]

very frustrating for you. i guess if it's not fleas then it's something in the grass or the food. the stuff i read recently suggested that a grain-free diet is not beneficial for all dogs. but i wonder if there's something on the ground --evidently not poison ivy, but something like that? something he might be allergic too?

[Guest dog person]

The first step is to get an accurate diagnosis.  I would make an appointment with a veterinary dermatologist, especially if your regular vet has not been helpful within a reasonable amount of time.
The only accurate test for environmental allergies is intradermal skin testing done by a veterinary dermatologist.
The only accurate way to rule out food sensitivities/allergies is prescription/therapeutic/elimination food diet. Very difficult to stick to.
Your vet will confirm what I have said.   Also, don't fall for mail-in hair and saliva tests, they are scams.
Be aware that the blood test that your vet may recommend may not be accurate, that’s why my preference is to go directly to the dermatologist after medical clearance and other causes for the symptoms have been ruled out.

http://www.nevetdermatology.com/canine-atopic-dermatitis-treatment/ There are even newer treatment options since this article was written.
http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=environmental+allergies

PS: I have a dog with allergies, at least 20 allergens (some are grasses, weeds, trees, dust) identified per intradermal skin testing, she has responded to allergen specific immunotherapy,  5 years in, treatment is lifelong.    Avoidance of allergens does not work.   Food allergies are rare and food sensitivities tend to fluctuate and tend to show up as gastrointestinal upset,  environmental allergies tend to show up as pruritus.

If the pup has a flea allergy, they are so sensitive, one bite and all hell breaks loose.

  I hope your dog's allergies (if that's what he has) are only mild/seasonal.

Edited August 23, 2018 by dog person

[Sam I Am]

“Always feed Nutrisource”. 

I wonder if perhaps the issue is the kibble? You could try a different high end kibble or be open to try a balanced cooked diet or feed a balanced raw diet and see if that makes a difference. 

Has the vet taken a skin scraping ? Also please keep an open mind about the saliva testing from Dr Jean Dodds,  a world renowned researcher. Our Scottie had a problem with loose stools, diarrhea as a youngster. We went through our vet , got the testing done and found out the very protein she had  an intolerance for,  we were feeding her was causing her problems. Upon receiving the results we changed her diet. She is now six years old and has never had any issues.  Both our dogs have been on raw and cooked diets and are doing great. Silky coats, not a flick of dandruff and hopefully it will stay that way.

If you are interested in Home cooking I have Rosie’s diet in the cooking section on this site

 

This is Dr Dodds web page. https://www.nutriscan.org/

Edited August 22, 2018 by Terrier lover

[sanford]

Sorry to read this...and concerned for you and Reilly. I never heard of a grass allergy, so I can’t address that. My personal experience has only been with upright’s allergies, (my own... years ago). In my case, I found the diagnostic process unconvincing and I was sceptical of the conclusions, But maybe it’s just me.

That aside, i wonder if a 2nd opinion is warranted. I think some of the test results may be open to interpretation and different vets have experience with different allergies.

Additionally, others who have had to deal with flea dermatitis described how insidious it was, once fleas entered the house - it was a labor intensive job to get rid of them. Could Reilly have been reinfected?

Hoping for relief for you and Reilly!

[Hillscreek]

Sorry to hear this. I had a jrt who developed a flea allergy around three years old. It was terrible. Biting and scratching, sore and bleeding - constantly irritated all over her body. Used Advantix11. Instant relief. I had to use it each summer for the rest of her life . If it happened now I would use Bravecto but that wasn't available then.

Have not had a dog with any other allergies so cannot comment.

Like others I would advise a visit to a dermatologist.

Good luck and let us know how things go.

[LindaMC]

I am going through something very similar with my 5 yr. old Cairn Terrier, Maisie, only the pimples that she gets are not white.  She was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection which turned into bladder stones.  The vet first recommended surgery but then opted for a special diet, which of course, is sold by most vets.  This cleared up all her stones, only then she began to break out in different places.  This has been going off and on for awhile now.  The next step will be a skin scraping.  Needless to say, I stopped feeding her the prescription food and began feeding her a grain free diet from Canada.  So far it seems to be keeping them at bay.  She had tests for environmental allergies and she's negative.  Vet thinks its most likely a food allergy.  We also tried giving her a shot of CytoPoint but it didn't work.  Also tried topical ointments and then as a last resort, one more round of antibiotics for 6 weeks this time.  It cleared all her sores up and she's only had a couple of breakouts since then.  

It starts with a tiny little bump and then is appears to ooze clear liquid and create a large area (about the size of a quarter) that's raw.  She loves the food, which is a huge help.  It's Grain Free Holistic Blend - 5 Fish.  Sorry to have gone on so long, I've been away from this board for a few months.  Back in late April both my husband and I were diagnosed with pneumonia.  I believe that is the sickest I've ever been, I had the pneumonia shot too!  My husband woke up on a Sunday morning screaming in pain.....I called 911 and they rushed him to the hospital.  Long story shot, turns out he had pretty large mass on his right lung, which was removed entirely the first week in July.  The pneumonia actually saved his life. 

All in all, it's been a rough Spring and Summer.   Hope you find out what's making Reilly break out.  I know how frustrating it can be. 

 

[Toto-lee Cairn]

My former Cairn, a 10-year-old rescue, had skin allergies, but the vet determined it was yeast.  He went on a grain-free diet, and I put a TBS of plain Kefir in his food with the a.m. meal.  When I bathed him, it was with a special shampoo I got from the vet, and I would leave it on him as long as he would stay in the tub.  The Rescue Group also suggested I dilute regular, gold Listerine with water, put it in a spray bottle, and between baths, spray his coat and rub it in.  Seems like you have a different issue, entirely.  I do know Cairns are prone to all sorts of skin issues, and your problem does sound like fleas. Our little Cairn puppy has shown either a sensitivity to the grass, or like me, has been getting chewd-alive by what we refer to here as sand gnats or no-see-ums, which can be miserable.

[scorpio13]

My Angus suffers from yeast as well. moist environment is the culprit to the cause. Obviously grass. Also sweating apparently. I have tried all grain free foods found one that really agrees with him. He has yeast again. Toto-lee Carin,what is the ratio of listerine to water. That is a new one for me and I would like to try. For years I was told food,grass allergies. Now I know it is moist environments that cause yeast,just have to shampoo more and really keep him dry. If anyone else has any info on yeast I would greatly appreciate anything you know. Oddly this time his ears are fine. Thanks in advance,Janet

[Guest dog person]

This is a good, mild medicated shampoo   "Medicated Nootie Antimicrobial Shampoo is perfect for dermatological conditions associated with bacterial and fungal skin infections".  

You can find it at petedge dot com.

Same ingredients as Malaseb but not as expensive.

As always, check with your vet, especially if your dog is being treated for a specific skin condition that has not responded to treatment.

Edited January 31, 2019 by dog person