# Shedding, skin rash and weight issues



## mrs_prawln (Jun 4, 2013)

Hi all,

I'm new here but thought this would be the perfect place to ask my questions.

I have two chihuahuas, both aged 2. The girl is a little chubby, but overall healthy. The boy on the other hand has had a multitude of issues since we got him. Please keep in mind that I have taken to him the vets almost weekly for the last 6 months trying to get something to help him, but nothing is working as yet.
I thought maybe someone else may have come across these problems before and may be able to suggest some alternatives.

Luka (the boy) is about half the size of his sister (height and length-wise) but he is a little overweight. He has a skin problem on his scalp that causes his head to look greasy and a little smelly, and has little yellow scabs on his scalp. It also causes his fur to fall out where the scabs are. It seems to also make his eye weep. The vet has had him on medicated shampoos, multiple antibiotics and now a diet change to hopefully fix the problem and also lower his weight.
While on his last course of antibiotics his head seemed to clear up slightly, but eventually came back to how it has been.

His diet was orignally dry biscuits and the morning, and a thin slice of dog roll at night. The vet advised that we cut the biscuits completely and give him mince and rice in the mornings, and a slither of dog roll at night still. Luka loves it, but it hasnt helped his skin, and also gives him runny poo which hasn't seemed to subside for the last 2 months. Last time we were at the vet they then advised that we add biscuits back in as well as the meat to fix the runny poo problem. 
Well, in all honesty it hasnt done a thing - his head is still horrible, and his weight is still the same.

I really would just like some advice, i feel so bad for my little guy and the vet is trying what they can, but i feel like maybe someone else that may have had the same issues might be able to tell me what worked for them. I'm willing to try anything.

Thanks! 
(and sorry for the large post)


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## Huly (Mar 5, 2012)

Can you post a photo? What food are you feeding him?


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## susan davis (Mar 25, 2011)

Vet's don't sometimes have knowledge about foods. I would use a grain free kibble, or a premade raw diet (ZiwiPeak, Stella and Chewies) or a raw diet. Give it at least a month so that he can detoxify his body. He may be allergic. There is a blood test that tests for alot of the common allergies---this might help determine what is happening.


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## mrs_prawln (Jun 4, 2013)

Huly said:


> Can you post a photo? What food are you feeding him?


Hi Huly,

At the moment he is having rice and cooked mince in the mornings, with a few biscuits (pedigree brand) and at night, a small slice of dog roll (butch lamb and chicken) and a few more pedigree biscuits.

I don't have a picture on me at the moment, but I will take one tonight and post up 

I wonder whether he needs to even be fed twice a day? The vet tells me he is overweight for his size.


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## mrs_prawln (Jun 4, 2013)

susan davis said:


> Vet's don't sometimes have knowledge about foods. I would use a grain free kibble, or a premade raw diet (ZiwiPeak, Stella and Chewies) or a raw diet. Give it at least a month so that he can detoxify his body. He may be allergic. There is a blood test that tests for alot of the common allergies---this might help determine what is happening.


Thanks for the advice! I am doing a bit of research now about grain free foods available in New Zealand, and I am definately going to get him over to the raw diet.

Should I be giving him biscuits and meat? or just one or the other?


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## mrs_prawln (Jun 4, 2013)

Huly said:


> Can you post a photo? What food are you feeding him?


Hi again Huly, I have taken some pictures now. I came home from work to find him with a huge raw patch on his head. He gets so itchy and he scratches a lot, but it has never been this bad.

I tried to get better pics but he just would not sit still


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## Huly (Mar 5, 2012)

Looks like what we call a Hot Spot. It can be caused from an allergy to food, fleas, or enviroment. 

First off stay away from Pedigree biscuits lots junk in there. 
Just picked a random one to show you some of the issues:
Ingredients:

Ground Whole Corn, Rice, Chicken By-Product Meal (Natural Source Of Glucosamine & Chondroitin), Wheat Flour, Animal Fat, Sufficient Water For Processing, Corn Gluten Meal, Salmon Meal, Chicken Cartilage (Natural Source Of Glucosamine & Chondroitin), Gelatin, Ground Flax Seed, Natural Grilled Steak Flavor, Vegetable Oil (Source Of Linoleic Acid), Natural Poultry Flavor, Rice Hulls, Caramel Color, Salt, Lecithin, Dicalcium Phosphate, Yeast Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Turmeric, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Added FD&C And Lake Colors (Yellow 6, Blue 2, Red 40, Yellow 5), Iron Oxide, Vitamins (Dl-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate [Source Of Vitamin E], L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate [Source Of Vitamin C], Vitamin A Acetate, Thiamine Mononitrate [Vitamin B1], Vitamin D3 Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement [Vitamin B2], Biotin, Choline Chloride), Minerals (Zinc Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Potassium Iodide), Marigold Extract, Naturally Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols. 

Corn and Grains are the #1 food allergy and well by products and meals are just the worst! Any flavor etc is not good because they should have the flavor from what is in it not an additive and what kind of animal fat is that. 

Here is an idea of what I give as treats and a healthy biscuit:

PureBites Chicken- (I feed this)
Only ingredient is CHICKEN
Dog Biscuits & Treats PureBites from PETCO.com

Good Biscuits- BUDDY BISCUITS or OLD MOTHER HUBBARD

Cloud Star Buddy Biscuits Chicken Dog Treats
16 oz.; Chicken
Whole wheat flour, cooked chicken, dehydrated garlic, vegetable oil, mixed tocopherols (natural preservative).

Old Mother Hubbard Classic Oven Baked Chick' N' Apples Dog Biscuits
5 oz.; Mini
Ground barley, ground brown rice, chicken, apples, chicken meal, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a natural source of vitamin E), cane molasses, turmeric, eggs, carrots, garlic, salt, mixed tocopherols (a natural preservative).

I am not sure on the meat roll etc. I would need to see ingredients. How much does your pup weigh? Can we see a good rib shot? Also does he have fleas? What kind of shampoo? What kind of flea treatment? We need to look at everything but I would first start with the food


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## mrs_prawln (Jun 4, 2013)

Thanks for the reply Huly.

Luka weighs 6.6lbs but he is quite a small boy.
He doesn't have fleas luckily, we had an issue with fleas around 8 months ago but we got all that sorted and haven't had fleas since.

We have tried Malaseb medicated shampoo, pet basic original oatmeal and aloe shampoo and we were also recommended Selsun Blue, which is for dandruff but I alternate that with the oatmeal shampoo as I think its quite harsh.


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## ~LS~ (Oct 29, 2011)

Hi Emma!

Welcome to the forum. Your boy is beautiful, but your vet is right he is very
overweight. First and foremost I would switch him to a high quality grain free
food. Can you get Orijen? The six fish variety is great for dogs with skin issues.
Do not feed any treats or home food, that is only adding to the problem imo.
Just two meals per day, nothing more. As for his skin, I would speak with your
vet, get some anti parasite treatments, or topical antibiotics. And to help your
boy reach a healthy weight I'd up his exercise regimen. How often do you guys
walk? Play? On-leash walks are crucial for every dog's well-being, both physical
and mental. Put him on good food, cut the treats/junk, up the exercise & treat
his skin, and hopefully all the issues will fade away. Best of luck & don't hesitate
to ask questions, comments, and of course update us when you get a chance.


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## mrs_prawln (Jun 4, 2013)

~LS~ said:


> Hi Emma!
> 
> Welcome to the forum. Your boy is beautiful, but your vet is right he is very
> overweight. First and foremost I would switch him to a high quality grain free
> ...


I have just had a look and we can get Orijen here. My mum went to her vets and got some Eukanuba Dermatosis FP, which is grain free and is made from fish and potatoes. Hopefully it will be ok for him as it only came in a 11lb bag. The vet advised her that we should only give him .15lbs a day and not to give him any other food.

He used to be outside all day with indoor access while we were at work, but unfortunately one of our neighbours said the dogs barked too much so we need to keep them indoors. They have pretty much free roam of the house though and play all day (we have a camera) although he does tend to snooze alot.

We have started walking him more frequently, but probably not enough. How long would you recommend for a small dog? We don't want to take him too far and have him feel unwell afterwards.

Thanks for all the help, i really appreciate it! I hope we can get this sorted


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## Jem91 (Jan 27, 2013)

Have you thought about feeding raw? 
I saw a fantastic picture of a dog with skin problems on a raw Facebook page and the after photo was amazing! His fur was thicker, n itching and generally looked happier. 
Just don't take every word your vet says about nutrition as gospel x

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## ~LS~ (Oct 29, 2011)

Emma, when it comes to walking a dog that is not used to too much exercise,
you want to take it slow, start with 20 minutes each walk and after a week add
another 10 minutes to each walk and so forth, this will slowly but surely help
your pup build endurance as he loses the extra weight and gets stronger. I
recommend three times per day, morning, mid-day(or after work) and before bed
time. Make sure to bring water for him on every walk, and take small breaks if
he needs them. To give you an idea of what you can achieve with a healthy
dog, if you wanted to...my Chihuahuas (2.5 lbs and 8.5 lbs) walk four times per
day for a daily total of 5-8 hours. Running in a backyard is not enough
stimulation for a dog, they need structured on leash walks, they need to see
new places, smell new scents, it's very beneficial for both body & mind. You'll
have a healthier, happier pup. Ideally if you can offer him a total of an hour
and a half or so per day, it'll be great, if you wish to walk more it's even better.


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## mrs_prawln (Jun 4, 2013)

Jem91 said:


> Have you thought about feeding raw?
> I saw a fantastic picture of a dog with skin problems on a raw Facebook page and the after photo was amazing! His fur was thicker, n itching and generally looked happier.
> Just don't take every word your vet says about nutrition as gospel x
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


I honestly didn't even know it was an option until I started looking around on this forum. Its definately an option, but I think i'm going to start with a dry diet, and go raw later perhaps. He has quite runny poop and I heard that dry food will help make it more solid?
My poor boy, he has so many problems


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## Jem91 (Jan 27, 2013)

Yeah but if you feed meaty bones, they help to harden the poop. 
Oscar started the diet properly Monday and he's been great, no funny tummy or anything x

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## mrs_prawln (Jun 4, 2013)

Jem91 said:


> Yeah but if you feed meaty bones, they help to harden the poop.
> Oscar started the diet properly Monday and he's been great, no funny tummy or anything x
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Well that could definately be an option then. What sort of size bones do you give to Oscar? Luka would love it!


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## mrs_prawln (Jun 4, 2013)

~LS~ said:


> Emma, when it comes to walking a dog that is not used to too much exercise,
> you want to take it slow, start with 20 minutes each walk and after a week add
> another 10 minutes to each walk and so forth, this will slowly but surely help
> your pup build endurance as he loses the extra weight and gets stronger. I
> ...


In that case, I'll start tonight after work! Is it better to walk before or after meals? I have to get all 3 dogs walking together as Phoenix (our Tibetan Spaniel) loves to run ahead, and Milli likes to lag behind. Luka tends to want to be with Phoenix, but hes very indecisive. I have tried walking them individually but if I take Luka and Milli without Phoenix, he cries so loudly from inside the house that I can hear him from down the street, and vice versa.


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## ~LS~ (Oct 29, 2011)

I'd love to see pictures of all of your dogs, if you get a chance to post a picture.


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## mrs_prawln (Jun 4, 2013)

I think I need to make a signature with all my ur babies in!

Here is a better picture of Luka









This is Milli


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## mrs_prawln (Jun 4, 2013)

and here is Phoenix









Along with some other cute pictures, and our cats


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## ~LS~ (Oct 29, 2011)

Oh my goodness they are all SO cute! What a nice little family! Beautiful. 

Thanks for sharing.
Do you know how to make siggies? If not, I could make you one, I'm not very good, but I try.


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## cpaoline (Oct 9, 2012)

a spoon ful of canned plain pumpkin should help his poo!


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## mrs_prawln (Jun 4, 2013)

~LS~ said:


> Oh my goodness they are all SO cute! What a nice little family! Beautiful.
> 
> Thanks for sharing.
> Do you know how to make siggies? If not, I could make you one, I'm not very good, but I try.


Oh really? That would be cool if you could! I should probably try and get some better pics of my babies, they just get so excited and seem to want to play whenever I pull out my phone or camera and I can't get them to sit still.


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## mrs_prawln (Jun 4, 2013)

cpaoline said:


> a spoon ful of canned plain pumpkin should help his poo!


What is it about the canned pumpkin that makes to poo better?
I'm definately going to try that!


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## ~LS~ (Oct 29, 2011)

mrs_prawln said:


> Oh really? That would be cool if you could! I should probably try and get some better pics of my babies, they just get so excited and seem to want to play whenever I pull out my phone or camera and I can't get them to sit still.



No problem, take some pics and let me know when you want a siggy.
It's my pleasure.





mrs_prawln said:


> What is it about the canned pumpkin that makes to poo better?
> I'm definately going to try that!



The fiber in canned pumpkin helps firm stools. Just add a teaspoon to your pup's
meal. Do this for 2-3 days, if his stools don't improve then back to the vet.


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## cpaoline (Oct 9, 2012)

Yes see above! Good luck


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## mrs_prawln (Jun 4, 2013)

~LS~ said:


> No problem, take some pics and let me know when you want a siggy.
> It's my pleasure.
> 
> 
> ...


Well I've learnt something today! I hope all of these things will help make Luka go back to his normal self  I'm so glad I found this forum!

I have another question also, but not sure if you will know the answer, or whether this could be causing some of his problems... He eats his own poop... and no matter how much poop i pick up, he will do another one and start eating it straight away. I read it could be because he thinks he will get in trouble, but he never has gotten in trouble for pooping/...its weird..

I will take some pics over the weekend for sure


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## ~LS~ (Oct 29, 2011)

mrs_prawln said:


> Well I've learnt something today! I hope all of these things will help make Luka go back to his normal self  I'm so glad I found this forum!
> 
> I have another question also, but not sure if you will know the answer, or whether this could be causing some of his problems... He eats his own poop... and no matter how much poop i pick up, he will do another one and start eating it straight away. I read it could be because he thinks he will get in trouble, but he never has gotten in trouble for pooping/...its weird..
> 
> I will take some pics over the weekend for sure



There are many possible causes, could be as you
said him not wanting to get in trouble, it could also
be from boredom(this is a very common reason)
It could also be because his diet is lacking nutrients.
Hopefully once you switch him over to either a balanced 
raw diet or a high quality grain free kibble it will stop.

You should mention this behavior to your vet though,
because at times it is due to the dog having parasites,
and his body not being able to properly absorb all the
nutrients.


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## mrs_prawln (Jun 4, 2013)

~LS~ said:


> There are many possible causes, could be as you
> said him not wanting to get in trouble, it could also
> be from boredom(this is a very common reason)
> It could also be because his diet is lacking nutrients.
> ...


Next time I take him to the vet I will definately mention it to him.
I started Luka on his new biscuits on Saturday morning, and since then I notice his poo is very dark and smelly. Besides that, he doesn't seem to be eating it, or not that I have noticed. It is also back to being firm, YAY!

He is always at the water bowl now, the biscuits seem to really dehydrate him, but so far so good!


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