Menopause Matters Forum
General Discussion => This 'n' That => Topic started by: honeybun on October 18, 2014, 01:37:45 PM
-
Years ago I asked a dog related question on the forum and got great advice so I'm back for another try.
I have a little Bichon. She is coming up on 12 but is in good health. Problem is she is a licker and she has a hot spot on her back leg again that she has licked raw.
I currently have a cone on her as every bandage I put on she gets off. What can I do to help this heal and keep her away from it. I did buy one of the sprays that is supposed to deter them because of the bitter taste....She loved it ::)
I don't really want to go to the vet as you rarely come out without having spent a fortune and this is an on going problem.
Any thoughts ladies please.
Honeyb
x
-
What are you feeding her on? Our cocker had raw ginger in some of her meals and a garlic capsule every night, OK until she bit on the capsule :D :-X ……..
Sometimes certain breeds develop 'hot spots', JRs have habits of licking their paws ::) Westies are known to have 'allergic' skin.
Maybe cooked chicken with rice and veg for a month to see if the symptoms ease? No biscuits as often they have 'additives' which can cause problems. Raw veg in stead of 'treats'? No chemical treatments, i.e. Frontline as these can cause problems too.
There is also the 'scratch/itch' syndrome which can be eased by a steroid injection, particularly for cats with allergy to flea saliva.
My fee is ………. ;D ………
-
I had an American Cocker Spaniel who used to lick her paws all the time and also lick areas till she got hot spots. I think some dogs just have very sensitive itchy skin. Unfortunately the only thing I could do was put the lampshade on her till the hot spots had heeled. She got really used to wearing the lampshade cone but used to bash us in the back of our legs all the time - very painful sometimes.
DG x
-
Grass seeds can settle between the toes too.
-
Hi HB,
My sister had a Labrador and the same problem. She always swore by TCP and savlon cream which worked better than anything the vet gave her.
Our niece works with animals and recommended it to her
Sounds daft, but sometimes the simplest of things work. PN x x
-
TCP ointment or liquid? Would vinegar work ……… if it doesn't sting the hot spot. I swear by Savlon ;)
-
Liquid TCP in warm water as a wash then Savlon on top . Not sure about vinegar :-\ (http://:-\)
-
:thankyou: I love the smell of TCP ::)
-
Problem is I can't change her diet. She has bladder problems....as a lot of us do....She develops crystals in her urine and it leads to infection and cystitis. She is on a prescription diet that helps her bladder so I'm stumped there.
She has always been the same. She had surgery as. young dog as she dislocated her knee cap. Fluxating patella I think it was called. She started to lick the bottom of the foot that was not plastered and in one night stripped all the hair off her foot. Took months to grow back.
I'm at my wits end with her.
Honeyb
x
-
Our cat had special diet for the same thing …… fortunately he liked it!
Could she need her anal glands emptying? Sometimes pets displacement clean if they can't scratch the itch elsewhere. Or perhaps a steroid injection would take some of the irritation out of her skin?
There isn't a mite in there, mine had sarcastic mange mite and it took ages to diagnose.
-
My cat had a hot spot I put manuka honey on it as it was looking very raw and I thought it might get infected, it dine the trick and hasn't appeared back quite soothing.
-
Does her food have omega oils? When I put my Spaniel on Iams her skin improved enormously - I think it is because it has Omega oils in it - I now won't feed my dogs anything else. You could give her fish oil in her food as a supplement - you can get liquid fish oils for children that may be ok. Dg x
-
I know it's not a cheap option, especially with chronic conditions, but I would say that a visit to the vet really is the best option. Is she insured? If so, you may be able to claim vets expenses in connection with this condition.
At the end of the day, I'm sure you realise that when your dog is licking raw skin it's with the same tongue that she may have recently employed to lick her bottom so infection is a distinct possibility.
I work at a vets so I am biased of course. All the qualified staff there warn against using products (medication, supplements and topical preparations) designed for humans on animals - this is not motivated by wanting a fee for a consultation and pet medication but by genuine concern for people's pets. I have seen pets come into the surgery having been inadvertently poisoned by well-meaning owners - in these cases there is not always a good outcome :(
-
She does have a fish oil supplement and has had since she was tiny. Her food choice....I have no option as it reduces struvite crystals I her bladder, so no peeing blood. I'm very careful what I feed her.
Yes although it costs me a flamin fortune she is insured. It's always the same though....the excess on the policy is £70 and treatment always fall's below that.
I don't treat her myself except for bathing it and making sure it's dry.
Think I will probably end up at the vets this time.....although I will still wait a wee while yet.
Bichons are famous for this as are Retreivers.....guess what I had before this little one ::)
She is such a sweetheart, and for an old girl she is still full of beans. There is not one single day goes by that she does not make me laugh. She is still full of nonsense . I just want her to be comfortable.
Honeyb
x
-
However, many of those products are for human use as well ............ I've heard all the excuses for not using them on pets so many I could write a book !
Honey of any kind won't do any harm excpet she may lick it off to get more ::)
-
CLKD I just prefer to consult someone properly and conventionally qualified about medical matters, whether for myself or my pet. Personal choice.
-
For minor things I will try myself but for anything else then I will go and get proper advice.
The last time I asked for advice, someone on the forum was a veterinary nurse and pointed me in the right direction with what to discuss with the vet.
I got the right treatment by asking the right questions and years on I am still using the same meds with great success.
I will see if using the cone will let things heal but at the first sign of anything else, me and my bank balance will go to the vet. She is one of my closest friends but does not do mates rates...more the pity ::)
Honeyb
x
-
Does she do this when she is stressed HB or has it always been the case?
Bramble
-
She has always been the same Bramble.
For a little dog she is very robust. According to my vet this is because I have always had big dogs in the past and she really thinks she is much bigger than she is and not a lap dog...tough as old boots really.
I am defeated by this need to lick things until they bleed. She is well stimulated and has lots of toys. It's during the night that she does it.
Honeyb
x
-
could it be separation anxiety?
Bramble
-
Age related?
Would a stuffed Kong keep her occupied?
-
She has a stuffed Kong which occupies her for ages.
It's not separation anxiety, at least I don't think so. She sleeps in our room at night in her own bed. She is not left for long periods of time and she likes to sit and look out the window while we are out.
She knows she has done wrong when she licks. She sneaks off when I'm not looking and finds a quiet corner. In ten mins she can lick a hot spot till it bleeds. I hate putting the cone on her but she has had it on for two days now and her leg is much better. All I have done is washed her leg with warm water and dried it with a cool hair dryer. There is no infection or pus other wise I would be at the vet sharpish.
She is a mystery to me but I think Bichons are notorious for this kind of thing.
They are not the easiest of dogs ::)
Honeyb
x
-
She sounds a like a lovely little personality. Hope you manage to get it sorted. Re: mate's rates, wouldn't it be great if we all had a tame plumber, car mechanic and vet? ;)
-
If she was a car I could get her fixed cheaply. Daughters boyfriend is a mechanic ;D.
Trouble is I hate asking him to do anything in case I'm taking advantage and he gets upset if I use anyone but him ::)
Now I wonder if her next boyfriend could be a vet ;D
Honeyb
x
-
Breaking the itch/scratch cycle is difficult ……..
-
Was she less lucky when you were away?
-
She was distracted by being in a new place so she left the paw alone. Hair is growing back and its fully healed.
Till the next time ::)
Honeyb
x
-
Boredom then :-\ ……… more Kongs stuffed with?
-
Meat paste is a big hit as is peanut butter ;D
Well anything food related to be honest. At the moment she is sitting on my knee pawing at my chest with her head under my chin. It's getting near dinner time and she is making sure I don't forget ::)
Honeyb
x
-
;D ………. I can hear her purring from here ;) ::) at what point do you give in :D
-
My dog had something similar recently and he was put on antihistamines up to three times aday he is a westie so similar size. Most dogs for pets are human, when my dog gets tummy ache he has 2.5ml of children's calpol the vet said it is very good for tummy ache in dogs, they can also have paracetamol under the supervision of vet regards weight etc but not aspirin, where as with cats it is totally different.
He also never has treats....and just has burns sensitive dry food, I tried him on raw but he was not impressed.
Also regards the paw a long acting for a week steroid injection breaks the itch scratch cycle.
-
:thankyou: that's the important thing, to stop that itch/scratch cycle …...