Species: Dog Breed: Blue Belton English Age: 2-5 years
My 4 year old English Setter ( house dog and hunter) recently came down with ear mites and at the same time started to lose fur around his neck. We brought him to vet who put him on two types of pills, pink ones every 24 hours for 3 weeks and big orange ones 2.5 every 12 hours (60 total). We washed his beeding with hot water only, no perfumes in the house, removed his collar and only washed him 1-2 times over a month or two with oatmeal shampoo. He was good while on pills. Now we notices he is scratching a lot now and between his toes are getting sore, although i was them out afraid it might be dirt from the marsh he runs on weekends while hunting. now he is always cleaning his feet and are making them sore... any suggestions what may triggered this or what I can do? I have an apointment again with the vet next week but it didnt help the last time.
Thanks
PS we feed him fish food thought it might help his skin.
Dr. Marie replied:
Sorry to hear that Killick is having skin problems.
It's always hard to talk about skin problems without seeing the dog but I have a few thoughts on what you have written.
It sounds like the medications your vet has given are Cephalexin (an antibiotic) and Temaril-P (also known as Vanectyl-P). The Temaril-P is a combination of a steroid and and antihistamine.
So, it sounds like your vet is treating him for suspected allergies. Often, it's hard to know what a dog is allergic to. In the fall, in my area, many dogs have seasonal allergies to things like ragweed or other plants. Often when dogs have allergies they need to stay on the steroid/antihistamine until allergy season is over. For some dogs this means getting a good frost and for others it can mean when we get a good snowfall. I will have dogs on medication given every other day during allergy season.
What you have described with itchiness between the toes is very common with allergies as well.
It sounds like it is a good idea to have another vet visit. The vet will determine if there is still any infection present and whether or not to stay on antibiotics. (Sometimes skin infections need 4-8 weeks of antibiotics in order to clear up). And then they will decide if he needs to stay on the steroids for a while longer.
If the vet is suspicious of food allergies they may talk to you about a trial of hypoallergenic food as well.
Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.
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Veterinarian, Dr. Marie created this site to be able to provide quick, accurate veterinary advice online. She would love to help with your pet's problem!
Dr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.
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