Advice for Spartan

[JUDY S]

Sparty has a small bald spot on his front leg that he has created himself, the vet checked it and said it was nothing to worry about. She gave me a hood for him to wear so that he couldn't reach it and would forget about it. I haven't used it as I was hoping with the deworming that he would forget about it. He hasn't. I would like to avoid using it if I can, it's hard for them to get through the door with it on. I am wondering if there is something non-toxic but yucky tasting that I could put on it that would make him leave it alone. Any ideas?

[Traci]

If the dog is licking at the area, scratching at it, irritated by it in anyway, then its NOT "not anything to worry about".

You said it was a "bald" area, but is it in fact, an abrasion, is the skin/tissue open or raw? (i.e., like a lick granuloma, in which proper wound care and using the elizabethan collar are essential to healing --- a bandage can be put in place and bitter apple applied to the TOP of the bandage, but most dogs have the bandage chewed off in seconds, hence the reason for the elizabethan collar)

[JUDY S]

The skin is not raw or anything, it just has no hair. I guess that means on for the collar for the poor boy.

[mamabear]

how is he doing?

Is he licking out of boredom?
Did dr. test for ringworm or culture it?

Any bald spot is not "nothing to worry about" I agree!!!

Ecollar shoudl be put on asap and dr. needs to figure out what is wrong.

[JUDY S]

She did not do any tests, she said that if he didn't stop scratching after the deworming, then we would have to come back and she would do a biopsy. I wanted her to do more testing then as it's hard to get back there, but she didn't seem very concerned. I was going to put the cone on him, but hubby had a very good point. As it's -40 here right now all he would have to do is go outside for five minutes and then come back in through the doggy door and the cone would crack into many pieces. I am going to have to wait.

He does scratch less now, and it could be dry skin but I would like to be sure. Unfortunately my car is out of commision right now, so getting him in could be hard.

[davet]

you acan also wrap a bunch of bandage around that part of the leg..start out with adhesuive tape and as you are wrapping it turn it over so the sticky part if facing out then wraop with a bunch of gause , padded gause etc tape etc also.dsanitary pad work fine by giving it bulk. and if necessary put some bad tasing stuff on the bvandage...these inocuous spots can turn into hot spots if dog keeps licking it......

[JUDY S]

We are going back to the vet this week and I want to know why he's scratching, I will not let her put me off this time.

[davet]

here is a type opf restraing that might do better tyhan an E-collar....heavy padding around the neck..



http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL68/916 ... 535037.jpg

[JUDY S]

Okay, this will be a long entry, my boy is stressing me out!! His blood test came back okay. We are still waiting for the skin biopsy results. He is still scratching.

On Feb 14 I changed his food from Iams chicken to a lamb and rice that was supposed to be good for dogs with allergies. I like to think he is scratching a bit less, but am not sure.

Yesterday we went to feed them at 5:30 and found that Spartan had thrown up his breakfast. We fed him his supper and sat down with them. He was not happy, his ears were down and he looked so sad. At 7:00 he threw up his supper. I then fed him plain rice and some plain yogurt. Yogurt calms Mekas stomach when travelling so I thought it might help him. After that he was much happier, his ears were up and he was more relaxed. At 8:45 he threw up a bit more of the dog food, but no rice. I went inside at 9:00, checked on him again at 10:30 and again at midnight. I don't think he threw up as there was nothing on the collar, but I can't be completely sure.

This morning I went outside and found two areas where he had thrown up, it looked like his regular food, slightly brownish. If he has thrown up before I couldn't find any sign as we got dumped on big time on Saturday. He did have a bowel movement while I was outside and it was not diarrhea, but it a little softer then usual.

I am thinking maybe a food allergy. I will continue to feed him rice and see if it makes a difference, but a dog can't live on rice alone. Is there another "safer" food I can add to the mix? Any advice on what to do next? Thanks a bunch.

[Traci]

Are you sure the vomit belongs to him, and not one of your other dogs?

How old is he?

You can't feed just rice, it should be mixed with either cooked hamburger or cooked white chicken, nothing added, no salt, no broth, no nothing.

It doesn't sound quite right that he would continue vomiting the last dog food he ate, but not the rice fed later, that really doesn't make any sense. If he continued to vomit, he would vomit everything that made it to the stomach.

The Iams lamb and rice may or may not be appropriate, I would suggest Hill's Z/D over the Iams. But, this is a decision you should be discussing with your vet, pending exam and further testing if the vomiting continues.

Are you sure he isn't getting into anything in the yard?

If he continues to vomit this morning/afternoon, withhold food, but NOT water, make appointment with vet promptly.