Skin Problem

Matilda asks:

Our puppy has had great skin right up until this summer. In the past few month's she has began chewing repeatedly on her rump area, inside her legs, and even the tops of her feet. We use Frontline for fleas, along with a good flea shampoo once a week. This seems to keep them under control. I have tried various shampoos to treat her condition. Her prescribed shampoos come in small bottles and are very expensive and just don't seem to help.

I've become quite a doggy shampoo guru in fact. (I seem to spend much longer standing in front of the doggy shampoo isle in the petstore than I do standing in front of the people shampoo aisle at the drugstore!) I've tried medicated, colloidial oatmeal, herbal shampoos, you name it. I also use a good oatmeal conditioner on her. I've tried cortisone creams and two different bitter products to keep her from chewing. She just licks the bitter off and goes right back to chewing. The little stinker seems to like the taste of the cortisone! It is a constant vigil to keep her from chewing.

We have switched her to Nutro Skin formula food. We've even tried using fragrance free baby detergents on her bedding.
It's frustrating and the brown spots are making her coat look horrible.
Has anyone found a shampoo or medication that works well?
We are about ready to give in to the expensive vet bills for treatment and maybe even an elizabethan collar to keep her from chewing.
I've been really hoping that we would not have to succomb to the chronic skin problems some bichon's seem to have. How can we get this under control?


Jean responds:

These sound like "hot spots" which are driven by grass allergies when they hit their highs in August and September.

My dogs had a cream from the vet and also a few times got cortizon shots to relieve them of their misery.

Silouette Elm responds:

Hi -- I have a 1 1/2yr old Bishon named Simon. He has the same problems with itching, scratching and causing hot spots on his skin. I had tried everything as well and finally came across a product named "ZEMA' it is a mink and aloe spray. It conditions and moisturizes his skin. It is an oily type substance that dries very nicely. The spray has a strong smell but pleasant. The only downfall, you have to shampoo your Bichon more often due to the residue it leaves on their coats. But Simon loves going to the groomer and getting a shampoo. I take him twice a month instead of once a month. I hope this helps.

Rascal responds:

Have you switched her food. Sometimes they develop allergies to a product that they have been on a while.

I have a male bichon and he was tearing really bad. I had put him on Science diet thinking it was the better dog food only to discover that his eyes were running really bad. I switched to a pedigree small bites has calmed his running eyes, which i used when i first moved here and he did really well.

It could be the food. If you really have fleas then I know what you are going through. Some animals just get into a vicious pattern and continue to bite even though they have no more fleas.

If you are having a big problem with fleas spraying inside and out and laying products down. Bombing your house would help too and i would overly bomb it. If you are spraying outside make sure you also spray your house too as fleas will jump on the house to avoid the spray.
Wishing you sucess.
Rascal

Mathilda's Update:
Just wanted to let everyone know that I have found a product that so far has been a great relief and seem to be helping with Xuxa's skin. Ironically it's one you can find at most grocery stores. The Hartz Cortisone Spray. I came across some while shopping and decided to try it. Its been just a few days and her skin is clearing up and she seems to feel much better. Now if we can just get rid of those brown stains.