About to lose it. Help please!

[Emmsmom]

Diesel eats the Lamb natuaral balance. The nutro he threw up and he had the runs something awful! The lamb (canned) Natural Balance works just fine. I also mix it with dry oatmeal flakes. He gets the runs so easily that I am scared to mess with his food now. OHH FYI... When Diesel does have gas he will run you would of the room!!! LOL It is so bad he tucks his own tail and hides becuase he thinks he did something!!. Then after I go over to him and say baby you just pooted it's ok... he chills out...LOL

[Boobaleeze]

My 11 year old Yorky has been on Nutro lamb and rice since I got her as a puppy.. from puppy food to regular to lite to old age formula... I was told that it's not great to switch their food... but Nutro has been good to me, so I recommend it and my Corky not only loves it, she never has gas.

As for the bumps, I can TOTALLY 100% relate to this. Corky was scratching up a storm.. bumps on her back. Vet did a skin scrape test to see if there were any parasites, when that came back showing nothing, she put Corky on antibiotics for a few weeks... but the itching wasn't going away... then Corky went on Prednisone for 2 weeks and it cleared up the bumps and the itching and she remained on the antibiotic for a total of 4 weeks. It cost me $700 for tests and medication, but I'm thankful it's over. No more scratching and no more bumps.

What caused it? Doc thought it could be an alergic reaction to something or a bug bite. Because it was cured, there was no need to go through massive tests to determine the alergy. Of course if it happens again, it's something I might have to do.

You mentioned your dog has seen the vet, but you didn't mention what they did. Did any of them do a scraping of the skin to determine if there's something crawling that shouldn't be there? Was the dog given medication for alergy or any type of antibiotic? Is your dog scratching a lot? Any hair loss in the scratched areas? Is there just bumps and no scratching? Just because your dog may not be itching doesn't mean there isn't some type of alergic reaction going on. WIth all the changing of food, ya never know if maybe there's an alergy related to that.

Also, Corky has had dry skin her whole life and she always had bad reactions to shampoos... plus when I would try commercial oatmeal or any type of shampoo made for dry skin or sensitive skin, it never worked. I have had a special shampoo for Corky for many years, made up by the vet as the soap is what she reacts to.

My best advice is that you take the dog to the vet and tell them to test for an alergy... skin scrape, something to see why the bumps are there... and as for food, you can't go wrong with Nutro lamb and rice, it's very mild and dogs love it. Plus the stool is consistent... meaning.. not runny one day or hard another.. just perfect and I don't know about you guys, but without much odor... but that's 11 years on the same diet.. so maybe try it... hope it works. Good luck with Puppy, hope everything goes ok.

[Scruffles4Ever]

One day, Scruffles developed the roughest, dryest skin I've ever seen. It was hard to the touch and it would flake off unbelievably. Hard, scaly flakes. I read on YorkieTalk to try Missing Link Supplement and it has truly saved his skin. After a month, his skin was so soft to the touch and no more flakes! It's an unbelievable product and worth trying if you haven't already!

[bizzbeth]

Hello everyone! thank you for all your help!!!

To answer any questions:
Oliver has been to three vets and has had two skin scrapings. He has been on 3 diff. rounds of antibiotics. It would clear up and then come back. He was on Nutro lamb and rice for awhile but I realized it had corn in it so I switched to a no corn diet with natuarl balance duck and potato (and missinglink) but he smelled sooooo bad! I had to change! haha so we are now doing nutro ultra adult food and we'll see how it goes.

I am beginning to think, after some research, that he has Pyoderma
here is some helpful info-- the things in bold is what oliver has suffered from:

The primary cause of pyoderma in dogs is Staphylococcus intermedius.
Pyoderma is the second most common inflammatory skin disease of dogs. Flea allergy is most common and often complicated by secondary pyoderma. The major predisposing factors for pyoderma in the US are allergic dermatitis and chronic use of glucocorticoids.

Question and Answer
What is pyoderma?

Pyoderma is a bacterial infection of the skin. It is very common in dogs and uncommon in cats. Pyoderma frequently occurs as a secondary problem to some underlying condition or health problem.

What causes pyoderma?

Pyoderma is caused most frequently by Staphylococcus, a type of bacteria. Other bacteria, such as E. coli, also can invade previously infected skin. Several risk factors may cause an animal to be more likely to develop pyoderma. These risk factors include:

Parasites, such as fleas or mange mites
Allergies, such as flea, food, contact, or hereditary allergies Hormonal disorders, such as hypothyroidism (low production of thyroid hormone by the thyroid gland)
Inadequate immune system, such as in young animals or those taking steroids
Animals with short coats, skin folds, or calloused skin
Trauma from grooming, scratching, or rooting in dirt or garbage
The German shepherd dog has a deep pyoderma that may respond to treatment only partially and frequently recurs

What are the signs of pyoderma?

Pyoderma frequently appears as a rash. It often affects the trunk, chin, bridge of the nose, and feet but it also may be generalized over the entire body. Skin lesions can have a sudden or gradual onset. The animal may or may not itch. If the underlying cause is an allergy, the itching usually comes before the rash. The rash or lesions on the skin may appear as small bumps, pus-filled pimples or pockets of pus, or blood-filled blisters. There can be crusting, scaling, and discolored spots on the skin. The skin may be inflamed (red and hot). Hair loss can occur, giving the animal a "moth-eaten" look.
If a hormonal disorder is the underlying cause, signs can include excessive thirst and excessive urination, pendulous abdomen, lethargy, weight gain, or signs of feminization in male dogs.

How is pyoderma treated?

Pets usually are treated as outpatients except for animals with severe, generalized pyodermas. These animals may require intravenous (through a vein) fluids or medications or daily whirlpool baths. A hypoallergenic diet is provided if food allergy has been determined to be the cause. Otherwise, a high-quality, well-balanced diet should be given to the pet. Excessive dietary supplements, such as vitamins, should be avoided.

Pets with pyoderma are treated with a variety of antibiotics. Some antibiotics may cause vomiting and giving them with food may avoid this side effect. Other antibiotics should not be given with food. The veterinarian will provide information on using antibiotics appropriately. Antibiotics usually are continued for one-to-three months, depending on the severity of the pyoderma. In addition to antibiotic therapy, the pet may benefit from medicated shampoos or whirlpool baths that can help remove surface debris and crusted drainage. Routine bathing with medicated shampoos may help prevent recurrences.

What is the prognosis for animals with pyoderma?

The prognosis (outcome) for animals with pyoderma is variable. If the underlying cause is identified and effectively treated, the pyoderma may resolve successfully. Otherwise, the pyoderma may not respond well to treatment or it may recur frequently.

The information on this page was obtained from the site www.vetmedcenter.com



Thank you, everyone, for responding... i'm going to start working with him in regards to this problem and bring it up with my vet if his bumps get worse. At the moment he only has a couple, so hopefully they go away. THey come and go everyday! arg...