My 9 month yellow lab bitch has always had an itchy skin, sometimes there is a raised red itchy rash. We have bathed her with Malaseb a couple of times which does seem to help the itching. By the way she is flea treated monthly. I have recently had a male black lab boarding with me, and we noticed this morning that he also has a similar rash, though does not appear quite so itchy. Does anyone know of any plants that could cause this problem, or any ideas at all. Help please!!!

Should also mention that my bitch is fed on a hypo allergenic food. I have a large garden and they have spent a lot of time under the privet hedge, where there is lots of ivy. My 10 week old puppy is not showing the same symptons.

Lorna

Hi
We have found, by accident and elimination process, that our dogs are allergic to our Box Hedging.

Last year, all three cavaliers had access to a part of the garden which is surrounded by a mature box hedge.They only go up there when we are around, as we have a pond there too, and we don't want puppies in a pond! All through last summer, they were continually scratching and pulling great lumps of hair out of their backs and sides.The sores were wet and weeping.

We had them tested for everything under the sun at the vets, and we eventually decided it was their well-known "complete" food causing it.
We changed to Nature Diet for them all over the winter months, and they all recovered lovely coats. (But they didn't go near the hedge, cos it was winter!)

However, this spring, up we all go to where the "hedged" off part of the garden is again.......and they all start running underneath the hedge, and rubbing themselves on it...(must feel nice and scratchy!!)...and lo and behold...they all started the scratching and hair pulling again.

So, although my vet hadn't come across it, and although I can find no reference to toxins from Box Hedges...unless eaten...I'm convinced that at certain times of the year, perhaps when the hedge is pollinating (is that the right word??) in the spring,the hedge causes an allergic skin reaction.

We have now got the hedge fenced off, so no more scratching!!!

Sami

Thanks Sami what you say sounds very similar to my problem, only difference my hedge is privet. And if that should be the problem, the hedge is 50 feet long and 9 feet high and is half the main border at the end of the garden. How do I keep them out of that, short of stopping them going in the garden? Maybe as it isn't really doing them any harm, I should just live with it!!

Lorna