The vet has put Molly on Tavegil (antihistamine) for a week because of another hot spot and more importantly because she is scratching the top of her eye (above the eye) and it looks a tiny bit bare along above the eyelid. The vet said she is flea free and her skin looks normal so I think we may have to see a specialist vet to sort her out.

BUT before I do so does anyone know of any homeopathic remedy(s) we could try first before she has to go through seeing another vet. She got the hot spot just after a visit to the groomers so not sure if she was bitten by a flea then but she has her Stronghold so is flea free. Does anyone think Stronghold might be too much for her if she is sensitive - just wondering as I am typing :p

She is on NatureDiet (chicken/rice/carrots and chicken/tripe/rice/carrots) so dont think can be food allergy?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Gina

Hello Gina,

I know where you are coming from I have a boxer with chronic ear & feet problems and a shih-tzu with bad skin problems.  I have spent THOUSANDS of dollars (not a joke) on different foods, cortisone shots, antibotics, creams, shampoos over the past two years and NONE of it has worked for my dogs.  I started researching and purchasing books on herbs for dogs.  Here is a web site that I found useful to me  www.pet-grub.com  go to this web site and choose the herb catagory.  I'll search my books for specific herbs for you, but if you have any questions you can e-mail me at dsmcgregor@earthlink.net

Good Luck,
shon

Hi Gina, sorry to hear about Molly. Is the hotspot on the top of her eye or is that another one? I don`t know if Molly gets shaved at the groomers but I had a cat who got a terrible reaction to being shaved when she had an op once & also Sweepy(Lab) just a few mths ago got a reaction when they shaved her for her op. I`ve used Tavergil for my lot & found it worked but you need to find the cause of the prob. Sulpher is good as /hpathic remedy for itches, I`ll have a look for you & see what I can find. I`ve also used the blue remedy for hotspots & found that excellent, I`ve put the link below but you have to be careful round the eyes. You could start now adding some Vit E & fish body oil capsules to her diet & if you can get some pure aloe vera gel 100% you can put that on. A link for a good shampoo is below as well, it`s not on the web site but get in touch with Stuart & he`ll help you with it, they make it up themselves :)

http://itsfortheanimals.com/Adobe/Blue%20Power%20Ear%20Treatment.pdf
http://www.wykken.co.uk/

Christine, Spain.

Gina,

Dogs can be allergic to almost anything, including chicken.   If Molly has been on the same food for a while with no problems, however, it is unlikely to be a food allergy. 

She could have come into contact with something at the groomers that has started an allergic reaction.  A flea bite, a tick bite or a mite that jumped off (or died) after biting.   Your groomer may have used a shampoo or a coat spray that set off an allergic reaction.  One of my dog's skin would get very irritated if the groomer clipped her coat too close to her skin - and the oils on the clipper can also cause an allergic reaction if they come into contact with skin.

If you have changed anything at home - a new room spray, carpet shampoo, laundry soap, fabric softener .. any of these can cause allergies if the dog comes into contact with them.

Stacey

Thank you so much for all the help, Shonna, Christine and Stacey. I shall look up all the website right after posting. Sorry you have had such bad luck Shonna and hope the herbs etc help you. Thanks for the link and your address.

Christine the hot spot is in the middle of the back of her head/neck. She is getting less now than she did as she used to get horrific ones and they were never lower than her shoulder? always around her head but they are smaller now but wont go away. She is scratching her eye less now so hopefully the tavegil is kicking in but she is still licking her feet/legs. It is a bit weird because even though she is licking etc her coat is lovely and she doesnt seem at all scaly anywhere and the vet agreed. Barney had a bad reaction when he was shaved for an op but Molly was okay but I wont let the groomer shave them at all anywhere just in case. Hope you can find me something and I will get the vitamins etc you have said about. Need help cos too scared to give anything I am not sure about. I have some 99.9% aloe vera from holland and barrett. Do I just rub it into her fur on her feet/legs?

Hi Stacey - Molly seems much better since she is in NatureDiet as, as I said to Christine she is having less hot spots but they wont go away completely. As soon as I goes up pops another! We take our own shampoo to the groomers with us and tell them no conditioner. We have changed washing powders fabric conditioner etc but she still gets them. Got different shampoo from vet as Molly squealed the last time we used anything with teatree oil in (the shampoo the vet gave us) it is called Coatex aloe and oatmeal but I shall get the one Christine has used.

Gina x

Hi Gina, sorry I missed your reply! Yes you just put the aloa straight on the sore. Before you buy the shampoo speak to Stuart & see what he advices, cos he can make it up for you. How are the spots/itchings now? I don`t know what remedy to suggest for Molly really, I`m hoping one of the others will be on with a suggestion for you. Here`s some links for you :)
http://www.naturalrearing.com/ARTICLES/MarinaZacharias/Skin.htm

Link with a basic beginner guide to h/pathy
http://www.inkabijou.co.uk/homeo.htm

Link with loads of info about all kinds :) http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/petallergies.htm#solution

Christine, Spain.

Good links :) especially liked the last one. It does say to get help from a homeopathic vet so am trying to see if there is one near to us first. Molly's hotspot is not bothering her now but she has had it for 3 weeks and it is just a matter of waiting for it to fall out I think and the Tavegil is helping but she is still licking her feet now and again (and I noticed she will lick the duvet or me if I put my hand there are not her feet). She tends to lick when she is settled down for the night all comfy so cant be stress but I think it is getting to be a habit now. Unfortunately my vet who said she would tel. over weekend didnt - oh well never mind. Trust the homeopathic vet to leave the surgery last week - good timing LOL. Shall let you know if I find a HV cos not at all sure of what to give her or what dosage. Off back to the links now. I am determined to keep her off steroids and glad my vet doesnt want to use them.

Do you think it a good idea to have the blood test for allergies anyway? If so I will take her later this week.

Thanks Christine

Gina

Hi Gina, can you find out which surgery she`s moved to? There`s a stuff called the blue ear treatment & I`ve put the link below for you to have a look. If you can get the stuff to make it up it`s great for hotspots & paws, it`s not just for ears but I don`t know if you can get Boric Acid over there. I`ve used it on Rex when he first came here he had a few & it dried them up & got rid of them really quick. Other than that I`d give her Sulphur 6c, can you get that?
I think I would have the allergy tests done if the problem couldn`t be sorted out by other means, but I do think a h/pathic vet will be able to help with something. If you give me the area you live in with postcode I`ll have a look & see whats around you tomorrow if you want :)

Christine, Spain

Gina had to go look up another site then couldn`t edit last post so putting it on new one :)
Give Molly echinacea tablets 400-500gr 4xdaily for a momth then stop for a month. Buffered Vit C each day as well, start off with 500gr & increase slowly to about 2000, put a clove of crushed garlic & teaspoon organic apple cider vinegar in her food each day. If you don`t want to use fresh garlic use garlic caps with fenugreek. See how the aloa works but if it`s no better try calendular lotion or cream on the spot. I`ve put a couple links where to buy the stuff if you need them :)
http://www.baldwins.co.uk/
http://www.nealsyardremedies.com/

Hope this helps Molly.

Christine, Spain.

Hi Christine thank you so much. Guess what she has another hot spot on her leg/shoulder now and bigger than the other one. Having to keep Barney away as he was licking it!! I am at work so husband has bathed it in the diluted wash (pink wash cant remember name??) we got from the vet to clean it as Barney has been licking it.

Is it okay to put the aloe vera on the hotspot when it is weeping? Cliff hasnt done so yet just in case.

My postcode is CR0 (near Croydon Surrey) but I am not having much luck finding a HV plenty for people! on the net and yellow pages.

Taking Molly back to vet on Thursday evening to see the vet who didnt ring at the weekend (I am sure she would have rung if she could) and will ask where the other vet has gone and talk about blood tests etc. I am so determined not to have her on steroids as she isnt 2 until 22nd of this month.

Above her eye still doesnt look right but it is not red or inflamed just looks "not right" if you understand me.

Thanks again

Gina

PS Am going to the chemist too on the way home to see if I can get any of the items on your list above and will then get the rest from the website(s) tonight and will e mail for the shampoo too from Stuart.

Hi Gina, yes you can put the aloa straight on it, poor Molly! Have a look at the link`s below & see which is nearest to you. Have heard good things about Richard Allport, N Thompson & of course CEI Day is Chris Day :) Hope you can find one.

http://www.bahvs.com/vetmfhom.htm
http://www.gsdhelpline.com/homeovets.htm
http://www.naturalpetcare.co.uk/vets.htm

Christine, Spain.

Here`s another one Gina & also if you call Helios they will give you the names of h/vets in your area.

http://www.altvet.co.uk/
http://www.helios.co.uk/index.html

Christine, Spain.

Thanks Christine that is my evening mapped out :) :)

Have bought two of the items you mentioned and have PM'd you about them.

Gina x

Christine

I have found a vet I hope :) his qualifications are VETMFHom (vet member of faculty of Homeopathy). Is this okay do you think as it means nothing to me :p :p and he is in Banstead just up the road from me. I found him from your www.bahvs. Thanks so much. I will go to my vet for the appt tomorrow and have a word with them although not quite sure what to say to them - never was diplomatic and dont want to upset them as they are really good for things that HV isnt needed for.

Gina

Thats great Gina :) No its just protocol asking for referal, but would want them to type it out & give it me to save time posting etc. then You make appt with H/pathy vet saying you already have referal :) No time wasted & Molly seen quicker :) How are h/spots & is the itching better/worse? Hope it`s better :)

Christine, Spain.

Took Molly to the vet. She is continuing with the Tavegil (which she has to stop 7 days before the allergy test) and she is on Synulox as well as vet didnt like the look of her new hot spot. She is having an allergy test done by a specialist vet who is ringing me tomorrow and then hopefully we might find what it is that gives her these hot spots. Vet thought her eyelid looked okay just a little bit bare = her actual eyes were fine. So will have to wait to see if she has any allergies. And then I can hopefully get things sorted naturally. :)

Gina

I`m sure Molly will be sorted soon Gina :)
I`ve pm`d you :)

Christine, Spain.