Hi Everyone

Turbo has a rash on his stomach around his belly button and a patch has spread to his left inner leg as well now.
It is not sore looking but is red and the skin feels rougher then the rest of his skin thats not infected but its not weepy or scabby just seems to be there and irritates him every now and then so he scratches.

Our vet has done a Skin Scrape and confirmed there were no mites or parasites which is good so its nothing serious as far as we know and it has good and bad days where it flares and then today it looks nearly healed!

The vets wanted to have Turbo on all kinds of meds at the same time and the bill is getting up now to ridiculas amounts, after I actully spoke to them and said whats the point of trying all these things at the same time as we wont know what has worked etc so can we try 1 by 1 and see what works and what doesnt, by miracle the bill is now £20 with antiobiotics and allergy cream incase its an allergy, so the vets are helping but I feel their trying to get more money then is actully needed, we have the money so thats not a problem whatsoever, i just feel we may be being messed around a little for money.

The allergy I find it hard to be as he has had the same food since he came and it only flared up in the last month, but im willing to try it to see if it will work and nothing else I can think of he would be allergic too?

Does anyone have some knowledge of creams or remedies which are good for rashes apart from sudaecrem as I have already tried it and it doesnt work.
I treat it with Salt water twice every day and it helps it calm it right down so Im wondering if he needs meds or maybe I should try something else more herbal before trying what the vets prescribe?
Could it be age related as he is now nearly 7 months old and getting his hormones?

Any info, ideas or remedies will be so gratefully recieved! :) :)

In view of his age and where it is it could be juvenile acne - in which case usually better to keep the area dry so only bathe if he's getting muddy underneath or you notice him chewing/licking at the area and dry off well.   Moisture left on the skin coupled with body heat in that area could risk a bacterial or fungal infection.

If it is juvenile acne, IME it could be cleared up in a matter of days with Fuciderm gel, available from your vet.  Steroids present so you need to wear gloves on applying but as it's a water based gel it sinks immediately into the skin so no danger to him of it being licked off.

Of course it could be an allergic reaction to something he's laid on - especially if exposed to air fresheners, carpet cleaner, so things like washing-up powder, shake & vac, flash, fabreeze etc etc :)  Have a think if you've introduced any new products or materials at home or in the garden in case there's something which is irritating him.

HTH, Teri

Thank you Teri :)

Come to think of it I did use Shake and Vac but that was ages ago.......maybe that flared it up but I havent used it again since for about a month....

It does look like nappy rash so maybe it is where it is that keeps it sore as the vet said it could just be taking a while to clear up fingers crossed she was right!
I will have to make sure his leg etc are kept dry just to be sure, i will give his fleece a wash again, do you know of any washing powders etc that are dog friendly just incase its that thats irratating him?

Ill get onto the vets about that gel and see what they think :)

Not sure what washing powder you could use - I use Daz Citrus Burst (mostly!) and it doesn't affect mine but then again it doesn't mean other dogs wouldn't possibly react.  More important I think to make sure anything he normally lies on (bed, blankets, throws, fleeces etc) is thoroughly rinsed so maybe put washer on for an extra rinse and spin cycle.  Or, if practical, wash all of his things in whichever doggy shampoo you've used without a reaction (that'll be the Pantene here then :-D ) again, make sure you rinse thoroughly.

I'd ditch the shake & vac - it's not uncommon for these types of things to flare up as skin probs.  It leaves a residue in the carpet that is difficult to lift again (possibly then still irritating him some time later).  If you really want to use a vacuum freshener then might be better to but one of the sort that's an enclosed packet so remains in your vacuum bag or cylinder.

good luck, Teri

Denes and Ozvet both do an 'anti-itch' type lotion which has tea tree and other herbal stuff in that works well on one of ours that gets itchy patches and hot spots on his undercart and round his armpits, may be worth a try rather than steroid + chemical stuff.
Chris

Hi Chris

thats what im looking for as he has had a steroid injection already and that didnt work and they want to pump him full of drugs which may not even work the way they want to do it!

Do these people have a website and how much does this stuff cost?

Or, if practical, wash all of his things in whichever doggy shampoo you've used without a reaction (that'll be the Pantene here then  ) again, make sure you rinse thoroughly.

Teri - Did you mean you wash your dogs with Pantene as in for humans? I didnt know you could do that lol!

I would try colloidal silver, just wipe over the area with a cotton wool pad soaked in it.  It usually clears most things up, I wouldn't use anything for humans, but a really good natural shampoo such as neem from neemgenie.

So colloidal silver is that like a treatment for rashes or a shampoo for the coat?
As I have already washed him a few times recently and going on other advice it may be irratating him more and I dont want to ruin his coat :( , it is gel or cream the collodial?

Thanks everyone for the brilliant advice so far, I have a few things noted that Im gonna search for later :)

Colloidal silver can be used for rashes, ear infections, mouth ulcers, (for both humans and dogs).  Brilliant to use on cuts and scratches, it is also effective as an antibacterial wash.  Lots and lots of uses and in my experience it usually works.  It looks like water, so would not be detrimental to his coat.
 

That sounds like our best bet probably so far as we need the antiscepticness as well, im gonna see how much it is online unless you can get it from a chemist or somewhere as the sooner I get it the better really :)

Sorry to be a pain but just to be sure , youve used it on dogs before yourself and its all safe yeah?

I have found the official website and they offer 5 different methods to use,

-Water
-Spray
-Gel
-Drops
-AF Gel

Its the water you said to use thats right isnt it?
I didnt realise you actully drank the fluid if its for humans, will it be as effective if rubbed in?
or would the gel be best?

I would also really appreciate anymore help offered or people with expierance of using Colloidal silver  :)

Rachel you might want to consider that although Coloidal Silver has been found to have antibiotic qualities the NHS has ruled out its use on the grounds of its toxicity.

Toxicity? Really?
How do you mean as I dont wanna risk making Turbos rash worse or having any problems occur from using this.

Do you have any remedies you could suggest Isabel or ones you use for your dogs when they get a rash or itchyness?

If the vet has confirmed it is juvenile acne, personally, I would not give anything other than observe that it remains dry and does not become infected.  If it does or the vet considers it is anything else I would take their advise.  Skin problems can be very difficult to diagnose and complex to treat even for a vet.

Skin problems can be very difficult to diagnose and complex to treat even for a vet.

Completely agree and thats what our vet said too, but I dont see how giving him tons of meds without being able to see which one works would help tho?
Thankfully she did agree less was more in his case and were trying meds 1 by 1, but a herbal remedy if avaliable would be handy too.

She said nothing about juvenile acne, im gonna watch it till this friday when we go to pick up his meds and hopefully it may dry up, its just in such a place if he crawls on the floor which you dont always see it irritates it and also his inner leg is a non aired place lol if you see what I mean?

> She said nothing about juvenile acne

Did she say what she was considering?  The trouble is none of us have seen it but your vet has so it would not be right for us to recommend any treatment other than to suggest what we have found useful when a diagnosis is made.

Of course I understand 100% where your coming from Isabel and I would never hold anyone on here to having a treat all treatment and guranteeing it will work :) But sometimes there is a cure which the vets dont want us to know about lol
I dont have a digi camera or else I would take a photo for you.....

We took Turbo in first off because he was scratching everywhere and his ears were all scabby and sore too from his itchings, the vet said try this vet reccommended flea/worm treatment (Frontline) and gave him a steroid injection.
His ears are squeaky clean now and all scabs gone apart from a few due to the skin scrape at the weekend, now the only lingering thing is this rash on the belly button and inner leg which the treatment before didnt really touch, salt water which ive been using seems to be the best stuff so far.
The vet said she doesnt know what it is but its deffo not mites, parasites, mange etc, it could be just be the area where it is, is taking longer to heal then the rest did as its less exposed to air and more damp or humid for want of a better word.

Thats pretty much it so far!

So did he originally have a flea allergy then Rach? If he had fleas then as well as the frontline you need to do your whole house, or he will get reinfected very quickly...it's possible he's being bitten on his tummy while lying in his bed. Also how long ago was the frontline jag? He'll need redone every couple of months if that's the treatment you want to use. Someone else will be able to recommend a household de-flea solution as I've never had the pesky little blighters :-)

You do need to go with your vet's advice on a medical condition obviously - if they think it's infected and antibiotics are needed have you asked them about a medical wash like hibiscrub? And sometimes skin problems can be diet based - is that an angle they have mentioned?

The other thing I would mention off the top of my head is aloe vera gel - I am a fan of aloe vera. ;-) And thinks like evening primrose oil are good for coat condition - though not for use in epileptics. Sardines as well, have essential fatty acids in them. But these are all more as adjuncts rather than instead of. :-)

So did he originally have a flea allergy then Rach?

The vet said he had found a flea but no mention of it may have been a allergic reaction?
Since we de-flead him (Which came as a complete surprise he even had fleas as we had litrally a week before used Spot On with him and Mitz and the vet said that stuff is useless and we should only use frontline or the other vet reccommended one?) so anyway we havent seen a flea on him or Mitzy and none round the house so I think they are all gone as he isnt scrathing anywhere else apart from this rash on his tummy/leg.

Im gonna do it every month as I brough a 6 month course as in only a week of treating his scratching stopped but the rash didnt go.
Mitz hasnt been scratching or got any rashes so she is ok but we frontlined her anyway obviously just incase!
Im gonna re-wash his fleece tonight to be sure again, hopefully that will help.

He sometimes gets crumbs in his crate from havin treatballs, could the crumbs be irritating his rash do you reckon?

it's possible he's being bitten on his tummy while lying in his bed

Wouldnt it have healed when the rest did tho? Unless its just a sensitive area?

He did have a small mark on his belly when he first came to us at 9 weeks on his belly button where it is now but we thought nothing of it and now its flared up.
We will go with what the vets say but I wont pay hundreds of pounds for them to pump him ful of meds he mite not even need, I cant see the sense, surely 1 at a time would be better so you can see what effect it has?

> I cant see the sense, surely 1 at a time would be better so you can see what effect it has?

The skin is the organ that protects us from the outside world and dogs are not famous for keeping themselves clean :-) so a vet faced with a broken skin that may be caused by a number of things may think it reasonable to treat all out just to get it sorted and prevent further complications.  If it was fleas you may have seen the back of it and if it reoccurs further investigations may become more important.  It's just one of the ways a vet may choose to deal with things.

Obviously you haven't got a diagnosis at the moment - but this is an article specifically on allergic skin disease which may be worth reading.

http://priory.com/vet/vetatop1.htm

dogs are not famous for keeping themselves clean 

LOL So true Isabel! :)
I think we will try normal salt water till his treatment arrives on Friday and see how treating him over the weekend goes and Ill let you guys know, hopefully get a pic of the rash too as Im borrowing my friends camera so I can get a pic on here for you guys.

The vet said exactly the same as you Isabel that sometimes it can get complicated and expensive treating skin problems but understood where I was coming from too, which is nice for a change :)

We have allergy meds and a spray coming on friday so fingers crossed they make a difference if not then we will go back and ask for things you guys have suggested as Im printing off this thread as its packed with info we will need and can also ask the vet about, thanks guys for all your help, keep the ideas coming!

Munroegirl thanks so much for that link, Ill have a nosey know and save it too :)

> I think we will try normal salt water

I wouldn't.  Anything like that may kill bacteria but it is also very harsh for the new skin cells forming.  Best just to keep things as dry as possible as bacteria needs moisture to multiply.  The few left unwashed away should be dealt with quite adequately with his own defences.  He is a young fit dog so should he should not be suffering any compromise in that department.

The vet said to use salt water to wash ot over with, maybe he just meant his ears and sore spots which have all gone now?
I will heed your advice Isabel and stop using salt water, he is deffo healthy in other respects and is still eating like a horse!
We did wonder if it was food related but he is on Wellbeloved and has been since he arrived and it says good for skin so we dont think its that at all.

Ill keep it dry as what you said makes complete sense, is it still be harmful if its wiped dry afterwards?

Yes, I have used it on my dogs and I have actually put it in their water if ever they get a tummy upset.  I have used it on myself, my family including my young grandson.  It is not that expensive, I usually buy 2 large bottle and a small one for about £25 and it lasts for a long ltime as you don't need to use much.

Hi Rachel, this link is to the stuff I have used, the other stuff you could google, I try not to use or dose with any chemical stuff if there is something else I can try/use. The vets are ok with it until we get a new one who poo-poos the whole alternative thing but they soon learn :-) Chris
http://www.denes.co.uk/health/aromatherapy_products.php#Hot

Thats brilliant thanks so much for that!

Which one should I use for his rash do you think so I get the right one?

Rachel I would run anything you want to use past your vet.  Even herbal remedies are made of "chemicals" and may add or cause irritation in themselves.  Personally I would avoid all lotions unless the vet prescribes them as your aim is to keep the area dry.

if the rash is just on the belly (sorry havent read all posts) it could be grass allergy as one of my girls suffers every year it is just starting to go as does every year. It comes on the inside of the back legs and belly I wipe her down after being on the grass with water if she is scratching I have found I can use savlon cream on the itchy area which seems to work (have treid everything) and give piriton every day.

Thank you for that StarryEyes :)

I dont think its grass related but I will bear that in mind just incase espcially since we have just cut the grass :)

How about aloe gel?

Sorry aloe already mentioned, but yes I agree, I think it is fab.

Hi, we use the 'hot itch lotion', it seems to cut out the itchiness and so stops the 'scratch' reaction which means it usually goes back to pink skin instead of bright red patches very quickly.
Chris

My brothers dog had a similar sounding rash, they tried everything, cost them a small fortune at the vets until they saw a locum vet one day who suggested hay fever/grass allergy.  A piriton tablet a day worked almost immediately and they now give them to her from mid to late summer when her rash is at its worse.  She is fine for the rest of the year.

Obviously if trying piriton read the intructions and dose according to dogs size.  Alternatively the vet can prescribe it but it costs a lot compared to the over the counter stuff.

Thank you so much for everyones help and advice xx

We dont know if Turbos stomach rash is a season related allergy as he was only born in March 08 and this is his first summer, so we wont know till Winter if its related which is a pain as it seems it would be alot easier if it was an allergy doesnt it?

The Hibiscrub (spelling lol) sounds like something I would be really intrested in as a few other friends have suggested and say it works wonders...the vets have prescribed allergy medicine so we wil find out if its allergy related and also something thats very good for skin, I think I will see what the vets medication does and if it doesnt have any effect I will use Hibiscrubb and if that fails I will try Collidial Silver (spelling again lol!)

The vet said it could just be the area which is causing it to take longer to heal so I will try her suggestions first and then run these 2 things by her and see where we go, but im obviously hoping that these meds will help.
Im on a small shift next week only 4 hrs a day so can watch Turbo and make sure he doesnt scratch etc too which should help!!

Thank you again everyone, you have been so so helpful and Turbo thanks you all too :)

The dog we rehomed in May had some kind of skin irritation on his front leg. He got into that awful itch scratch cycle, especially at night when he would lick/nibble at it continuously . I shampoo'd his leg with Neem shampoo & can honestly say that it worked very quickly. I used the shampoo about 3 times in a week & just keep an eye on him now. I have used it twice since then when I've noticed him licking the leg but that's all. His skin is completely fine now.
Hope Turbo's rash clears up soon.

Hey Bint, thanks for that info, Ive been looking for a shampoo that acts as a bacterial wash as well, can you use this shampoo as your all the time shampoo? and where can you get it from please?

I buy it from neemgeenie.co.uk (sorry can't do links)
I buy the pet shampoo for skin & fur treatment (normal not the stronger version) & also use it to bathe the guinea pig as she's prone to skin problems. Works great on her too.
Yes you can use it as a normal shampoo. Actually I have sensitive skin & allergies myself & have recently started using their products.
Give them a ring, they're really helpful.

I am deffo going to buy some and use it, even if it doesn work it sounds like a great shampoo for dogs anyway and does 2 jobs in 1 so couldnt ask for more!
I will order some today and hopefully it might be here by the weekend!

Iz there many types of the shampoo to choose from? and which one do you buy?

I buy the Neem 40 Pet Shampoo. There is a stronger one for infestations & fungal problems but I haven't tried that one.
Give them a ring on 01912 565507 and tell them what the problem is. They were very helpful when I phoned. Delivery is good too.

Thanks again for that :)

Im am gonna settle with the Hibiscrubb and the Neema shampoo for now and see how they get on, as its aint mites etc it should just be an irritation so these are the best things for it so far from what I can see, if they dont work I will try the collodial silver (spelling lol)

I feel more confident now that we will find a solution to his skin problem without having to pump him full of expensive meds, thanks sooooo much guys, you have all been fantastic :)

Just want to say that although I think hibiscrub is great stuff I'd be careful if the skin is irritated. From personal experience when I was nursing I found I reacted quite badly to it with all the constant hand washing. I know dogs are different & you wouldn't be using it anywhere near as much but just thought I'd mention it.

Thanks for the warning it will be heeded!
I would only use it little and often and if the vets meds this friday clear it up I wont need to worry, I am going to switch my shampoo to the Neem shampoo as it sounds brilliant and I cant wait to give him a wash with it :)

I have looked at the website and its fantatic! Loads of brilliant products.

Heres the one you mentioned

http://www.neemgenie.co.uk/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=PE03&Category_Code=007&Product_Count=6

and heres the more medical

http://www.neemgenie.co.uk/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=neba&Category_Code=007&Product_Count=4

which one should I get do you guys reckon?

Rach, I'd definitely go for the pet one, the other one is for people (I think)  there are 2 specifically for pets on there, I have used both on my dogs since puppies - both are very gentle and effective.  I would be very wary of using hibiscrub to clean your dogs skin it is quite harsh, you'd be better with something really gentle like a neem product or colloidal silver.

The medical one has this writen at the bottom of the description...

This solution is safe for use on all mammalian species. Human, horses, Dogs, Livestock etc.

So I take it is ok to use?

But you would really reccommend this one for his itchy skin then yeah?
As the first one didnt have a lot to it but this one sounds like its more directed at skin, what do you think as I really dont want to get the wrong one but if you guys say just the shampooo and not medicated then thats what Ill get :)

Just a random thought.  He's not lying down on ants outside is he?

No we dont have any ants in our garden and with the weather he hasnt been in the garden much, more on walks or next to the fire lol
I gave his fleece a good wash and spin last night so never know it may make a difference :)

So am I getting the normal shampoo or the medicated one people?
As they are both for dogs and I want to order ASAP!

ust a thought you say you gave his fleece a spin what did you wash it in as this could also affect his skin?