Hi every1 My father in law has an Akita inu. He lives next door and i love the dog too! Now every summer he gets a bad itch so its obviously an allergy (vet agrees) This year its worse than ever he has literally eaten through his skin he looks absolutely terrible and im really worried about him. We have tried different antihistamines and shampoos and taking him into the sea but nothing works. Any advise?
I would suggest a vet check to make sure the wound isn't infected. I'm sure I heard something about a treatment now where, in severe cases, they can build up resistance to allergens that cause a severe reaction. Sorry to be vague on this. It was just something I read a while ago, but your vet may have heard of it and may be able to offer it to your lad. I take it that you are using flea remedies as recommended? It's surprising what reactions dogs can have to fleas
Hello, Take your dog to the vet ASAP. I can't mention anything more that @Chris B hasn't already said. Jane xx
Oh God we have took him to vet loads of times...sorry should have said that! Tbey just keep giving him antihistamines which dont seem to be working
I think I would be tempted to ask for a referral to a skin specialist. I presume that you have excluded any environmental causes, like fleas, or contact with household cleaning products. What do you feed him, and has the vet ever suggested changing his diet?
Hello again @Nichola127 I wondered whether your dog could try this. It's in America but could probably order to wherever you are. It looks very good and is all natural ingredients and it says it treats seasonal allergies. If youre dog has had an allergy to the flea treatment also it treats fleas and ticks. Sounds great! Check it out. They also do it in a shampoo and oil instead of a spray. http://www.allergicpet.com/products/skin-eze-spray.html Jane Xx
@Innocence - Jane, I am not sure if it is wise to use an OTC product when the problem has not been diagnosed by a canine dermatologist.
Hello Juli, It's probably best to wait till its been diagnosed but if she was desperate it would'nt hurt to try it because its all natural and no chemicals. Jane Xx
Jane, the website does not give details of all the ingredients "Made from an exotic blend of essential oils and homeopathic mother tinctures in an orange oil base" means nothing. It does not state what essential oils or homeopathic mother tinctures [whatever they are] so there is no way of knowing exactly what it in the product. Aspirin is natural but it can cause allergies and it can kill. So can many other "natural" products. And if the product controls fleas, ticks and mosquitoes, as they say, to spray it directly onto an open wound as they recommend, would be like pouring 100% proof alcohol onto a raw open would/sore. It would hurt like Hades. I know you mean well but no way would I recommend an unknown product, especially one bought online. Especially for an undiagnosed problem.
A couple of things I have at home and one I would recommend. http://www.entirelypets.com/vtrcynvfhydglspry16oz.html https://www.walgreens.com/store/c/vermont's-original-bag-balm-ointment/ID=prod6233334-product For food, our Costco's in the states have this food, but you can order it: https://www.costco.com/Kirkland-Sig...efSweet-Potato-35-lbs..product.100343434.html Here's Organic: https://www.costco.com/Kirkland-Signature-Nature's-Domain-Organic-30-lbs..product.100155729.html I have heard only great things about allergies going away when dogs are fed the Nature's Domain by Kirkland Signature (Costco), Diamond Foods makes it for Costco and they also make Taste of the Wild. Believe me the Bag Balm and the Vericyn Skin spray helped Indy recover from a hot spot like what you can see on the Akita. Just an observation though.
Keef, various 'Diamond Foods' dog foods, sold under various brand names [including Taste of the Wild] are quite frequently recalled because of possible contaminants. Not all types and ingredients in a specific brand/type, but enough to make someone aware that these things happen.
How much activity does your dog receive? This only happens in the summer and never any other season? Did it start out as licking, or scratching?
It's only the summer from may-aug its very strange!! He gets 2 long walks every day but hes got arthritis so we let him dictate how far he goes now. We got a new vet and he gave him new steroid and a shampoo and it seems to have helped a bit
Do you use any floor cleaner with "pine oil" in it? Pine oil is in most floor cleaners. Apparently Akitas are allergic to pine oil. I found this out first hand. I would mop the floor with anything that smelled good and cleaned well to be honest, that is until Luna was going insane from itch. I looked at her belly and it had like 30+ spots, some welling up into open sores and seeping puss. I scoured the internet and found something suggesting it was a pine oil allergy. So I changed to "Simply Green" a more natural based disinfectant. 2 weeks later all the spots had gone. It could also be the focal point of the arthritis pain, and the dog thinks that gnawing there stops the itch, it is around the hip joint. So it could even be a pinched nerve just pulsating and making the dog go at it as if it was an itch. Has he had a Thyroid panel done before? Low thyroid levels are dangerous for an Akita, apparently the higher end in the "normal" scale is what you want. All guess work I'm afraid. Most vets aren't breed specific so you'll get more help from people that have owned Akitas. I would say find an Akita breeder as close as possible and take the dog. Chances are a decent breeder would have come across something like this before, or be able to point you to a vet more familiar with the breed. Good luck.
Do you use any floor cleaner with "pine oil" in it? Pine oil is in most floor cleaners. Apparently Akitas are allergic to pine oil. I found this out first hand. I would mop the floor with anything that smelled good and cleaned well to be honest, that is until Luna was going insane from itch. I looked at her belly and it had like 30+ spots, some welling up into open sores and seeping puss. I scoured the internet and found something suggesting it was a pine oil allergy. So I changed to "Simply Green" a more natural based disinfectant. 2 weeks later all the spots had gone. It could also be the focal point of the arthritis pain, and the dog thinks that gnawing there stops the itch, it is around the hip joint. So it could even be a pinched nerve just pulsating and making the dog go at it as if it was an itch. Has he had a Thyroid panel done before? Low thyroid levels are dangerous for an Akita, apparently the higher end in the "normal" scale is what you want. All guess work I'm afraid. Most vets aren't breed specific so you'll get more help from people that have owned Akitas. I would say find an Akita breeder as close as possible and take the dog. Chances are a decent breeder would have come across something like this before, or be able to point you to a vet more familiar with the breed. Good luck.
Omg thank you for replying. It literally never crossed my mind that it might be that ill def change to a natural floor cleaner to see if that makes a difference thanks
@Nichola127 I really hope that Branjo's idea brings some relief for your Akita. If his skin does improve, would you please do a post about it? Unusual ideas that work are the lifeblood of canine fora.
