# English bulldog itchy with hair loss!!!!



## GODAWGS! (Jan 7, 2010)

I have a two y/o female English Bulldog who just wont stop scratching, licking and gnawing at two areas on her hind quarters. She has been seen in the past about 6 months ago and was treated with demodex for mites, re-scrapping showed no more mites. I just took her to the vet recently and she says that she may have a staph infection on her skin, there were two cyst that popped up on her neck and resolved before the meds I received from the vet. She has here on Keflex tabs and Chlrohexedine baths. However she still is itching and it seems to be mostly at night. I have changed her bedding and she is never outside other that to use the bathroom. No carpet fresheners or anything. I am at a loss I looked and saw that dogs have food allergies possibly so I have her on lamb and rice (science diet) which she has actually been eating since birth. I spoke with the breeder and he recommends royal canine bulldog, her parents both have no skin issues. Can anyone please help with any insight and or ideas. I really don't think its a staph infection. Her hair is getting thinner and thinner in these 3 areas and I really want to get this squared away as I feel so bad for Leila. Oh and its not fleas, she is treated and I never see any fleas or eggs. Thanks for the time and insight!


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## spotted nikes (Feb 7, 2008)

Get her on a grain free alternate protein source food, like Taste of The Wild High prairie formula (Bison and Venison). You can try Benadryl (Not Cold and allergy...just Allergy) meds. If she doesn't seem better in a few days, see a vet. If it is a fungal infection, you may need different meds.

I'm not a vet, and recommend a vet visit. However, I used Lotramin (for Jock itch/athletes foot...(the powder spray)) on a hot spot, and the dog stopped itching immediately and it healed in a couple of days. My dog's was caused by stress at being boarded for a few days, and not an allergy. But if it is fungal in nature, it may help, and definitely relieved the itching/burning. Do not do this if it is infected. 

Eqyss Microtek has an antifungal shampoo and a spray that works well also. Jeffers Vet supply online sells it. That won't help an allergy but does help fungal conditions.


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## Dog_Shrink (Sep 29, 2009)

You can actually also use nizoral shampoo for people as a good anti-fungal as well. My guinea pig had a bad fungal infection to where the entire back half of her body was bald and after 6 weekly baths (once a week for 6 weeks) she was all better. 

I agree with nikes about grain free for your bully. They are allergic magnets. Also it simply could be the nylon blend fibers in your carpets to the coatings on any laminate flooring, the only true tell will be allergy testing. The cysts on her neck can sometimes occur in dogs who are on a diet that isn't agreeing with them. I have heard instances (esp. in weims) about developing fatty cysts from lesser quality foods. Is the vet certain her rump issues aren't anal glad related? And if she is chewing that much she might have given herself a staph infection from the constant moist dermatitis. Also he might want to check her hips. Maybe she is having a joint issue and her gnawing and scratching is some how her way of "getting at it". 

My Boston is going thru a bout of this right now on his rump but his issue is winter skin. He sits in front of the heat vents and just bakes himself. We've been putting mineral oil every couple days on his rump and he feels MUCH better. Sooo much less rolling on and scratching his back.


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## theyogachick (Aug 2, 2009)

I have dealt with severe allergy issues with both my dogs, and the symptoms you explain (licking, scratching, especially at night) is what Loki used to do. He would scratch so loud that he would shake the floor with the thumping! I did give him Benadryl, but be warned it may make your dog sleepy and it doesn't fix the problem.

Like others have said, you need to talk to your vet, but here is what Loki is on:


5 mg of Pred a day (I know pred is bad for him, but we have tried everything, including allergy shots and our vet says we need to keep it up and then reduce slowly)
1 Salmon Oil Pill 
200 IU of Vitamin E
2 tsps of The Missing Link Supplement
He has been on The Missing Link for about 3 and a half weeks and we have noticed a huge improvement in him. He is not as itchy and he has hair growing back again, so we are hopeful. He also sleeps through the night and doesn't wake us up with the scratching and licking.

I also rub a Vitamin E ointment on his irritated skin once a day. It keeps it moisturized in the winter and has actually reduced some redness. He does not lick it off, so that is a bonus.

We have also recently switched over to Natural Balance Duck and Potato food and we stay away from all corn and wheat (and soy, if we can help it). That means no Milkbones, etc.

I hope you figure out what is wrong so you can make your dog feel better. I know that nothing is more frustrating than trying to help a dog and feeling like you can't. Good luck!


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## wandak (Jan 3, 2010)

I had an EB and she never had any skin problems which is very rare for the breed. I fed her Natures Recipe lamb and rice. try this site bulldogbreeds.com
hope this helps.


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## nadinecvt (Jan 10, 2010)

Sorry to hear your dog is itchy, I have seen many itchy dogs of this breed. Before I was finished reading your entire article I was questioning demodectic mange, I hope it's not a revisit of that problem. You said she had gone to the her vet so they had probably repeated a skin scraping. If the itchy spot and hair loss are bilateral ( in about the same spot on each side and only on her rear legs) my guess would be food / allergy related. Dogs can eat the same diet for years and develop and allergy to it. Lamb and rice is a good diet but not if there is an allergy to another product in that food. Lamb and rice was first developed to be the gold standard for allergic dogs because Lamb was not a used protein source in dog foods and you could be pretty certain the dog or its parents or so on and not been fed it before. But since then Lamb and Rice diets are everywhere, people feed it some times just because it sounds healthier, if its not broke don't fix it. In your case it sounds like the logical next step but usually the pet needs to be put on a feeding trial for 30 days of a ultra low or low allergen diet EXCLUSIVELY. This is very tough because for 30 days this is all they are to eat, no treats, no anything else. Because of this alot of pet owners fail and spend tons of money on allergy diets just to go home and feed them table scraps or treats and the problems continue and no answers are found. After 30 days remain on the diet if there is truly improvement then reintroduce one new thing every few weeks, paying attention to what they are made of so if the problem starts again you will know what the dog is allergic to or have a pretty good idea. This all requires time and patience I know but you could also spend the money and have allergy testing done. Staph infection like the doctor said also an issue with quite a few dogs, they become allergic to the everyday bacteria found on their skin which usually not a problem, antiboitics help to reduce the bacteria level so the body doesn't have much to react to, but usually if the round of antibiotics are finished the normal bacteria levels can rise again, if or when they do and the dog reacts again injections may be given of a staph bacteria type (in small tapering doses) to make the dogs immune system build up its immunity to that bacteria. Well to bring up something else thyroid conditions can cause hair loss but are usually not itchy and usually not a problem in such a young dog. Take a look at the hair loss, is it falling out from the skin or broken off from the damage cased by the itching, damage usually causes the coat to have a bristly feel to it because of all the broken ends of the hair. Well I hope this helps, skin problems are a big pain but you can ask your vet for a appropriate dose of antihistamine if the nights are getting unbearable, usually diphenhydramine or hydroxyzine can be used to cut the itchiness but this may only get them by and not really address the issue causing the problem. Prednisone (steroids) should be used when everything else has failed, don't get me wrong its a wonderful drug and solves many an issue but there are side effects and less is more with this medication. There are also shampoos and leave on conditioners that may give some relief, the leave on conditioners leave a residue on the skin and those allergies create a barrier between the skin and enviromental allergies. Sorry this is so long. Thx for reading.nk


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## grungero (Oct 7, 2009)

Maybe your dog has a fungal decease. Try bathing your dog with Dr. Kauffman soap with Sulfur Zinc Oxide.


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## Dog_Shrink (Sep 29, 2009)

grungero said:


> Maybe your dog has a fungal decease. Try bathing your dog with Dr. Kauffman soap with Sulfur Zinc Oxide.


I've seen you post a couple times about health issues and really hate to be the spelling police but it's disease.


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## GODAWGS! (Jan 7, 2010)

Thank you all for your advice it is much appreciated. I have tried to be patient and trust in the vet that the cause of the problem is a staph infection but I have given up on that. Leila has completed the Keflex and the Chlorohexedine baths but she still is scratching, now to the point to where she is bleeding. Also it seems that the left side has become worse, the hair loss and scratching is three fold on this side, not sure why but it is. In any regard I am going to try some suggestions in regards to her food, I spoke with her breeder and he feed the parents Royal Canine Bulldog, I am going to see if it meets the requirements you have all posted in regards to whey free etc.. I hope this helps as I feel horrible for my poor dog. Also I am taking her back to the vet this week, Im going to ask them to re-scrape for the 3rd time just to be sure that its not the mites again. Ill try and take some pics and post them up if the site has that option. Again thanks for the help and I will keep you posted!


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## yankydoodle (Nov 17, 2016)

We have two bulldogs who have had a terrible time the last while with scratching, itching and almost bleeding. In about June/July of this year, they developed a skin disorder and it carried on until about a month ago. 

After numerous vet visits, injections, medication etc, the vet recommended *Hills Derm Defense*. A new product.

Our dogs have fully recovered from their skin problems. They scratch on the odd occasion, but it's just a minor irritation. Pink spots are gone, and they are very happy dogs now.

They also developed hair loss during this time, so we are trying to resolve that now.

I hope this is of use to anyone reading, experiencing something similar with their dogs.


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