# dog has skin problems, what to do?



## ajyp (Aug 16, 2012)

Hello, I have a 12 year old tibetan terrier that has recently developed major skin problems. Every now and then she would get minor skin allergic reactions to different foods that I would feed her, but she would get used to the food and her allergies would go away after a little while. 

But I recently started giving her this one brand of food where she got the usual allergic reaction, but it has progressively gotten worse over the span of a week. A week ago I noticed that she had some scabbing on her lower back area, but I didn't think much of it and stupidly, I thought it would just go away after a little while. She seemed to be more and more itchy so I decided to give her a wash and I cut her hair super short just yesterday. Then I noticed her entire back was covered with scabs/rashes. I am assuming that she got a allergic skin reaction from the food, and scratched herself so much that the bacteria from her nails gave her a skin infection which has spread like crazy. 

Here's a picture of her current skin condition: 









Now my question is, what can I do to help my dog in this situation? Because of financial difficulties, I am unable to take her to see a vet until next week, and I feel as if this issue is pretty serious so I need do something right now. I heard that benadryl could help, but I am unsure about the mg and dosage (my dog is about 20 lb), or if it would even help at all. Are there any home remedies I could use to help sooth my dogs skin to make her less itchy or to even disinfect her wounds? And I am assuming I should stop feeding her her current food immediately, but what should I feed her in the meantime?


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

Can you call your vet and ask about seeing them now and paying a portion of the bill and a portion in a week or two? If it has gotten that bad in one week, I would seriously worry about how it might get worse over the next week. It is also possible it isn't the food causing that but something completely unrelated.

Your vet might also give the benadryl dosage over the phone since it is based on weight. I've used benadryl on dogs for seasonal allergies congestion and mild skin allergies but nothing as much as what looks like your dog's problem. Benadryl won't help for any secondary infection etc. 

Does she have a chicken allergy? You can go with plain boneless chicken and plain white rice. Cooked, no sodium added. 

A mild warm salt water soak might help and shouldn't hurt at least.


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## ajyp (Aug 16, 2012)

Shell said:


> Can you call your vet and ask about seeing them now and paying a portion of the bill and a portion in a week or two? If it has gotten that bad in one week, I would seriously worry about how it might get worse over the next week. It is also possible it isn't the food causing that but something completely unrelated.
> 
> Your vet might also give the benadryl dosage over the phone since it is based on weight. I've used benadryl on dogs for seasonal allergies congestion and mild skin allergies but nothing as much as what looks like your dog's problem. Benadryl won't help for any secondary infection etc.
> 
> ...


thank you for your help! I shall try and cook her that and try the warm salt water soak. but for when I do take her to the vet, do you think they would just inject/prescribe some antibiotics or something? what would they do to fix this issue? and how much do antibiotics usually cost?


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

Vet costs really depend on where you are located. But every vet I know will give a general cost quote over the phone- as in, an exam costs $40, skin tests $x to x dollars, etc

I just took my dog in for an eye injury. The vet exam, dye test on the eye, antibiotic ointment, topical painkiller ointment, a e-collar to keep him from pawing his eye and a day of boarding cost me $115.

I have no idea if antibiotics will be the drug of choice. Basic pill antibiotics are pretty cheap, I had to give them to a dog with kennel cough and they were like $10.


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## mustlovedogs123 (Mar 23, 2011)

Shell: it sound like vets are cheap where you are! That stuff here would probably cost me $500.or more. Last time i bought antibiotics for my dog they cost me $75..

ajyp: Looks like your dog might have a staff infection on top of just skin problems. Hope you can get this figured out!!


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## Abbylynn (Jul 7, 2011)

This was a skin infection on my dog Leeo ... He needed a vet and antibiotics to clear this up.


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