Help Needed! Hives and red itchy skin

[Busterbrown]

Hi all,
Totally new to the bully world and to this forum. We got our baby bully 3 months ago when he was 12 weeks old and we're totally smitten! However, pretty much since he arrived with us he has had terrible hives and red, hot itchy skin on his belly which now seems to be spreading to his back and he's losing his hair through all the scratching. And he really stinks, especially behind his legs. We've had countless trips to the vets and we're now being treated for dermodex, but it's not making any difference so I really think it's allergies. But to what?? Food, grass, our house, us?! How do we start to eliminate the causes? I've attached a picture of our poor baby to see if anyone recognizes the symptoms.
Thanks and sorry for the long first post!

 

[TyTysmom]

Ouch! Poor baby, my first guess is going to be food or contact allergy. What are you currently feeding him?


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[Busterbrown]

Thanks for replying. He was on wellness dry and wet food, but we switched him to hill science diet. We've also got a big yard with lots of grass where he a bit of a roam. The vets won't give him his shots until these hives clear so we can't talk him for a proper walk yet away from the grass! We are in a catch 22 !

 

[TyTysmom]

Thanks for replying. He was on wellness dry and wet food, but we switched him to hill science diet. We've also got a big yard with lots of grass where he a bit of a roam. The vets won't give him his shots until these hives clear so we can't talk him for a proper walk yet away from the grass! We are in a catch 22 !

I would get him off the science diet, that is not a good quality food, especially for our sensitive bullies. Was he doing good on the Wellness? Wellness is a good food, anything that is grain free, and rated 4 stars or higher is your best bet. Also, choose a single protein food - preferably not chicken, as bullies tend to have a common allergy with chicken. Read the labels well to ensure the ingredients. I would start a slow transition ASAP, because the food may be the main culprit, and until you change it - the reaction won't go away. I can tell you that Acana has a singles line, Nature's Variety has a limited line, and Zignature has a limited line.... look into any of those, grain free, and start with just one protein. If he clears up after making the switch - you know it was the food. For now, if you have anything of his like blankets, etc - try washing them in a free detergent. You can give him benadryl if he's uncomfortable. 1mg per lb every 12 hrs. Start with just one and see how that helps. While the environmental allergies are also possible, a reaction this bad may be food related. A good habit to get into (we do this) is wiping him down every time he comes inside. Have some baby wipes handy by the door, wipe his belly, face, paws, booty. Its quick... takes me less than a minute to wipe Tyson down each time. I would start here and see how it goes, but please please get him off the Science Diet. I've attached a link to dog food ratings so you can get an idea on where each stands:

English Bulldog News Forums - Dog Food Ratings at English Bulldog News

A nice Oatmeal bath would help too just to alleviate any itches... let him soak in it as long as he'll allow. Please keep us posted on his progress, I really want to feel better, that can't be comfortable.

 

[Busterbrown]

Wow! Thank you! That's the best advice we have had so far! I'll switch him back to the wellness. I had no idea about hills! We're going to limit his exposure to the yard and that's great advice about wiping him..we've been bathing him in an anti-microbial shampoo but I'm sure that makes his itchiness worse so I'm removing that too. Just want our poor baby to feel better. He's finished his antibiotic but is still talking the temaril for mites. I've got an appointment with a new vet on Monday too.
He desperately needs his shots so we can take him for a walk but every vet is refusing to do it until this rash clears up. He's now nearly 5 months old for goodness sake! Thank you again and I will keep you posted on his progress.

 

[TyTysmom]

Wow! Thank you! That's the best advice we have had so far! I'll switch him back to the wellness. I had no idea about hills! We're going to limit his exposure to the yard and that's great advice about wiping him..we've been bathing him in an anti-microbial shampoo but I'm sure that makes his itchiness worse so I'm removing that too. Just want our poor baby to feel better. He's finished his antibiotic but is still talking the temaril for mites. I've got an appointment with a new vet on Monday too.
He desperately needs his shots so we can take him for a walk but every vet is refusing to do it until this rash clears up. He's now nearly 5 months old for goodness sake! Thank you again and I will keep you posted on his progress.

You are most welcome. Do you recall him doing good on the Wellness, did this happen to pop up after you switched his food? Even though the Hills is crap, still slowly transition him so that you don't disturb his belly. Try to make the switch over a week, slowly introducing the new food mixed in with the old, and slowly phasing out the old. You can also add a little canned pumpkin during the switch to ease the belly as well.

You mentioned mites.... Tyson had a really bad staph infection once, and I had to sanitize everything!!! I'm including some links with the items we used for carpets, Industrial Lysol for things not able to be washed... just to keep in your back pocket should you choose to do a de-sanitized like we did. Last link is the Oatmeal bathe we used... if you get this don't be alarmed that it doesn't sud... just put it on him, and let it sit for a bit its wonderful, and soothes!

Carpet Cleaner:

Amazon.com - X-Mite Anti-Allergen Moist Powder Carpet Cleaner - Mite Powder

Lysol:

Amazon.com: Lysol IC Disinfectant Spray with Control Flo Valve, 19 Ounce: Health & Personal Care

Shampoo:

Amazon.com : Tropiclean Oxy Med Shampoo 20oz : Pet Shampoos : Pet Supplies

I'll follow up with you in a week or so to see how the baby is doing

PS - did you see the food ratings on the link I gave you? Wellness is a 6 -- Science Diet is a 1.

 

[2BullyMama]

Jessica kicked *** with the great advice! I will only say for the wiping... Start with just a cool wash cloth just so you ate not adding anything new to him until you figure out the culprit.

 

[Busterbrown]

Hi! Just wanted to give you an update - buster is going better but is now on his second dose of antibiotics and steroids. Poor little guy. We are now trying to rule out allergens so I've tried to start with food. We've slowly switched him to wellness simple protein (salmon and potato) but he still breaking out in hives. Someone suggested to me to try buffalo meat..anyone got an experience of this?
Thanks again!

 

[Vikinggirl]

Hi all,
Totally new to the bully world and to this forum. We got our baby bully 3 months ago when he was 12 weeks old and we're totally smitten! However, pretty much since he arrived with us he has had terrible hives and red, hot itchy skin on his belly which now seems to be spreading to his back and he's losing his hair through all the scratching. And he really stinks, especially behind his legs. We've had countless trips to the vets and we're now being treated for dermodex, but it's not making any difference so I really think it's allergies. But to what?? Food, grass, our house, us?! How do we start to eliminate the causes? I've attached a picture of our poor baby to see if anyone recognizes the symptoms.
Thanks and sorry for the long first post!View attachment 90843

Hi, I know exactly how you feel, and what you are going through. I just went through this with Bulldozer. My guys were on Fromm's Beef Frittata for two years and then both were showing signs of allergies, so I switched them both to Fromms lamb and Lentil. They were on this food for 9 months and Blossom is still doing well on it, but Dozer blew up with allergy symptoms again. He was licking his paws excessively to the point that his paw was all puffy, soggy and it changed colour, his eye were very goopy, he scratched his chest raw, and his ears were very waxy. He is now developed allergies to 4 proteins, chicken, salmon, beef and lamb. I stopped all supplements, treats, fruits and veggies, and I put him on Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Vegan Kibble for one month to detoxify his system from all proteins, kind of like starting from scratch. Then a week ago I started him on Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Kangaroo Kibble. The idea is to detoxify him of all proteins and then add a protein that he's never had before and one that is not a normal protein such as kangaroo or venison, so that hopefully his immune system won't recognize it and he will tolerate it. So far he's doing really well, he lost a little weight while he was on the vegan diet because he wasn't getting any protein, but he did well on the food change, he had normal poops, no tummy upsets and tolerated and really liked the taste, he licked the bowl clean. He's doing well on the Kangaroo as well, and he's improved so much, no more goopy eyes, his itching and licking has stopped and his paw is back to normal, his hair is growing back on his chest where he scratched it raw. His ears are still a little waxy, but improving as well. I'm going to give this food a month, as it can take that long before seeing an improvement from a food change, and I will also know if he tolerates it or has a reaction. Then I will slowly add one thing at a time back into his diet and for a week before adding a new one, that way I will know which one he is allergic to.

 

[Busterbrown]

Thank you! I'd never thought of detoxing him, but you're right I'm switching him from one protein to another but not getting the old protein out of his system. The vet wants to clear up the infection and the hives and start from there but they just never seem to clear up

 

[izstigspunks]

One of my bulldogs is sensitive to food and shampoo. He needs to be on raw and only uses this particular brand of oatmeal and aloe shampoo. If we change either one he'll break out in hives and hot spots. Good luck with the search and transition. I always thought that most vets are particularly helpful with emergency care, such as surgeries, but with food and allergies, it can be a hit and miss. This forum helped many tremendously in getting allergies and other common ailments under control. Good luck and I hope you'll stumble on the solution soon.

 

[Vikinggirl]

It's really trial and error and a lot of frustration and patience. Every bully is different and I found that by taking everything out of the diet for a month and starting from scratch, then adding one thing at a time back into the diet helps you to figure out what causes a reaction and then it's easy to Eliminate because you know right away which new food caused the reaction.

 

[2BullyMama]

Hi, I know exactly how you feel, and what you are going through. I just went through this with Bulldozer. My guys were on Fromm's Beef Frittata for two years and then both were showing signs of allergies, so I switched them both to Fromms lamb and Lentil. They were on this food for 9 months and Blossom is still doing well on it, but Dozer blew up with allergy symptoms again. He was licking his paws excessively to the point that his paw was all puffy, soggy and it changed colour, his eye were very goopy, he scratched his chest raw, and his ears were very waxy. He is now developed allergies to 4 proteins, chicken, salmon, beef and lamb. I stopped all supplements, treats, fruits and veggies, and I put him on Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Vegan Kibble for one month to detoxify his system from all proteins, kind of like starting from scratch. Then a week ago I started him on Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Kangaroo Kibble. The idea is to detoxify him of all proteins and then add a protein that he's never had before and one that is not a normal protein such as kangaroo or venison, so that hopefully his immune system won't recognize it and he will tolerate it. So far he's doing really well, he lost a little weight while he was on the vegan diet because he wasn't getting any protein, but he did well on the food change, he had normal poops, no tummy upsets and tolerated and really liked the taste, he licked the bowl clean. He's doing well on the Kangaroo as well, and he's improved so much, no more goopy eyes, his itching and licking has stopped and his paw is back to normal, his hair is growing back on his chest where he scratched it raw. His ears are still a little waxy, but improving as well. I'm going to give this food a month, as it can take that long before seeing an improvement from a food change, and I will also know if he tolerates it or has a reaction. Then I will slowly add one thing at a time back into his diet and for a week before adding a new one, that way I will know which one he is allergic to.

great advice info!!