smileyzookie Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 Ok, a few months ago I posted a pic you could hardly see (thank you horrible camera) of Rivens tummy. We took her to the vet and he said she was digging out her hair due to SA. The only thing is Ive NEVER seen her dig it, or bite it or anything. Literally its like the hair is just falling out. Not red, not smelly, not dandruff filled.. nothing. Just falling out. Here is a pic This has grown in size from March 06 to now from about a quarter size to about the size of my hand. We are getting her yearly vet visit at a new vet this month so we're gonna have it looked at again. I just really dont believe its SA, even though we took her to the old vet 3 times for it... Last night when I was brushing her, I was doing her legs and noticed the fur was really dirty, ratty looking. I brushed a ton of fur off and saw underneath a red line about 6 inches long. It follows the front bone of her back leg. It is very very dry skin or dandruffish, and it STINKS. We are trying to get in with the new vet ASAP to have it looked at. Here is a horrible pic, my camera sucks. But opinions in the meantime? Oh and on a side note, reguarding Rohan. I got his new brush last night and we were able to brush 1 side of him before he threw a fit. Can you believe this 8 pound cat was carrying this on half of him.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smileyzookie Posted January 23, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 I got an appointment tomorrow at 2pm. I hope it isnt anything really serious Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaggieDog Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 It could be a lick granuloma that formed from a scratch - those can smell and are often due to anxiety or irritation - tho I believe they are generally rather moist from all the licking. Have you tried any anxiety reducing agents (either pharmaceutical or herbal)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosefarm Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 Edith had ringworm this last year, the hair would fall out in clumps, the skin was very dandruffy. It itched severely (doesn't sound like riven has this). I doubt your vet would miss that but I thought I'd throw out the possibility. --Denise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donna frankland (uk) Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 i have heard it said that demodectic mange makes dogs smell like mice, an icky musky smell and it also thickens the skin. i have no idea how true that is though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PSmitty Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 Doesn't look like mange to me. Mange almost always starts on the face, too. I hope the vet can help, poor baby! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catu Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 Originally posted by donna frankland (uk):i have heard it said that demodectic mange makes dogs smell like mice, an icky musky smell and it also thickens the skin. i have no idea how true that is though. Yeah, I would say that there is characteristic "Mange smell", but I'm not sure if it is exclusive of mange, or is more a "severe skin problem smell" and I've just smelled it principally in mange cases. Mange can start in every part of the body and depending on the type of mange or the dog can have very different symptoms, thats why vets preffer to do hair test to be sure. And, errr... What is SA? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PSmitty Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 SA=separation anxiety. Here's some info on demodectic mange. http://www.marvistavet.com/html/demodectic_mange.html As I said, it *usually* starts on the face as localized mange, and spreads to other parts of the body. If her tummy is the affected area, and there are no spots on her face or forelegs, I seriously doubt it's demodex. I don't have as much info on scarcoptic mange, but I just don't think it's mange, either way. I know thyroid issues can cause hair loss issues. You might consider getting a thyroid panel done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosefarm Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 Edith had no thyroid production - which caused her to be succeptible to the ringworm, i.e., immune system failure. I almost adopted a dog with demodactic mange - he lived with us for a while... Apparently its passed from mom to pup, and not trasferable otherwise and will show up in pups not older dogs? His loss was around his neck. Good luck --Denise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smileyzookie Posted January 23, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 Wow so much info you guys!! I never even thought about her leg having some sort of irritation, I guess I just immediately thought mange. I will ask for a thyroid panel for sure. I really like the new vet, so Im hoping she'll live up to all the hype lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smileyzookie Posted January 24, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2007 Well, the vet scraped for mange, and found none. She thinks its just allergies and prescribed Benadryl. We also had her heartworm tested, because I guess a great deal of the rescued Hurricane Katrina dogs have been known to carry heartworm and give it to our dogs here. So, that was negative. She had all her shots and now she's asleep lol She was a total angel. The vet said that God gave us Riven for a reason. She said our cat is the devil and so God made up for it by givin us an angel lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bailey44 Posted January 24, 2007 Report Share Posted January 24, 2007 Good news! Charlene Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nancy in AZ Posted January 24, 2007 Report Share Posted January 24, 2007 Originally posted by smileyzookie:I guess a great deal of the rescued Hurricane Katrina dogs have been known to carry heartworm and give it to our dogs here. Huh? I'm confused, I thought the only way for dogs to become infected with heartworm was through a vector, namely, the mosquito. What is the mechanism by which one dog infects another? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smileyzookie Posted January 24, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2007 LOL. I never thought of that. That doesnt make sense. I wonder how them mosquito gets it? And, she made it sound like if Riven ate cat poo in our yard she could get it as well if that cat had been infected. (she doesnt eat cat poo...may smell but doesnt eat lol) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK dog doc Posted January 24, 2007 Report Share Posted January 24, 2007 That's correct; the mosquito is an obiligate intermediate host for the heartworm. Two of the larval instars have to take place in the mouthparts of the mosquito in order for the worm to mature. Life cycle goes like this: Adult worms living in a dog's heart produce larvae. The 3rd larval instar (L3) is sucked up by a mosquito taking a blood meal. The larvae mature to L5's in the mosqito's mouthparts. (The L5 is the infective stage). The L5 is injected into a new host when the mosquito takes another blood meal. The L5 matures to adulthood and takes up residence in the heart of the new host and begins the cycle again. I'm assuming that when they say the Katrina dogs are infecting others it means that they've arrived bearing live heartworms and that the local mosquitos are feasting on them and then spreading the disease by biting the local dogs. BTW, since only the L5 stage is infective, and a mosquito is necessary for the larvae to reach the L5 stage, a blood transfusion from an infested dog will not infest the recipient. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smileyzookie Posted January 24, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2007 Ok, so it is possible then for Katrina dogs by the mosquito to transfer to Idaho dogs. You know, we were like the number 1 or 3 spot in the nation last year for West Nile virus. So Im guessing that we have a ton of mosqitos to be spreading that and the heartworm. Eek..I guess I should put her on heartguard then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allie Oop Posted January 24, 2007 Report Share Posted January 24, 2007 I'm glad that Riven doesn't have mange. I hope her problem clears up quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.