Dog with skin rash, reoccurring UTI’s and prone to bladder stones

Hello to the Vayns family,
Your poor little female spayed 8 year old Havanese has certainly had some health issues over the past 2 years! Allow me to summarize her history:

She has had ongoing antibiotics to ‘suppress’ her skin problems, which sounds like allergic dermatitis and secondary superficial pyoderma AND her urinary problems in which she developed bladder stones (you did not report what kind) which were removed in March 2011.

And now, she has had ongoing Urinary Tract Infections (UTI’s) and worsening of the skin problems. So, it is not superficial anymore, it is going deeper into the dermis, and she even developed a sebaceous cyst. She is overweight, constantly licks her paws and genitals, and she requires longer courses of antibiotics to suppress the symptoms.

Her diet used to be DRY Wellness and now it is (dry?) Hill’s C/D.

Hopefully, your veterinarian has not continued to give her any vaccinations during this time! Since the insert that accompanies every box of vaccine states, “To be administered to HEALTHY dogs only.” A holistic veterinarian will write an ‘exemption’ form to exempt her from any vaccines, if she is due, at this time.

Of course, it will take MORE than some diet changes and supplements to help her, but this is a start. For BOTH skin and urinary tract to maintain health, they need adequate moisture in the diet. DRY DOG FOOD is not healthy. Even if it is the C/D by Hill’s, it MUST be canned.

Actually, a RAW dog food diet would be the best. You will need to gradually transition her to a canned and/or RAW diet and monitor the pH of her urine. Normal dog urine has a healthy pH of 6-6.5. If she had Calcium oxalate stones, it means that her urine was too acidic (usually these stones form in a pH of 5-5.5). If she had Triple Phosphate (struvite)crystals, then her urine was TOO alkaline (7.5-8). Using litmus paper from a pool supply store, or Urine pH strips from a pharmacy, you can tear off a strip and stick it under her urine every morning to check her urine pH.

See our page on 10 Best Dog Food Options. For any changes in diet, it is best to go slow and gradually add in the NEW food to what she is eating now to get her GI tract used to it. You can also check Dr Richard Pitcairn’s book, Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats, for some home made diets that include raw meat. NO RAW PORK OR RAW FISH.

TO BE CONTINUED IN PART TWO.

(cont’d from above)

Also, a raw diet will help her lose weight. If she should weigh 9-10 lbs she needs to eat 250 calories per day, or 125 calories per meal, two times daily. Adding in some supplements such as Cranaidin, a cranberry supplement for dogs, in a chewable table form by Virbac. She will need the one for small dogs (one tablet two times daily).

Since she has been on long term antibiotics, she should have acidophilus added to her food two times to replace the ‘good’ bacteria in her GI tract. PB 8 is a good product, and she could have 1 capsule opened and sprinkled in her food two times daily.

For immune system support, please start her on:

1. Immuplex from Standard Process
2. OrthoMolecular Specialties, Mega C Powder

For her skin, bathe her with oatmeal shampoo one to two times per week, in COOL water to give her some relief from the itching.

You can also make up Rescue Remedy, a Bach Flower essence, 10 drops in 2 oz Spring Water, in a pump spray bottle to spray on her feet or genitals as needed to calm down her skin. It is also good to calm her down if she is anxious and is restless at night chewing or licking her skin.

For deeper healing, and to end the suppressive effects of constant antibiotics, and recurrence of cystitis, she will need to be seen by a holistic veterinarian. Especially one trained in homeopathy, to address the issues due to effects of vaccination, and from suppressive effects of antibiotics.

Another resource for vets knowledgeable in homeopathy is AVH.org.

Take care,
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

DISCLAIMER: The above should never replace the advice of your local veterinarian, as they have the ability to evaluate your dog in person.