Flaky, Raw Dog Skin with Sores Hair Loss Since Neutering

Hi Chantelle,
How old is Ranger? You said that he was recently neutered, so I am assuming he is a young dog. And, I am REALLY concerned that he has a very weakened immune system.

Not only do you need to work on keeping these areas clean and dry on the *outside*, you will need to support his immune system on the *inside*!

Here’s the Plan:
1. Clip the hair over all spots, and use a baby shampoo or an oatmeal shampoo for dogs, to clean the areas one time daily. Rinse and dry well. NOTHING else should go on the skin. Oils and other topicals just attract bacteria and make it easier for dirt to stick to it.

2. If he does try to scratch incessantly, you can apply diluted Rescue Remedy. Rescue Remedy is a Flower Essence that comes in a ‘human’ and an animal version. Use the one for humans, (yes it contains alcohol), but we are going to be giving it in a diluted form. Add 20 drops to 4 oz of Spring Water, in a pump spray dispenser. This way you can spray it onto the skin anywhere he continues to itch or scratch. It will help to calm the skin and as he licks it, it will help to calm him down!

You can apply it as often as needed. You will not overdose him!

3. DIET: Since he now has diarrhea, you will need to just offer him liquids for the next 8-12 hours, to allow his GI tract to rest. Chicken or turkey broth, beef boullion, small amounts every 2-3 hours. Add some acidophilus into each serving. Also, provide a bowl of drinking water.

The next step will be to transition to chicken or turkey baby food. I do not know what kind of a dog Ranger is, nor how big he is, so I cannot advise you on how much to feed him. He should continue with the acidophilus in each meal for another week at least. Then after the stool is improved, begin to add in some canned food. Preferably the same brand of canned food as the dry food you are feeding.

Ideally, canned or a RAW diet would be the BEST food for a dog with a poor immune system. See our page on 10 Best Dog Food Options, https://www.organic-pet-digest.com/10-best-dog-food-options.html.

4. Use one of these supplements, added to his food, once he has progressed to a more formed stool.
1. Missing Link Canine Formula
2. Immuplex from Standard Process
3. OrthoMolecular Specialties, Mega C Powder

5. Skin scraping–at first as there are only a few mange mites, the skin scraping may have been negative. But as he has worsened, this should be easier to find some mites.

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

Please keep us posted by coming back to this page and clicking the ‘click here to add your own comments’ link below.

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.

A bit more background: Ranger is 2 1/2 and got nouturred in April of this year. The problem started at that time after we had him on antibiotics. It went away for awhile ( which makes me think it’s mites) but now it’s come back and is worse. My partner informed me today that he had it even worse than this when he was a puppy on vancouver island, he got better after a steroid shot.. He has no immunizations and I think if it’s mites he could’ve gotten them from our chickens? We are soon moving to a new house where we won’t have chickens anymore. He’s also a very big guy about 110 lb lab, wolf, shepherd mutt. It breaks my heart to see him like this, I would take him to the vet but there is no way to afford it right now. Any help would be appreciated.

I tried a home remedy you might be familiar with, it seems a lot of people have used it successfully. Its a mixture of borax and h2o2 with water applied all over and lft to dry. I don’t know what else to do 🙁

Thank you in advance

Hi Chantelle,

Regarding Ranger, 2.5 years old male, large breed dog part lab, wolf, shepherd , you wrote,
“..bald patches are spreading and some are red and raw, his skin is mostly dry and flaking all over. His underside is red and quite warm to the touch. He’s very raw under his legs also. The scab on his face doesn’t look good, it seemed to be growing…”

There are numerous homeopathic remedies that would fit those symptoms. My first choice would be the remedy, Sulphur 12C, given one pellet three times daily for 2-3 weeks.

Of course, I could be more specific if he were diagnosed with inhaled allergies, contact allergies, demodectic mange, ringworm, etc.

Continuing the daily baths, is good, especially if there is a problem with secondary bacterial infection in the skin. At least the shampoo will remove surface bacteria, and if bacteria is present, will help him heal faster.

And follow all of the suggestions I listed on August 5, including the immune support.

You wrote,
“I think if it’s mites he could’ve gotten them from our chickens?”
—No—-

You wrote,
“I tried a home remedy…. a mixture of borax and h2o2 with water applied all over and left to dry”

Sorry, Chantelle, I never heard of this treatment. And I do not know if it will dry out Ranger’s skin more, and make it more itchy or trap bacteria into the skin, or what it will do. I have used a home made treatment mixture of Borax, plus Dawn dish soap and peroxide for a dog that has been sprayed by a skunk. It is not left on, but lathered in, and then washed off.

Please keep us posted by coming back to this page and clicking the ‘click here to add your own comments’ link below.

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.