Horrific Rash on Dog’s Underbelly

August 6, 2013

Hi Julie,
From the photos you submitted, Roscoe certainly has a ‘horrific’ rash! And while it may have started as a contact allergy, (are the bottoms of his feet also red and swollen? That would confirm the diagnosis.) It seems to have become more of a superficial pyoderma, meaning an infection in the skin. He appears to be covered with multiple pimples which indicates that bacteria have invaded each hair follicle. So, the hair falls out, resulting in the itching and redness. This causes MORE bacteria to invade the abraded skin. Therefore, it needs to be treated as an ‘open’ wound.

Bathe his belly ONE time daily with baby shampoo, rinse well, and pat dry with a towel. DO NOT apply anything to his skin. Put on his T-shirt, to prevent more self-trauma. Continue this for 7-10 days, then 2 times per week, for 2 weeks, then ONE time per week, as his skin improves.

Continue the raw diet. Is it homemade or commercial? Considering he has had a *chronic* skin problem (every summer)–I would question if the diet is meeting all of his nutritional needs and wonder if he might be deficient in anything. A blood panel might be in order, to check out any underlying condition causing him to have a weakened immune system.

NO VACCINATIONS. If he has been vaccinated annually, that may be a BIG reason why he has been unable to get better!

Start him on the homeopathic remedy, Silicea 6C or 12C. Dissolve one pellet in a 1 or 2 oz glass dropper bottle and fill with Spring Water. Give him 1/2 dropperful by mouth THREE times daily for the next week. Prior to each dose, shake or *succuss* the bottle 20 times by hitting it against the palm of your hand.

It can be continued for longer than a week, but his response to the remedy needs to be evaluated. To consider increasing the potency, or decreasing the frequency, etc. a holistic veterinarian will be best qualified to determine this on physical exam of Roscoe.

You can use RESCUE REMEDY 20 drops in a 4 oz pump spray bottle, (keep refrigerated), to spray on his tummy if he is incessantly scratching through the T-shirt. This will help to cool and calm the skin. You can also put a few drops in his mouth, or add to his drinking water daily to help him to calm down. NO coconut oil, tea tree oil, Gold Bond powder, NOTHING else should be applied to his skin.

He may need some supplements to boost his immune system, but a blood panel would be the best place to start to see if there is any other problem or deficiency occurring.

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

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

Hi, Dr Tillman,

Thank you for your response.

To answer your questions:

Roscoe’s feet were not swollen. None of his hair has fallen out, either – his skin is just very pink, he’s a true redhead!. His underside has always been mostly hairless, and the hair that is there is very fine and doesn’t photograph very well. Yesterday, the pimples themselves were so numerous, and much redder than his skin, that in the photos it made his entire underside look redder, but I assure you that the underlying skin remained its normal pinkish color.

Last night before I got your reply, we covered him with aloe vera gel again (and clothes). I wish you could see him today! I took more pictures, but they don’t really do a good job of showing the huge improvement. All of the pimples on his chest and underarms have totally scabbed over. There’s one small remaining area (around his penis) that’s still extremely red, and a few remaining pimples on the inside of his back legs and around his groin. We plan to give him another bath later today.

Rabies vaccines are mandatory here and no excuses are accepted. He gets the 3 year vaccine which is the absolute least I can do. I live in a small town in SW Florida; my house has woods on two sides inhabited by birds, squirrels, wood rats & raccoons, possums and some bobcats. (I’ve been told there are coyotes, too, but I’ve never seen one.) Rabies is an issue here, although I’ve seen more problems with distemper (in raccoons).

He eats raw meats & bones with powdered kelp and joint supplement added, and occasionally has ground beef with a raw egg. It’s neither commercial nor homemade – it’s just raw meat and bones, cut into pieces he can handle. It’s the same diet all 3 of my dogs are on, and he’s been eating this way since I got him at 18 months old.

May I ask why you believe he is either immune or nutrionally deficient? I’m sure his rash returns every summer because we have the same weather every summer! – torrential rains and extremely high humidity, resulting in mold, mildew & mushroom spores running rampant. If I could afford to have an allergy panel done (which I can’t at this time), I’m sure that one, all, or a combination of those would prove the trigger. He’s also plagued by ticks year round, because he loves running in high grass and is so low to the ground. We have to keep a tick collar on him year-round because we believe it’s less of a danger to him that the possible disease he could contract from the amount of ticks we’ve pulled off him (as much as 10 in one week). I am extremely paranoid of ticks because I myself am disabled due to chronic Lyme disease.

I’ll give him some Rescue Remedy and try to find Silicea locally.

I appreciate your help & will spread the word of your existence! I’ve often wondered why there wasn’t any holistic advice available online. I’m
so glad to find someone filled the need!

Julie

August 12, 2013

Hi Julie,

You wrote,
“May I ask why you believe he is either immune or nutritionally deficient? I’m sure his rash returns every summer because we have the same weather every summer! – torrential rains and extremely high humidity, resulting in mold, mildew & mushroom spores running rampant.”

Because a poor immune system would be the cause for why Roscoe suffers from such a horrific skin rash. Not all dogs in Florida with the tropical heat, humidity and rain have bad skin.

Each individual, whether human or canine, have a particular ‘constitution’. And each individual may be prone to or ‘susceptible’ to an illness depending on their constitution. Whether their constitutional weakness is in their skin, resulting in seasonal allergies, or their ears with chronic infections or the bladder or the intestine, etc. In some cases, this weakness can result in disease after being given a vaccination. According to holistic practitioners, this situation would be called ‘vaccinosis’. In other words, the IMMUNE system was compromised or weakened from the vaccine. Of course, if the diet is not balanced or there is a deficiency, the immune system would also be affected. But a RAW diet is usually far superior to cooked/processed food, as long as it is balanced.

You wrote,
“He eats raw meats & bones with powdered kelp and joint supplement added, and occasionally has ground beef with a raw egg. It’s neither commercial nor homemade – it’s just raw meat and bones, cut into pieces he can handle. It’s the same diet all 3 of my dogs are on”

Which sounds like a balanced diet. And since your other dogs are *normal*, then it would not be a diet related issue. I would be more suspicious it may be a ‘vaccinosis’.

You wrote,
” If I could afford to have an allergy panel done (which I can’t at this time), I’m sure that one, all, or a combination of those (molds, mildew, mushroom spores would prove the trigger.”

And if you did an allergy panel, and he was *allergic* to mushroom spores or mildew or mold, how would you treat it? In conventional medicine, you would try to suppress the immune system with steroids, anti-histamines, and other drugs. That is NOT a cure. It is merely suppressing his symptoms. And side effects of these drugs would also cause problems. The GOAL is to improve his whole constitution/immune system/ ‘VITAL FORCE’ so that he no longer has the susceptibility to mushroom spores, mildew, or mold! The only way to do that is with homeopathic remedies, immune system supplements, and continue with a raw diet. Of course, the bathing, and aloe vera will be helpful too.

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.