So far, mostly known throughout staffy breeds, skin irritations usually found on the back inner thighs of your pup, which spreads under the belly and up onto the back. In worst cases, all over.
What to look for
It starts off looking like a heat rash, then red dots with white tops (like a pimple) which is usually always itchy for the pup. Scratching starts, breaking the skin which cause these little pimples to weep, spreading the infection even more. On the back/romp it looks like lumps to where you can actually feel them, but have not risen to the surface yet for visual sightings. These soon break, causing hair loss.
What sets it off?
Can be ANYTHING and EVERYTHING. Usually their first sign is in their pup stage of 16 weeks old. Something DIFFERENT that the pup has NOT had before or been around has suddenly caused a reaction. Your main focus is - WHAT WAS IT?
This is why their diet is so important and not changed.
Most cases have been from a diet change or something new given to the pup. Other cases, is they have reacted to a grass, dust, dew, pollen, air particles, shampoo's and so on.
In the case that maybe it was the grass...what happened to the grass that suddenly made your puppy react? Did you spray your grass, maybe it rained? Maybe you mowed it, watered it. Your pup ate something they usually don't. What was it that they ate. What is in that food?
Vaccinations have also been a cause to starting skin irritations. The vet will say its OVER VACCINATED.....
Sadly once it starts, its hard to solve until the source(s) have been found. Only then can it be maintained.
Visiting your Vet
This can be frustrating, costly and in some cases, a waste of your time and money. A vet, will give you anti's and then say change its diet! DO NOT CHANGE its DIET.....it was not the cause, and it certainly didn't start it! Unless, you did change the diet before it started. If this is the case, go back to your original dog food. If you try a new food you need to start gradually and if worsens, STOP. So far, we have heard RAW FOOD diets works, but you do need to illiminate some raw foods. Feed one sort of Raw food per week and see if your pup reacts. If a reaction starts, STOP. Try the next one and so on.
Keep pup away from any dairy products.
Ask your vet to be referred to a 'Dermotoligist'. (hope i spelt that right) or Get the SKIN ALLERGY test done...NOT the skin scrape for mites.
The skin allergy test is where a vet will inject your pup with 16 different allergens to see which one puppy reacts to. Once the cause has been found, then it can be easily treated and kept at bay. This will save loads of $$
What to do...
Do not put any unknown cremes on your pups irritations without seeking vet help. If anything you give makes it worse, STOP!
If you notice a raise in temperature, cool your pup down and try to make them as comfortable as possible.
Seek Vet help and ask for a Skin Allergy Test. This will cost you around $4-500 for the test, depending on vets.
What can you use. in the meantime...
A simple and easy method is by diluting salt in warm water. Get a bucket or bowl and add warm water to it, then add your normal table salt and dilute as much as possible. Then get a flannel or cloth and then bathe your pup/dog in this solution. Do this on a daily basis until healed. DO NOT WASH IN SHAMPOO's or add ANY FLEA TREATMENTS!!!!!!
Over the past few years I have come across this issue a lot more now and its so so common within Bully Breeds a whole range of possibilities is now evidentable. I had a pup around the age of 6mths old that i had taken to a dog show for a 3 day exhibition. I washed her crate and blankets as usual. The second day of the show i noticed she started to rash up. At first i thought it was the heat, being a hot few days. Later on in the day it got worse than ever and she had what looked like welt marks on her tummy and chest. I freaked out, and hosed her down immediately and took her to a friend who, luckily for me was also attending this long weekend show. She advised she has reacted badly to something!! I was then recommended to give her a LORACLEAR (Hayfever) tablet. I shot up to the chemist and gave her a tablet. Thankfully it helped hugely and her lumps went down but her recovery took weeks. After thinking back of what i had given her that was so different i realised it was because i had washed her blanket in HUMAN washing powder - which i usually do not do. After several weeks she healed up normally and hasn't had a reaction since but then I am very very careful of what I give and now wash any of my dogs bedding's in a dilution of Janola and water.
I was also bathing her in NEEM shampoo. This is a bar of natural soap and only costs around $3.50 per bar. I buy this off Trademe or some health shops also stock these. I never use supermarket or dog shampoo's anymore. I no longer wash my dogs bedding in human washing powder and instead soak them in Janola and thoroughly rinse these out and drip dry. I also no longer towel dry my dogs, but only in winter for dog shows and then they have their OWN towels that is not kept or washed with OURS.
I also do not use FLEA Treatments and try to use 'natural' remedies such as NEEM shampoo'ing, Added garlic to their diet and the good old combing.
Below is a small list of products than can easily cause the start of an allergic reaction in your Amstaff.
Grass
Dust
Fleas
Flea dust
Dew
Hay
Dairy products, such as yoghurts, milk, cheese
Some Dry foods products
Some Wet food products.
Red meats, such as beef, liver etc
White meats, such as chicken
Pork, lamb
Garlic
Pollen
Air particles
Now I have found out, after searching around and asking advice, that this issue can be genetic and passed on from one or both parents or from their bloodlines. This is extremely hard to pinpoint, especially if the parents do not have any issues with this. In some extreme cases a puppy can show signs of it before it leaves the Breeder....In other cases, it does not show up. If it shows up later on in life, it is likely not to be genetic.....So far, I have still found breeders to be breeding from parents who have these skin issues, and without telling puppy buyers of its presence. I have always advised my puppy owners, that Skin Irritations is very common in this breed. However I did not know, it could be genetic or could result in such horrific stages. Always ask if you are not sure. And even if the parents do not have skin issues, be wary of any diet changes and skin products you use on your puppy/dog.
I myself, after finding two of my puppies having this issue in my first years of breeding, have decided to try and phase this out of my breedings.
Sadly, testing can not be done on a parent if there is no actual presence of the skin irritation. It's also hard to try and find the actual Source of where its come from, but if you find out which parent had even a MINOR skin issue and back track, you may just find in which line and who could be of fault.
Below will be what owners have gone through and how they have/are trying to solve the skin issues.
Kelly (Chariclo's mum) has supplied us with several photos of the skin irritation after Chariclo had eaten a Pizza Crust. Wheat was likely the cause.
In this photo you can see the RED spots on her body. This was not at its worst! **Please note, photo has been enhanced to see spots easily**
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Hopefully in this photo you can see the BUMPS under the skin....This is usually the Start of it and what you really need to watch and then think of what it was they had just before this started. **
**Please note photo has been enhanced to see bumps clearer**
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Here are the spots in the healing process, now looking like black smudges (its actually hair loss)
**Please note, photo has been enhanced**
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Again, another shot of Chariclo with the skin in the healing process.
**please note, photo has been enhanced**
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A closer look. Here you can see just how bad it can actually be after it starts healing.
**Please note, photo has been enhanced**
(Thank you to Kelly for suppling these photos to hopefully help others who are also going through this, as well as breeders)
Remember - The key is FINDING WHAT CAUSED IT!!!!
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