Can you help us?? What is this..

Royston · Dec 11, 2017

Hi all, I’m hoping someone can help us! My frenchie is just over a year old. However he’s had this problem for a few months now. We are constantly going to the vets, last month it was twice a week! Mid summer time(England) we noticed ROY had been losing some hair in certain spots on his body. He then got a hot spot which the vets believes to have been a bee stung. Forward three weeks later, the hot spot has pretty much gone. And then the rest appear. It’s like red sores with no hair around them or very little hair. And a rash under his belly and down his legs. The vets have taken samples, they have also ruled out food allergies, flushed his ears and came back with “mites” which they said have all left him so he should be on the road to recovery. But now his condition is much worse. It’s spread nearly all over his body, behind his ears are so so dry. He chews his feet, constantly itching, we lives in tops now to stop bleeding from the sores. I don’t think it was ever mites, we went to the vets for everything flees and worms and all that to make sure everything was on time so we don’t miss one etc.

Cbrugs · Dec 11, 2017

Welcome and sorry you are going through this.

A few questions:

What are you currently feeding Roy? How did the vet "rule out" food allergies? Can you post some pictures? It might be contact or environmental allergies or yeast.

2bullymama · Dec 11, 2017

Yes... pictures please and what food?

Have you thought about a second option with a different vet?

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Royston · Dec 14, 2017

So sorry only just seen you replied! Food is James wellbeloved, we have been to two other vets and they both said that frenchies “just have skin problems” ... they ruled out food allergies, we have changed his food from royal canine to James. Stopped the wet food, and we had to trail him on different foods and nothing changed

2bullymama · Dec 14, 2017

James is a good food... are you doing grain free?

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Cbrugs · Dec 14, 2017

Royston said:
So sorry only just seen you replied! Food is James wellbeloved, we have been to two other vets and they both said that frenchies “just have skin problems” ... they ruled out food allergies, we have changed his food from royal canine to James. Stopped the wet food, and we had to trail him on different foods and nothing changed

How did they rule out food allergies? The only 100% accurate way to know if there is a food allergy is to do an elimination diet. When you gave different foods, how long were they given before you tried a different one? Did you do one protein at a time? There are also contact and environmental allergies as well.

Royston · Dec 14, 2017

Royston · Dec 14, 2017

We are just trying him on the grain free, to be honest because the vet said it wasn’t food we stopped trying but we have just started grain free

2bullymama · Dec 14, 2017

My goodness... poor baby! What protein are you giving? Chicken, pork, fish?

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Royston · Dec 15, 2017

Chicken at the moment

2bullymama · Dec 15, 2017

Royston said:
Chicken at the moment

Change the protein... try a novel protein like rabbit, duck, kangaroo. Stay with James just change protein source

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Royston · Dec 15, 2017

Ok I’ll give that a try thank you

Alice Kable · Dec 16, 2017

Oh, my, that poor little guy!!! Please keep us posted.

Tgirl · Dec 20, 2017

Has he taken anything for allergies?

Frenchie Grrrl · Dec 21, 2017

Royston said:
Hi all, I’m hoping someone can help us! My frenchie is just over a year old. However he’s had this problem for a few months now. We are constantly going to the vets, last month it was twice a week! Mid summer time(England) we noticed ROY had been losing some hair in certain spots on his body. He then got a hot spot which the vets believes to have been a bee stung. Forward three weeks later, the hot spot has pretty much gone. And then the rest appear. It’s like red sores with no hair around them or very little hair. And a rash under his belly and down his legs. The vets have taken samples, they have also ruled out food allergies, flushed his ears and came back with “mites” which they said have all left him so he should be on the road to recovery. But now his condition is much worse. It’s spread nearly all over his body, behind his ears are so so dry. He chews his feet, constantly itching, we lives in tops now to stop bleeding from the sores. I don’t think it was ever mites, we went to the vets for everything flees and worms and all that to make sure everything was on time so we don’t miss one etc.

Sounds like poor Roy's autoimmune system is going crazy. I'd been interested to know how many antibiotics and medications he's been on since it all started (and which ones) and what exactly was going on shortly before (vaccinations? flea/heartworm meds?). It could be a food allergy, but I think there is a good chance that his body is just going to over react to anything right now. I would move from trying to directly combat the hot spots with medications (most of which just suppress the reaction) to trying to build up Roy's immune system, so his body can fight this stuff itself (raw diet, immune boosters, probiotics, etc).

I bought this Leaky Gut Protocol in hopes that it would help with Gus' skin issues and I can already see a difference, and it's only been about a week. It's expensive, but no more expensive than just one vet visit, most likely. Not sure how you feel about trying natural medicine, but just putting the thought out there about trying to heal him from the inside out. If it's cold there now, I would give his body a break from any flea/heartworm meds that he might be taking. They are just another assault on his weak immune system.

All that may be out of your comfort zone, but figured I'd put my 2 cents in. Whatever you decide, I wish you guys the best of luck.

Please keep us updated.

Royston · Jan 1, 2018

Hi all, sorry i thought I’d leave it a bit to update. ROY is now on grain free gluten-free all that jazz, food and treats. But he’s had a horrible week, itching like crazy and I feel absolutely helpless. We’ve been putting sudocream on his skin which seems to calm everything but not for long.

Royston · Jan 1, 2018

Royston · Jan 1, 2018

The steroid cream he was using was isaderm twice a day and the tablets were noroclav twice a day. But as I said there was no improvement what’s so ever so he’s not on them now.

Frenchie Grrrl · Jan 1, 2018

Royston said:
The steroid cream he was using was isaderm twice a day and the tablets were noroclav twice a day. But as I said there was no improvement what’s so ever so he’s not on them now.

The noroclav is an antibiotic that would only further disrupt all the good bacteria in his gut, even if it helped temporarily (sorry that it didn't

).

If you get to the end of your rope with your conventional vet and want to try consulting a homeopath, PM me and I can find you some names that would do phone/email consults (assuming you are in the US).

At the very least, I would put him on some good quality probiotics. There are many out there, but I give Gus raw goat milk kefir (Answers brand) that you can get at a specialty pet food store.

I'm so sorry that your baby is having such a rough time of it. :*(