Hi, I’d like to order dog treats for my Staffie (or how not to speak to a customer)

December 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Had a lovely man named Michael call up from Washington state in the US this morning to place a Christmas dog treat order for his Staffie in Cheshire (he’s on his way over for Christmas.)  The conversation went something like ‘hi, I’d like to order a Christmas stocking for my dog’ to which I replied ‘come on Erik, I’m busy, stop messing about, call me after New Year.

Now in my defence I have a mate called Erik who’s Canadian and great at doing voices. Erik calls up from time to time pretending he has an itchy dog, then laughs his backside off when I fall for it. Once he posed as a man asking if it was alright to sedate his wife with Dorwest Scullcap and Valerian tablets so he could get some peace while Match of the Day was on. I wasn’t about to fall for that again.

After a minute or so of back and forth Michael says ‘nope, my name’s Michael, what will it take for you to believe I’m not this guy Erik?’

‘Give me your number in the States’

‘OK it’s 425 … etc’

I ring back on Skype to find it is indeed a lovely man called Micheal ordering Christmas dog treats all the way from Washington State.

EPIC FAIL!

The Shame!

He called my sales technique ‘intriguing’ then spent £30 and wished me luck with the business.

Had to call Erik, who spent two minutes giggling in a Beavis & Butthead style.

Mortified!

So, Michael from Bellevue, thank you for your order of Christmas stockings, Pet Munchies fish treats and Wild Boar sausages.  I salute your patience and trusting nature.  Merry Christmas.

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Millie and Kim – All Better Now

May 28, 2011 By 5 Comments

Just an update on Millie the Jack Russell and her owner, Kim’s struggle to get Millie back to full fitness after she adopted her last year.

If you remember, Millie was kept in a cage, beaten and starved until she was rescued, in a right old state last year. You can read the previous two posts on her progress by clicking here.

Snuck under the duvet - again!

Kim took her on, underweight, frightened with all sorts of skin problems but now’s shes fighting fit.  Here’s the proof in the latest two photos Kim sent over.  You’ve gotta love a happy ending!

Millie

Catching a few rays!

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Karen and Dot – Urticaria and Pet Shop Treats – Part II

May 28, 2011 By 3 Comments

My other dog, Dot, gets episodes of urticaria over her head & shoulders & definitely improved when changed to a Fish4Dogs diet (perhaps the fish oil).  However, recent urate crystals in her urine has meant changing to a diet lower in purines & she’s now on Burns Fish & Maize – skin doesn’t seem to have got worse with this change.

pebble and dog

Pebble and Dot

She also gets Evening Primrose oil capsules which I believe help her.  Dot’s skin flare ups are worse in the summer so I tend to give her a quick rinse all over, to remove any pollen, after returning from countryside walks.  If her skin is bad, Piriton can help but she sometimes requires a short course of Prednisolone to get things back under control & sometimes a low maintenance dose for a while.

So, in short, my first priority with both dogs was to work with my vet to get an accurate diagnosis (requiring referral for one dog) – at least I then knew what we were dealing with.  I like to take a holistic approach to my dogs’ care & I try to make sure that what I put into them & on them is as natural & of the best quality possible.  However, I won’t let them suffer & I’m quick to get them along to the vets for medication if they have any acute skin flare ups.

The rest of their skin care is management – as good a diet as possible that’s also suited to their other needs – & one which lists the exact ingredients (ie  avoiding “meats”, “cereals”, “derivatives”, etc) – & the same goes for treats… there is virtually no treat in a pet shop/supermarket that I would give to my dogs!!!  I also use Evening Primrose Oil (& have used other supplements in the past).  I try to keep their environment as free of the allergens that I know affect them… & even when their skin is looking good, tempting as it may be, I never relax our current regime.

urticaria in dogs

A good example of Dot's urticaria

Finally, dealing with my dogs’ skin complaints has taught me that even 2 closely related dogs are very different in terms of the severity & symptoms of their skin conditions… so there is no “cure all” regime for skin problems & it may take time & a lot of patience to find what helps some individuals.  However, all the hard work is very much worth it when you have a dog that is itch free & doesn’t need to wear a Buster collar whenever she is left alone.

To read part I click here.

If you and your dog are tearing your hair out with frustration post your problem in the comments box below and we (that’s me and the growing My Itchy Dog community) will do our best to help you solve it and get some relief.

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Karen and Pebble – red, inflamed, sticky, itchy skin – Part I

May 28, 2011 By 1 Comment

Please read all of this blog post.  I know it’s long (I’ve even divided it up into two!) but the story Karen tells is one which I know will be familiar to many of you.  She has a lot of great tips plus the answers she’s discovered along the way, which will help many of you. Mostly common sense, really useful and free.

Karen and Pebble

I’m not sure if my own experiences with my 2 itchy dogs will be of any use to anyone but I’m more than happy to share just in case it is… even if just to give someone the encouragement to keep going with their dog.  I know what it’s like when you think you’ll never get to a point where your poor dog will be free of constantly painful, irritated, itchy skin.

I have 2 dalmatians… both have suffered from skin complaints!

My older dog, Pebble, has had the worse skin issues of the 2 – she’s now 10 & her skin condition is completely under control – I can’t remember the last time she had any itchiness.  When she was 2 she was very ill, with chronic gastric ulcers & ulcerative colitis due to food allergies (allergy diagnosed from gut biopsies).  Despite trying exclusion diets & a variety of natural remedies, her symptoms were unmanageable unless she was on constant steroids.

She saw a specialist, got an accurate diagnosis, was given a long course of medication & changed on to a diet of Hills z/d.  When she came off the steroids for her colitis/gastritis, we realised that she also had allergies that affected her skin – skin symptoms must have been kept under control by the steroids.  Her feet became red, inflamed, sticky, itchy with deep pus filled lesions & the skin over her lower back was hot & inflamed.  These areas were also smelly as she developed bacterial/fungal infections. 

Initially she was given steroids, anti-biotics & medicated shampoo to get the conditions under control but symptoms recurred when medications were withdrawn – she was then seen by a skin specialist.  Allergy testing of her skin showed that of the allergens tested, she was allergic to meadow grass, house dust mites, purple clover & feathers(!) – Evening Primrose Oil helped her slightly as did Phytopica but the biggest improvement came after beginning immunotherapy which she’s been receiving for about 7 years.  We had to play about with her dose slightly as the usual 1ml injection every 4 weeks was too much & she would be itching for 2 days after injections – she gets a 0.75 ml dose.

Pebble and Dog

Pebble is on the left

Karens’ Top Tips:

As well as keeping up with her immunotherapy injections, we regularly hoover any carpeted areas & soft furnishings in our house & our dogs’ bedding is washed once a week at 60°C to keep house dust mites to a minimum – because they are both such sensitive creatures(!), I make sure that bedding is washed in a non-biological liquid.

I’m very aware of the rubbish that’s in a lot of the current best-selling commercial diets & I’d love to give Pebble a diet which has an ingredients list that makes for better reading than her current diet & is richer in omega oils – with her food allergies this isn’t possible (attempts to change her diet have caused recurrence of her colitis symptoms).

If you and your dog are tearing your hair out with frustration post your problem in the comments box below and we (that’s me and the growing My Itchy Dog community) will do our best to help you solve it and get some relief.

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Cara’s Itchy Face Sorted….Almost

May 28, 2011 By 2 Comments
1. Biggest challenge
Our dog Cara was very itchy when we first got her (as an 18 month-old rescue) and switching her to a hypoallergenic foodreally helped her body scratching and slight dandruff, however, she still has a very itchy face which we have found no answer to. She gets allergies in the summer (wheezing and sneezing) but her face is always itchy. Our biggest challenge has been to get this taken seriously – ok, so it’s not a really bad case of sensitivity and it is not totally ruining her life like some other poor dogs but it IS a problem and it is distressing to see her rub her face and make frustrated noises.

Cara

Cara on the beach at sunset.

2 How difficult was it to find the answer
Very! we still haven’t, though Yumega Plus has helped her generally. Our vet has offered allergy testing but says it is expensive and unreliable, so we haven’t pursued this.
3. Tips
Visit My Itchy Dog! Seriously, I have recommended it to my vet as being a really useful website both in terms of information and also products. She is passing it on to others and was really pleased to hear about it. Other than that, switching to hypoallergenic food is always a good step I think.
Kate: As Heather says, Cara’s problem isn’t ruining her life but it’s distressing nonetheless, no one likes to see their dog suffering and getting taken seriously is often a challenge.
Plus one of the biggest gripes my customers have is the feeling they’re being funnelled along a road they don’t wish to travel down – steroids, antibiotics and expensive testing – without having adequate information to hand to be able to make the decision whether to go ahead or not.
Feeding the healthiest food and treats  will really help eliminate any problems caused by a poor diet. 
Top Tip: if you recognise the ingredients on the back of the packet and could find them in your kitchen you’re on a winner.  Let’s face it, who has ‘derivatives of vegetable origin’ or ‘tapioca starch’ hanging about in the fridge?
Top Tip: fresh, uncooked veg make great dog treats – broccoli and carrots – full of B, C and D vitamins among others.  Good for the nervous system, eyes and bones.

If you and your dog are tearing your hair out with frustration post your problem in the comments box below and we (that’s me and the growing My Itchy Dog community) will do our best to help you solve it and get some relief.

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Linda’s Pesky Parasite Problem

May 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Linda’s dogs were itching and scratching for England when I asked her what the problem was.  Here’s her answer.

What is/was your biggest challenge relating to your dog’s skin problems? 

The constant chewing scratching of four dogs when there is nothing to be found, no inmates.

How difficult has it been to find the answer you were looking for? 

This was endless, I have had a Newfoundland previously that had bad skin.  I tried all sorts of therapy and didn’t want to go back down this route.  I emailed a friend who put a blog out asking who used what for wormers – fleas – itchy skin, interesting results yours was stated several times.

What tips would you like to share with other dog owners you think could help?

Linda's happy band plus their friend, Titanic!

Linda's happy band plus their friend, Titanic!

Billy No Mates is worth a try, my dogs won’t eat their food without it on, their coats have come through so thick and they’re not scratching and biting their skin any more.  For the price of a tub it’s worth a try if you don’t like it, it won’t break the bank, and there were no chemicals involved.

I will buy my two friends a tub each because…

1st friend has two working cockers both neutered.  I think this can mix up their hormones too.  They chew their fur when they get hot and bothered and their skin has become bald over time.

2nd friend re-homed a dog two months ago.  A young Newfoundland bitch previous owner never groomed dog she was matted and covered in fleas.  Friend shaved her off for her benefit.  Tragedy of the story is Honey came to them on the Tuesday their Gardener run her over on the Thursday. Two broken legs £4k later, plates etc . She now has wet eczema on her face, vet has said this is stress related but could be down to fleas too.  Honey is a delightful girl, she is on the road to recovery but her face is flaring up on a weekly basis even though she has antibiotic cream.

(Kate: I know Ekoneem will really help, it’s anti-inflammatory properties will soothe and calm any flare ups and it’s frankly spectaculare at clearing up wet eczema. Her facial problems are stress related and should clear up permenantly after she’s recovered from her physical injuries.)

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David and Tilly’s Story

May 23, 2011 By 2 Comments

Tilly, our Jack Russell Terrier, was just under four years’ old when I accepted a two-year posting to the Middle East. Before relocating, Tilly was as fit as a fiddle and enjoyed life to the full. But within three months of settling in to our new home, she became ill.

Symptoms
The first sign of distress was her uncontrollable urge to scratch the side of her body, day and night. Second came paw chewing, then the fur on her back became very wiry and rough (she’s a smooth haired Jack with fur like silk, normally!) Followed by her tummy breaking out in a pink, blotchy rash; and her eyes started to exude a gooey, foul-looking matter.

We trawled the internet for an answer to Tilly’s dilemma. What we concluded from the collective information obtained is that her symptoms were likely due to either an insect infestation or an allergic reaction. So we set about developing a strategy to try and isolate the underlying cause.

Dave and Tilly

Tilly back to her old self.

Parasites?
The starting point and easiest to identify was parasite invasion. And so we investigated this first.

Because Tilly had no itching or irritation of the ears, and didn’t indulge in frequent head shaking, ear mites were readily eliminated from the list of potential irritants. As was fleas. We examined her fur, particularly at the base of her tail (where fleas tend to congregate), but there were none.  Perhaps harvest mites? These live between dogs’ toes and on their legs, but there was no sign of them, either.

Allergy?
The most likely source of an allergy would be her food or treats. And so, we set about excluding particular items from her diet. First withholding one food type, only to find it didn’t solve the problem, then re-introducing it but stopping another item. Nothing we did seemed to make any difference. At the end of these trials, Tilly was no better off than when we started.

We’d come to the end of our limited knowledge of the likely triggers causing her scratching and paw chewing. We were beaten! We made an appointment at a veterinary practice recommended by a friend.

The vet didn’t find any parasites, and we told him about withholding certain food types. He determined that the offending substance must be from the local environment.

Lawns in the Middle East are very different from those in the UK and contain more bugs than you can shake a stick at. This, surely, was the answer. It satisfied all the known variables and seemed a reasonable evaluation. But we were all to be proved wrong.

There was nothing we could do about the surroundings in which we lived. Tilly, like the brave little girl she is, would just have to soldier on until the end of my posting. Two years to the day, my posting came to an end and we moved back to the UK.

Returning home would, we hoped, be a welcome relief for Tilly. We were looking forward to the prospect of her having an itchy-free life. The euphoria, though, was short lived.

Ten days in to our return, Tilly developed the same symptoms. Evidently, the cause and effect of moving overseas and the development of an allergic reaction was purely coincidental.  So it was back to the vets.

The vet advised taking a blood sample and sending it for analysis to test for a specific allergen. We gave the go-ahead, with fingers crossed our beloved little perisher would soon get the relief she deserved.

The blood-test works by identifying the level of antibodies in the blood corresponding to the clinical signs of allergy. The results would show the offending allergens and level of reaction.  The results were a bit of a shock!

Two test reports came back. One covered environmental allergens, the other dealt with dietary concerns. Each of these was then divided into two subgroups.

The good news was she’s not allergic to pollens: grasses, weeds, trees and shrubs; or, subgroup two, indoor allergens: fleas, mites, moulds.

Food Intolerance
The second set of results was divided in to foodstuffs; those that give an immediate reaction and those that give a delayed reaction, the latter taking hours or perhaps even days to manifest itself (more commonly known as food intolerance). This proved to be the source of the problem.

She fell into both camps, having an immediate reaction to some foods and a delayed reaction to others, and several of which appeared in both columns.

It seemed more a case of what she didn’t have a reaction to than what she did. The list of ingredients to avoid appeared endless: beef, lamb, wheat, soybean, barley, rice, potato, corn, milk and egg – one or more of which is present in most popular proprietary foods and treats.

So, what could she eat? There were negative results for pork, duck, chicken, turkey, oats, white fish and venison. But to clear her system of harmful residue, the Vet prescribed ultra allergen free kibble. This was a nutritional solution targeted at Tilly’s particular needs. And it worked!

Within a few days of diligently adhering to this new regime of strictly prescription kibble, the outward effects of her allergy began to abate. And after ten days or so she was back to her old mischievous self. Her eyes were clear and bright, and her coat felt like velvet. She was a happy bunny once more.

The tests were not cheap, and the prescription kibble costs an arm and a leg. So, is Tilly worth all the expense and time expended? You bet she is!

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Owners of Itchy Dogs – You Are Not Alone!

May 17, 2011 By 4 Comments

I set up My Itchy Dog after I’d had enough of endless searches for natural products that would help our Bedlington Terrier, Ronnie’s skin problems which resulted from a flea allergy.

Please help me to help owners of itchy dogs

Thanks to your support I’ve been going for 18 months now and I’m finally in a position to launch a new blog which I hope to build into a community resource for dog owners just like you;

  • who want to see their dogs healthy and happy;
  • who want to find well researched and qualified answers to their questions all in one place;
  • who want to use natural products that really work, wherever possible.

There will be guest blogs from the makers of Yumega Plus; TV vet Joe Inglis from Vets Kitchen and Verm-X on natural parasite control.  In depth articleson:

  • what really goes into commercial pet food; how to select a food that’s right for your dog, simply and quickly;
  • Lots of free tips on how to try and stop your dog itching without spending a penny; how to ‘de-itch’ your home;
  • In-depth product reviews and personal stories from customers who’ve managed to successfully treat their dog’s skin problem. Etc.

You can help – Just answer these 3 questions.

I want the blog to be packed with only the most relevant information so I’m asking the experts – you – what information will really help others like you?

If you would like to contribute please leave a comment in the box at the bottom of this post or email me from the contact page or at contact@myitchydog.co.uk and answer three questions:

  • What is/was your biggest challenge relating to your dog’s skin problems?
  • How difficult has it been to find the answer you were looking for?
  • What tips would you like to share with other dog owners you think could help?

Answers can be anything from one sentence to chapter and verse.  I’ll read and respond to every one.

Simply leave a comment or email me or at contact@myitchydog.co.uk with your answers.  I won’t be sharing any of your personal details but I would like to publish some of your comments, stories and suggestions and credit you by your first name only. Please just put ‘don’t print my name’ if you’d rather I didn’t.

Get a voucher worth £25 to spend online.

As a thank you, I’ll be giving vouchers worth £25 to spend online at myitchydog.co.uk to the best emails, tips, stories and advice I receive.  Feel free to forward this email, share it on Facebook and Twitter and spread the word.

Credit where its due.

If you want to send me your personal stories please do, I’d love to read them. Include photos too if you have them (especially if you have before and after photos of your dog and his/her skin problem).  I will publish your first name only, but please only send me photos you’re happy for me to put up online, i.e. if you’re in the photo make sure you’re happy for me to publish the whole photo.  If you’d rather not be in it please let me know so I can crop the image.

Thank you very much.  Here’s to happy blogging and answers that will help everyone.

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Millie & Kim – An Itchy Dog Progress Report

February 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Millie just after she arrived at Kim's house.

Remember the lovely Millie, a Jack Russell cross? She was rescued and adopted by Kim and Jason, aged around three and a half years old, after being kept in a rabbit hutch, beaten and starved by her first owners.

When Kim got Millie, she would wee all over the house (the dog, not Kim, obviously), she was underweight and size, with skin so bad and itchy as to drive her bonkers. Since then, with great care and hard work from Kim and Jason, she’s been making steady progress and look at her now, just a few months on.

She’s gaining confidence, and a bit of cheek judging by this photo of her trying to sneak into Kim’s bed which means she finally realises she’s in a safe place.

Millie

If I'm really quiet no one will know I've snuck under the duvet.

Kim says “She is crazy at the moment.  I take her for walks but she still runs around with toys, she is like a puppy all over again.  She’s not scratched for over a week, or wee’d on floor.  I know we will have set backs, but also good times.  Thanks for your help.”

Then a couple of weeks ago I had another email with this photo.  “I think she looks much better….cheeky little girl that she is. Itchy Dog restored.Here is another pic of how well Millie looks. She is with my colourful partner, Jason.  You can see how good the fur on her neck has come back. She did have one scab on her shoulder, but that has gone now, her fur has come back really full now, and she still hasn’t wee’d in the house since the last email.  She is doing really well, no scabs for over 2 weeks”

So that’s a big hurrah for Resist and Ekoneem Oil too, in trumpet blowing terms, which have worked brilliantly to sort out the itchy, sore skin, all the rest, the really hard slog, has been down to Kim and Jason.

As for the tattoos Kim said “Jason Has high pain threshold!”  No kidding!

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Millie and Kim: An Itchy Dog’s Story

February 1, 2011 By 3 Comments

From time to time I’m going to post the story and experiences of a lovely customer or two, just to highlight how skin problems affect both dogs and their owners.  The symptoms and signs to look out for, what the causes of itchy dog skin could be, and then follow which natural skin treatment has worked out for the best in each case.  Don’t get me wrong, a vet should always be your first port of call, and they’re brilliant at their jobs.  Most of my customers end up here when the conventional route hasn’t worked for them and they’re several hundred pounds down on steroids, antibiotics and skin scrape tests, still with an itchy, scratchy dog on their hands.

This is Kim and Millie’s story.  It’s a classic example of how stress and neglect will often manifest itself in the dog scratching itself uncontrollably until he or she has arge patches of red sore skin and the poor dog (and their owners) are exhausted and depressed.

Kim rescued Millie, a three and a half year old Jack Russell, 11 weekgs before getting in touch with us around the beginning of November 2010.

Kim’s email was a pretty heart breaking read, especially when she sent us photos of Millie.

“She’s around 3 and a half years old, We have had her for about 10 weeks now, she’s a Jack Russell…I think she my be a cross, she is 4kg, very small, underweight.  She was kept in a rabbit cage, beaten and starved by the people who first had her.

MILLIE THE ITCHY DOG

Millie just after she came to Kim's house.

When she came to us, she was an itchy dog, really bad around the eyes.  We took her for a check-up, (the vet) just gave some shampoo, that was it.  Took her to the vets again, who put a cone on her, gave her shampoo, and steroids. Then her whole body got itchy, took her again to vets, gave mite drops, eye drops.

It cleared her eyes up, but under her front legs and on shoulders, she is getting slowly worse, there is a smell to her skin too…It looks like Eczema, I’ve been putting E45 on, this has helped, but she licks it off, which makes it worse.

She went in for tests, which brought up nothing …Vets still wanted her to have treatment for dog mites though.  We really do think its stress or eczema. Still no better, she then had a cone on for 3 weeks, eye drops, tablets, the works. She is still no better, she’s going in for tests next week…but could it be something simple?? I’ve just ordered Ekoneem off your web site. I do give her evening primrose oil at the moment. I was giving her cod liver oil, but didn’t want to overdo it.

MILLIE'S ITCHY ARMS

Millie's itchy and raw underarms

She’s in for her lady op next week and didn’t want to take her vets to be put on more steroids, a week before her opp.  Do you think Ekoneem will be enough, or do you advise on other products??
I’ve been so worried about losing her, one day her skin is ok, the next day it’s a mess..

I don’t know if her skin will every stop being like it?? In a funny way, it’s good to know that other people are going through it…”

It sounded like a classic stress reaction for a poor dog who’s now found a loving home and it’s all coming out.  That and the fact she’s probably in need of some bolstering to her immune system as I can’t imagine the dog food she was getting (such as it was) would be healthy dog food.

We did advise Ekoneem for the patches on her skin because of it’s antibacterial, antifungal properties and that it’s pure organic neem oil, so no added problems.  The only disadvantage is the pong!  It does whiff a bit, but for local areas of wet eczema, healing scars and wounds, flaking skin and red sore spots it can’t be beaten.

We also recommended Resist and Yumega Plus to help and start supporting her immune system.

We sent her this email “Kim, Resist is pure echinacea and for a Jack Russell one pot should last around six months, and you’ll only need one pot I should think.  Essentially, it should bring her back to good health, including skin health as she’s been through so much already and her body is now having to deal with surgery and steroids, so it’s all a bit overwhelming for the system.  Resist will get her back up to strength.

The Yumega Plus will also support good skin and coat health, it contains salmon oil, golden flax and starflower oils to factor in all the Omega Oils dogs need.  It should really help with the itching and scratching and her coat too.”

Then a couple of weeks later this email: “We are now having problems with her wee in the day and at nights….It’s not every day, but it’s enough to be driving me mad.  She had never been in a house until we had her…so I can see why she may be doing it…”

I do put her out at night and so on…but she can be funny, and just stand there looking at you.. ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.  The bloke who rescued her, had her for a year, but didn’t like telling her off, as she was so small…god, the state he said she was in…..broke my heart.”

Button and Millie

Button is twice the size of Millie, you can see how small she is.

An Itchy Dog family member, BB the Bedlington,  had a similar problem.  She came to us as a three year old rescue.  Kept mainly in a cage in the house, not housetrained or socialised and never allowed off her lead.  As a consequence her skin was a mess, she was overweight and peed where she stood.

We advised Kim to take Millie out for walks and praise her to the skies when she peed outside.  For inside we recommended cutting up incontinence pads intended for humans as they’re far cheaper than those made for puppies and dogs.  That’s my eagle eyed, frugal sister for you.  What kind of a soft touch do these companies think we are!  She leaves them down on the floor and encourages BB to go there if she has to.  After a good 18 months it’s down to the occasional accident at night now.

On Monday we got this lovely email, hooray!

“Had a really good week end with Millie being clean, did a couple of things differently. May not last for ever, but it’s a start, and she hasn’t scratched skin to bits for a week end!

So here’s hoping Kim and Millie are at the beginning of something beautiful.  All I know is Millie was very lucky to find Kim.

We’ll keep you posted.

If you have a doggy skin story you’d like to share please let us know.  Just email or comment.

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