Swollen, warm, itchy, bleeding paws and skin with hair loss on most of underside of my dog. Hookworms related?

[Reneer]

I'm so glad that you brought him to the vet Renee!

Well, demodex is fundamentally due to an immune imbalance. You might want to consider focusing on immune building and using the shampoo. However, you won't get as fast of a fix as you would with the other meds.

No matter what you decide to do, definitely start working with a vet homeopath. We focus on immune building by targeting the root (energetic) cause of the immune imbalance.

Thanks for your response Dr. Jeff!
I tried using Duoxo chlorhexidine spray on him for a couple days. He did seem less itchy, but on the second day, his feet swelled up. Not sure if it was a coincidence, but I stopped using it. So I'm not sure if that shampoo is a good idea to try. Do you have any other suggestions for a shampoo or to take the itch away? How often do you recommend bathing him?
I did make an appointment with a homeopathic vet for next week. Do you have an idea of how long homeopathy would take to get his demodex under control? In the meantime, I will need to try and keep his scratching at bay with topical moisturizers and maybe the cone. Every time I put something on his skin, he licks it all off.
I bathed him tonight with Dr. Bronner's tea tree oil castile soap.
I think I might have to try the cone again. He really seems to be chewing his back end all of a sudden.
Renee

 

[Reneer]

Thanks for your response Dr. Jeff!
I tried using Duoxo chlorhexidine spray on him for a couple days. He did seem less itchy, but on the second day, his feet swelled up. Not sure if it was a coincidence, but I stopped using it. So I'm not sure if that shampoo is a good idea to try. Do you have any other suggestions for a shampoo or to take the itch away? How often do you recommend bathing him?
I did make an appointment with a homeopathic vet for next week. Do you have an idea of how long homeopathy would take to get his demodex under control? In the meantime, I will need to try and keep his scratching at bay with topical moisturizers and maybe the cone. Every time I put something on his skin, he licks it all off.
I bathed him tonight with Dr. Bronner's tea tree oil castile soap.
I think I might have to try the cone again. He really seems to be chewing his back end all of a sudden.
Renee

I realized he was chewing at the areas where they scraped his skin and it irritated him.

 

[Dr. Jeff]

YW Renee.

Do you have any other suggestions for a shampoo or to take the itch away?

Maybe try one of these:

4-Legger Natural Dog Shampoo for Itchy Skin and Allergies

Discover the perfect shampoo for your dog's dry, itchy skin, dermatitis, and allergies with our premium natural dog shampoo. Specially crafted to soothe and nourish your dog's sensitive skin, providing relief and promoting a healthy, itch-free coat. Say goodbye to discomfort and hello to a...

www.4-legger.com

How often do you recommend bathing him?

That depends on how long it relieves the itch and whether bathing is stressful. Once/week is average.

Do you have an idea of how long homeopathy would take to get his demodex under control?

Great question! It's actually his own immune system that will go back to doing its' job and start reducing the overgrowth of demodectic mange. Homeopathy can start to boost his immune system within moments. However, there may be obstacles from Archer's past that can limit a quick recovery.

The one thing that we know for sure is that he is young, vital and designed to rebalance over time. Natural healing, like all of nature, can go quickly or slowly.

 

[Reneer]

YW Renee.

Maybe try one of these:

4-Legger Natural Dog Shampoo for Itchy Skin and Allergies

Discover the perfect shampoo for your dog's dry, itchy skin, dermatitis, and allergies with our premium natural dog shampoo. Specially crafted to soothe and nourish your dog's sensitive skin, providing relief and promoting a healthy, itch-free coat. Say goodbye to discomfort and hello to a...

www.4-legger.com

That depends on how long it relieves the itch and whether bathing is stressful. Once/week is average.




Great question! It's actually his own immune system that will go back to doing its' job and start reducing the overgrowth of demodectic mange. Homeopathy can start to boost his immune system within moments. However, there may be obstacles from Archer's past that can limit a quick recovery.

The one thing that we know for sure is that he is young, vital and designed to rebalance over time. Natural healing, like all of nature, can go quickly or slowly.

Thank you Dr. Jeff!

 

[GinnyW]

Gonna butt in here a bit: this is going to resolve from within, not from anything you put on his outside. That said, something very mild, as Dr. Jeff suggested, or plain old aloe vera gel, may give some temporary relief - but none of these will be a cure. Homeopathy, properly applied, gives a little prod to his internal condition and resolves it because he doesn't need the symptoms any more. Remember that homeopathy never is properly given on a "this for that" basis, but only on the entire presentation and history of the subject. What Dr. Jeff said: "...he is young, vital and designed to rebalance over time". It takes some patience, often, and a few, "Yes, BUT" 's. You - and he - got this...

 

[Reneer]

Gonna butt in here a bit: this is going to resolve from within, not from anything you put on his outside. That said, something very mild, as Dr. Jeff suggested, or plain old aloe vera gel, may give some temporary relief - but none of these will be a cure. Homeopathy, properly applied, gives a little prod to his internal condition and resolves it because he doesn't need the symptoms any more. Remember that homeopathy never is properly given on a "this for that" basis, but only on the entire presentation and history of the subject. What Dr. Jeff said: "...he is young, vital and designed to rebalance over time". It takes some patience, often, and a few, "Yes, BUT" 's. You - and he - got this...

Thanks for the encouragement Ginny
I need to keep him from scratching and licking off what I put on his skin. I just ordered a onesie for him to help with this. He really doesn't like the cone. I also have some socks to put on him. I will put some topicals on him to help the itch, as well as bathe him weekly. I will start giving him some immune boosting herbs and see what the homeopath says on monday. Any other suggestions?

 

[Reneer]

Thank you Dr. Jeff!

I find it interesting that I have been giving him so many herbs and healthy foods and his immune system is still not strong. I have had him for 5 months. Was it the hookworms robbing his nutrition?

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Was it the hookworms robbing his nutrition?

Great question! Partially, perhaps. IMHO it was his inherited predisposition, and early life experiences, to internal imbalance that has rendered him susceptible to his health challenges.

A well-trained vet homeopath will dead directly with this.

Delicate, backward, puny, and stunted children: their developmental defects, and physical, mental and moral peculiarities considered as ailments amenable ...

 

[Reneer]

Great question! Partially, perhaps. IMHO it was his inherited predisposition, and early life experiences, to internal imbalance that has rendered him susceptible to his health challenges.

A well-trained vet homeopath will dead directly with this.

Delicate, backward, puny, and stunted children: their developmental defects, and physical, mental and moral peculiarities considered as ailments amenable ...

Ok. Thanks for the opinion

 

[Reneer]

An update on Archer:
I have been working with a homeopathic vet since the last time I spoke back in March last year until December. I seem to be at a stand-still with his improvement though. He has lost all his hair and is still growing it back. He still seems itchy, but a lot less than before. He tends to shake a lot and he often wakes me up at night shaking and moving around. He still feels quite warm and has a greenish discharge from his penis. He still has a grayish-brown wax build-up in his ears. He does have a lot of energy, but sometimes has a hard time staying awake around dinner time. He gets quite anxious around new dogs, but generally he is quite calm. He loves to be pet and scratched and he likes laying on his back, with his legs up in the air. He gets two walks a day off leash with limited exploring and spends a day with dog friends once a week. He is considerate of others and compliant with most things. He doesn't like baths or cleaning his ears. He eats 10oz raw food twice daily. He gets meaty raw bones weekly. He is now a year and a half.
He just went to the vet yesterday, because it sounded like he had something stuck in his throat and was trying to get it out. I bought some new duck treats that are hard and the corners are a bit sharp. I started giving them to him last wednesday night. I think the 1x1" pieces were scraping his esophagus, since he tends not to chew some of his food. The vet took an x-ray and said he had esophagitis. The vet recommended the antacid omeprazole and a gastroprotectant sucralfate. I decided not go with these medications and instead use marshmallow root and licorice root. I have made them into tea and have been syringing it into his mouth throughout the day. His coughing has been much better since I started giving the herbs.
I am looking at changing his raw diet to cooling and anti-inflammatory foods. I have started him on raw duck. Do you have a resource for a list of cooling foods and anti-inflammatory foods?

Any other advice is appreciated too.
Thanks.

 

[Dr. Jeff]

I'm so glad to hear that Archer is doing better!

If you feel that he is not continuing to make progress then perhaps discuss this with his current or a new vet homeopath.

Do you have a resource for a list of cooling foods and anti-inflammatory foods?

Great question! Many, many resources about the energetic properties of food that can be anti-inflammatory.

Perhaps start with the resources from Dr. Sue Howell to start.

However it is important (to me) that you also look at the bigger picture. Especially since Archer is a young dog.

The bigger picture is that ideally we would not need to palliate the symptoms with an anti-inflammatory food. Inflammation is the basis of life.

What Archer is dealing with is "misguided" inflammation.

In other words, his vital force is out of balance resulting in symptoms.

Cooling foods can be a great way to help soothe symptoms a bit while you pursue a cure.

All interventions fall into one of three categories. Just ASK what the next step is in any situation. Is it:

A-avoid the triggers (e.g. allergens)
S-support the body (e.g. with cooling foods)
C- cure the underlying energetic imbalnce (homeo-pathically)

 

[Reneer]

ok thanks Dr. Jeff.
I was able to find some videos with Dr. Sue. Am I missing something else? Thanks.

 

[Dr. Jeff]

If you searched the member area for food, and if you watched Dr. Sue's videos, then you should be good to go.

Dr. Sue will also be presenting a live food webinar for HA! in April.

And you can consult with her privately at:

Thrive Wholistic Veterinary Care

thrivepetvet.com