Aromesse

hethmar

Hows it going?

rising_from_the_ashes

Hi Hethmar, thanks for asking.:)

A bit mixed TBH - things were going OK until last week & the horrible burn red raw skin had totally gone as had the scabs/flaky skin/hair loss.

Unfortunately this week, he's itching like mad and the skin's got really flaky again (no sign of the burn type rash though, thank goodness).

Not sure if it's something that's suddenly flowered in the past week or so (I know the trees that have the big cauliflour type flowers on that really affect my hayfever and have recently come out).

I decided at the weekend to switch him back to Wainwrights food as the only other thing I can think of is the Duck in the Skinners (one of our old labs could only have chicken & turkey so I guess it's possible). However, he's been on this for around a year now so think it wouldn't have cleared up if it was that (but I guess you never know).

Went to PAH yesterday and got a big bag & have it mixed 1/2 & 1/2 with some Duck & Rice - that should last about 10 days when I'll go to Wainwrights only.

It's so frustrating with allergies as you cut one thing, think you've making progress and then go back to square one! I've got many food intolerances and I can sometimes get away with having one thing on the "no list" but if I had 2 I'd be floored so I guess it could be the duck may be OK but add in a certain pollen & we've got a problem.

Think I may give him an antihistamine at bedtime to try to provide a bit of relief.

I'm also about to order a bottle of the spray as it's not always feasible to bath him and as it's pretty much all over at the minute it's difficult to get enough cream on!

Fingers crossed.

rising_from_the_ashes

I was trying to think back to our old house & the differences in life then to now as I'm sure it was nowhere near as bad but it's really difficult as Mr B was only there 6 months before we moved here (and not at this time of year) so not got a good comparison.

It was on a farm so you'd think more pollen would be around.

The only other difference that I can think of is that we used to go to the beach maybe once a fortnight there and go 2/3 times a week here - sea water? (usually good for the skin!)

He's also a wee (could be very choice in my wording here) sod for eating things when we're out and again we go for much more varied walks in woods & other places here than we did at the old house.

Guess I'll never really get to the bottom of it, just try to make him as comfortable & itch free as possible!

hethmar

I should think its the pollen/moulds and the plants he comes into contact with, especially in wooded areas. It has been VERY bad weather for them the last few weeks - as I said, Diggs was having a good old scratch most days and Ive given him a piriton twice in the last week but we are managing. I have to keep remembering what it was like when he was bald with open sores and thank god, we have nothing like that now.

Re less pollen on a farm - funnily enough I was reading about honey production recently - as I wanted to get some local honey to my son who lives in London and gets terrible hay fever - the idea being honey local to your area can sort of innoculate you against hay fever. Anyway, I thought no way I will be able to find honey producers in London but there are lots producing world beating honey brands! Fact being that there are lots more varieties of pollen producing flowers/trees in town areas than the country where the land is given over to arable farming.

Good luck and keep going - Im feeding mine on a mix of Orijen and Royal Canin skin support. Dont give him too many tit bits/chews/treats - they seem to have a lot of colours in them.

rising_from_the_ashes

I'm guessing that it's mainly the pollen etc - very interesting about the levels in towns as you automatically think it'd be worse on farms!

I'm now swithering (spelling?) as to whether to continue with a mix of the Skinners/Wainwrights longer term to help with the costs but also provide a bit more variety in his diet.

Re treats - he doesn't get that many as it's a constant battle to keep control of his weight (have managed to get & keep off 3kg).

He gets a Kong stuff ball thing when I go out with a handful of his meal in and a couple of mini bonio's at bedtime. He used to get natural rawhide chews but his teeth aren't great now and was finding he was swallowing them practically whole!:eek:

Very occasionally he does get a mini jumbone (loves them!) - only maybe once a fortnight as I'm conscious that they're full of "bad" stuff. Saving that, I was on hols for 2 weeks in April and he may well have had more than that while I was off:( (not a huge amount like 1 a day or anything but maybe 4 over the fortnight). I did wonder about that last weekend and hid the remaining ones at the back of the cupboard - will leave it at least a month before giving anymore and see if that makes a difference.

Poor wee souls, you just feel so sorry for them so a big (((hug))) for your ones too.