Reptile & Amphibian Forums

So here is my dilema. My dachshund/poodle mix is my baby and he is having terrible skin issues...Biting constantly and scratching to the point of bleeding and scabbing. I am thinking it is his food. He is eating purina dog chow....yes, I know, terrible stuff. I tried to switch to other foods...california natural, wellness, innova. He doesn't like any of it. I even tried flint river ranch to no avail. I am also feeding my fiance's huge lab/dane mix. The big dog will eat pretty much anything. The problem is that 1. my little guy is picky and only like junk and 2. as much as I would like to say money isn't a factor, it very much IS. I start nursing school soon and will not have a job....I am a poor college kid! lol.

Any supplements or ideas to help with my dogs fussy eating ways or horrible skin issue? I do give him some supplements (forget the name, it is a powder made with sea kelp and is supposed to be good) and I just ordered allergy tabs from fosters and smith..

Thanks for reading and any advise would be appreciated!

Having a female Shiba Inu with allergies I can relate to your dogs problems. However trying to determine the cause of the allergens without testing can be extremely difficult. It's just not a guessing game. A blood allergen test would be the better way to go over the skin test and it would probably be around 150-200 dollars depending on what or how many allergens you test for. I know you stated your finanicial situation, so at best it would be advisable to have your dog see a vet and let them make a determination as to whether it is allergy related or rule out a type of mange situation. What is first and foremost is to get your dog some relief from the itching. At least the vet could prescribe an antihistimine and possibly a lose dose...5mg of prednisone to help with the inflammations and get your dog to relax. It's not a cure but can bring some relief. If you do go to your vet ask them if they can do an allergy test and the cost, maybe he could work out a payment plan with you? We really need to get that doggy some relief.
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Bob

If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.