westiemum

Just wondering how others going?? Its been almost a month here since I started on the routine shampooing and supplement (for the foster boy) routine...

The double wash, twice weekly routine is almost killing me but gee its worth it as it seems to helping heaps!! Particularly the foster boy who's coat is almost soft!! Can't believe the difference!! I think I'll be using this stuff long-term.

Hope others are having some success.

Cheers,

Westiemum

I got mine from ebay for about 30.00 on badboyz recommendation - its a golfing one - and it works a treat.

Also a DOLer sent me to this site which has fantastic information on dremmelling nails - thanks so much whoever it was. Link here

Hope that helps,

Cheers,

Westiemum

Hi FTPO,

Sorry I haven't been back to to the thread for a few days - frantic here with all this bathing going on!! Four baths per week and a foot bath!! And that's not even including me!! :rofl: Will be very interested to hear how you get on. My guys are going great guns so I hope it helps you too - but I suspect that it will take a week or two at least to start seeing results... maybe.... with the foster it (supplement and shampoo) suddenly seemed to start having an effect after about ten days...

Hope some others will let us know too - might be really interesting! Stormie I think you're right - a subforum for red itchy dogs might be a good idea seeing how many threads there are on it!!

Best,

Westiemum

Ed cos I forgot to finish a sentence

Hey WM - received the EP shampoo on Friday and started treatment on Sunday - so I will let you know how we go! *cross fingers and touching wood this works*

Blackmore's travel calm ginger half an hour before the car trip, elevate dog in car if a shortie so they can see out the window ( I use a high density foam cushion with a cover on it cut to size), go to nice places like the park in the car, not just the vet, very very short trips to start with (literally drive an block or to a very close park instead of walking, have a run, maybe a very small treat, and then drive home again - you feel silly to start with driving a very short distance but it worked for me), drive carefully without throwing the car around too much and gradually increase the distance block by block and reduce the travel calm as you go very gradually too.

My girl westie was very car sick when I got her - talked to the vet - he said its usually stress related rather than motion sickness related. She can now do two hour car trips comfortably - as far as the Clare Valley wineries!!!! The trick is to understand and treat it psychologically as well as with the travel calm.

Anyway I hope that helps - it was an effort to do it intensively over a short period of time but it worked really well for me relatively quickly within a couple of weeks - she now bolts out the door to the car and loves sitting up like Jackie or snoozing on her cushion!!!

Cheers,

Westiemum

Is there an EPO conditioner to be used in conjunction with the shampoo?

Peigirl I'm not very familiar with the conditioners as Lynda didn't recommend any for me - maybe down the track - but I see there is an EPO conditioning spray in two strengths on the website and a couple of other types of conditioner... maybe you could ring Lynda... or Wylie are you around...? Can you help?

Cheers,

Westiemum

My pleasure FTPO - so many DOLers have been so helpful to me I like to return the favour when I can - but feel I get more out of this site than a newbie like me can give back!! I think this is working with me because I spoke to Lynda first, described the symptoms really carefully and then followed her recommendations to the letter - so its good that you are going to talk to her first. So I hope it helps your baby too - its really distressing to see them so itchy and red.

Will you let us know how you get on?

Best,

Westiemum

Thank you WM! I will give her a call tomorrow on my lunch break! EPO tablets have not made Benson's condition any worse - actually for him I think it has helped some - along with everyting else?!?! But then again I really don't know what is working at the moment but I guess what I am trying to do is boost his immune system to a point, that maybe by next year (hopefully) he has no more problems! (where is a praying emoticon when you need one?)

Also WM he has a half and half diet with bones, mince, sardines, tuna, vegies and fruit. All of which he has had well and truely before anything started in regard to scratching and biting (also have checked what is ok to feed.)

So thank you again - I mean I guess why I did such a long post was because I would prefer not to spend money on something that is not going to work as well as not medicating him if I do not have to with antihistamines.

Hi peigirl - Thanks - yes its been more interesting than I thought it would be - and the fact I have three westies all responding well to different regimes I think shows it pays to think it through carefully and ask advice. So talking to Lynda really helped - I wasn't exactly sure which porducts to try - the royal jelly or the EPO - so it was good to get her recommendation first - so suggest it would be worth a call to her if you aren't sure which might be best.

But as Wylie and Malsam said - its not for everyone - but its certainly working very well here.

Cheers,

Westiemum

Very interesting thread WM. Think I will try this shampoo for Raf too!

Hmn... Dante looks very red - as to photos will have a look at my camera tonight - I remember taking some photos but taking shots of a wiggly adolescents bottom wasn't easy!!

Sas I'd seriously have a chat to Lynda and see what she suggests... at www.groomersproducts.com.au - at the very least it can't hurt.

Cheers,

Westiemum :rolleyes:

Ed to correct web address.

Oooo PF - please can I have the recipe too?? I'd like to try it if I can ever find the time amongst all this bathing I'm doing at the moment!! :rolleyes:

Cheers,

Westiemum

Hmnn FTPO.... I know exactly what you mean - get yourself a coffee - this explanation may take a while....

My conclusion is that the EPO shampoo has been effective with both my contact allergy girl and the shampoo and su[pplement with my malnourished, red skin foster westie boy. But I think its strongly supported by a good diet with no perservatives, colours flavours, or any other nasties which are notorious for skin trouble... - I'll see if I can explain... sorry for the lengthy post...

Older Westie boy - terrible skin when he came out of pf two years ago. Has been on barf for last 18 months - only one minor skin problem in his groin since which was quickly fixed with a cream from the vet - no other probs since. Skin and health very very good! (Bounces around like a puppy!!)

Middle-aged Westie girl - ex-breeding dog who came from a reg breeder 12 months ago - has been on a barf diet for over 12 months months, same as my older boy - in very good health except for worsening of itchy red paws since - you guessed it - November. Snowflakes hope in h*ll of finding the irritant in the back yard which I'm sure is where it is so therefore trying to treat the symptoms only and get her comfortable. Malaseb baths helped only in the short term - so deduced its not yeasties thats itching - likely environmental contact allergy - confirmed online with help from knowledgeable DOLers that this is the likely cause . Tried EPO shampoo (not the food supplement) and she's stopped itching and licking her paws - at least in front of me!! Therefore EPO works for her on her undetermined environmental contact allergy. Conclusion - healthy dog internally with environmental contact allergy helped by EPO shampoo.

Foster adolescent westie - malnourished, terrible red raw skin around his genitals and bottom on arrival in early December - coat completlye gone in patches. Had a course of antibiotics to deal with infection - finished those - helped alot but still red/pink. Started on EPO supplement and shampoo in late December - and redness is going (not completely gone yet but soooo much better).

Coat - on zinc, kelp, APC multi-vitamins, barf diet to start with. EPO shampoo and supplement arrived week between Christmas and New Year, took him off all that as Lynda suggested and he is just on the barf diet, EPO supplement and the shampoo (twice a week baths - ) Coat is growing (you can see new better quality fur growing underneath and its so much thicker :rolleyes:) and is softening up as it seems to be gaining condition - even noticed a bit of shine last night! Conclusion: EPO supplement has helped this boy a lot - over and above his good barf diet, and the shampoo has been a good send for his coat).

So, conclusion is that the barf diet helps enormously with minor skin conditions and for long-term coat and skin maintenenace (cf older westie boy). The EPO shampoo really helps the major red itchy skin in an otherwise healthy dog (westie girl) and the supplment plus shampoo helps significantly in a malnourished red itchy dog.

And I'm following the regime Lynda devised for me even though its almost killing me!!

Gee, thats the best explanation I can give and am happy for others to shoot polite contructive holes in my reasoning (never my strong point!!). Hope it helps FTPO.

Cheers,

Westiemum

What do you think was the problem with your foster Westie?

Why I ask is that my GR has been with me since puppyhood and he only got skin issues in mid November ie allergies to something environmental and more than likely seasonal. So I guess what I am wondering is, do you think that the foster you have has allergies or was it from neglect and malnutrition that he got such bad skin / coat?

I personally am doing everything I can to help my boy stop itching but thus far nothing really has helped 100% other than pheregan to put the boy to sleep for a few hours (am yet to try other antihistamines but I think I will be going down that path next.)

See I am wondering if it would be worth me buying this EPO Shampoo as well. Sorry not to hijack but just so you understand why I am asking this question is that Benson is on the following

approx 5-6mths on

EP Large Breed

Fish oil

Adovocate

Since syptoms started - a 5 day course of antibiotics, and then a ten day course, Cortisone shot the first vet visit, Cortisone tablets last visit. Advantix,

Daily EPO & Zinc tablets, Kelp every second day, Weekly wash with Eqyss Micro-tek and for a little over two weeks I think, he has been on Chinese Herbs as well.

Sorry I am just at my wits end, don't get me wrong Benson's scratching is nowhere near as bad as since starting all this stuff (no more hotspots since), but I would just like a solution as I hate to see him itching.

Hi laffi,

Yes I've used Aloveen and Malaseb - not Puppy Plush. I like both and still use the Aloveen with my older boy 'cos it suits him and Malaseb occasionally if they smell yeastie. (I have a young foster boy, and an older girl and boy - all westies).

Because the fosters skin was so bad and his coat absolutley terrible (like straw), I decided to try for another solution as I didn't think the Aloveen would work well enough with him - so after Doggrooma's glowing recommendation, and the fact it contained no chemicals I decided Evening Primrose Shampoo and the EPO Food Supplement was worth a try as I was hoping it would be kinder to his poor skin and coat and bearing in mind he was very poorly nourished when I got him - and I think that was the right call for him.

So I think the EPO stuff is fantastic - but I still think its a bit of 'trial and error' and 'horses for courses'.

Cheers,

Westiemum

Hi WL

Watch Out!! If you try this stuff you'll want to use it yourself!! :D

Cheers,

Westiemum

Oooohhh la la - time to go shopping

Hi Doggrooma,

A few weeks/months ago you gave me some advice on using Evening Primrose Oil Shampoo (vet grade) for my foster westie... well I bought the shampoo and the food supplement from here after extensive discussions with the sites owner (who was soooo helpful) and I cannot believe what a difference its made to him (and to my itchy paws Westie girl).

The stuff is fantastic - in fact I'm thinking of using it myself :D - its the loveliest shampoo apart from being really effective and doesn't have any nasties!!! Will be using it long term from here on in...

Thanks tons - very kind fo you to respond.

Cheers,

Westiemum

Ditto. Wouldn't touch the stuff. IMHO they are too full of rubbish.

Cheers

Westiemum

Yikes!! 5 x 30+kg woofers!!!! You don't need a cheap source you need a free source, a commercial mincer, time and a big freezer!! If I hear of anywhere I'll else I'll let you know - but the South Road butcher is probably your best bet - hope its within cooey of you.

RMB = raw meaty bones - ah well after the day at work I've had I'm not surprised I missed something obvious!!!

Good luck!

Cheers,

Westiemum

HOwdy... thanks for replying... The BARF patties are a great idea... but when you are feeding 5 30 KG+ dogs, it makes it a Very expensive venture.

RMB - Raw Meaty BOnes... chicken frames, neckes, turkey etc

Hi Gunoush,

I Barf feed but I use a regime specifically set up for me with my vet sometime ago to help control weight and a skin condition in an older westie.

Not sure what you mean by RMB but essentially, because of time constraints, I use the commercial barf patties which I buy from the eastern suburbs distributor here and veggies (raw as possible) at night and chicken necks in the morning. For change and variety each week I also give them canned sardines and mackeral - (homebrand - when I can get it ) - each night I also add omega three oil, joint guard and apple cider vinegar to their bowls.

Occasionally each week they also get natural yoghurt, eggs, beef bones, the occasional marrow bones and treats without any colours, flavours or preservatives in it - even raw carrot pieces for treats works really well with my guys. And even though they are oldies they are all bouncing around like puppies. No commercial dry food or canned food - but thats my preference.

My foster westie gets the same as the two older ones, just more protein and bigger quantities and is thriving (the little wretch!! :p )

Anyway that's what I do - and my weight nazi of a vet is happy - bless him - and my guys are happy too. Hope it helps.

Cheers,

Westiemum :p

Hi Wingus

I have a foster at the moment with generally poor skin and a 6 year old girl who constantly licks her paws and has that red allergic coloured fur between her paw pads. Have as much hope of finding the irritant in the backyard as flying to the moon. So have used Masaseb with some success - but have found the Evening Primrose Oil Shampoo and Food Supplement from Here absolutley fantastic - Dogarooma recommended it (Thanks tons DR) - and it doesn't have any nasties in it. And the woman who runs it is very helpful and will recommend a regime for you.

So that might be worth considering too.

Cheers,

Westiemum

Hmn... there's those words 'fat dog' again... I'd be off to the vet with this one as there are a number of possibilities - high on the list is arthritis or other joint problems which need accurate diagnosis.

But most of all getting the weight off would seem to me to be the highest priority for this old fellow - the owners will be amazed at what a diference it will make to his mobility and pain levels. And he'll be easier to groom if he's more flexible and not in so much pain...

Cheers,

Westiemum ;)

AAGH!!! So it's all in Sydney then!!! Damn Woolies!!!

Cheers,

Westiemum :D

What about getting the rolls of BARF Patties.

Yep thats what I'd do - easy to manage and not too far away from a home-made barf diet.

Cheers,

Westiemum

Nope! I just give mackerals or sardines to my guys once or twice a week for variety and cost reasons!! The mackeral cans are really cheap!!'

Cheers,

Westiemum

I must be so boring. My guys only get sardines mixed in with their normal food once or maybe twice a week. Is mackeral better than sardines? I never even thought to give them other fish. Does this make me a bad mummy? :rolleyes:

Sticks I reckon thats a good price assuming they are a good vet!! Go for it!! Will be really interested to hear how you get on.

Cheers,

Westiemum

Just gave our local Vets a call and they informed me that the price for desexing Fraser will be $130. I thought it was pretty cheap for an operation of that nature but perhaps that is the going rate? I'm not too sure... either way I think we will be booking him in for next Friday to get the "chop".

PJ are you buying the HomeBrand?? My guys love that stuff too yet I'm having trouble getting it as well. According to the supermarket guy the supply of generics is erractic - Black and Gold can be just as hard to get your hands on (the cat eats balck and gold tuns ) Sometimes they don't have stock for weeks.

So the only solution I've found is to buy them in bulk, as many as you can afford when you see them - not when you need them - and stack the cupboard up.

Having said that, I find the sardines are easier to get - would your girl eat those instead for the moment??

Cheers,

Westiemum :rolleyes:

Hi Sticks,

My gutsache westie boy with the gourmet tastes ate 300g of Paddington Liquor Choclates on the Saturday before Christmas (intended for the people I was having lunch and dinner with!) :rolleyes: (They got Cadbury instead!)

Anyway rang the vet who said that in a 8-9kg dog this wasn't a toxic dose - but if I didn't want a dog with the runs for a day or two it was probably a good idea to make him sick with a strong brew of salty water - so I wacked a pile of salt in warm water (enough to make it quite cloudy) and put a couple of syringes down his throat (he was not impressed!). Over an hour later he was sick all over his new cushion in his new clam shell bed! (What a day it was!)

He was a bit quiet for a day - seemed to have a slightly sore tummy but after that he was as right as rain.

Given your lab is 30 kgs I doubt if 125g will even register with him or even give him a sore tummy - and if he seems OK I'm not sure I would even bother making him sick - just make sure he spends some time outside!!

Hope that helps.

Cheers,

Westiemum :D

Yep I zap in the microwave for a few seconds to take the chill off it - same for the cat the little prince!!!

Cheers,

Westiemum