Scaly Feet Fixes

[skip]

Hi everyone

I'm confused and thought I'd ask advice from those knowledgeable DOLers!

MY first kelpie x who is now 10 years has had red, itchy feet now and again during his life. If they flared up I'd use the cortisol cream given to me by my vet. "Ileum" ? I think. His belly is also effected and his skin there has that splotchy chronic look. But as he is older now they have seemed to settle.

I have heard of Cortivance? and would try and buy that in the future.

However the new kelpie as she has reached two years, her feet are also reactive. I assumed it was grass as every day she is run off lead in grass and its often dewy. She is also run at night in the paddocks as well. She also had some mild flaking on her chest between her legs.

She has been at the vet who did a fungal scrapping which was positive. He said it would be from dirt but we don't really have much dirt in the yard. I'm not sure that the fungal isn't just secondary to her pink hairless feet? Anyway the vet gave me a cortisol cream which was useless so we then tried a cortisol with a anti- fungal element. Better and she was off on hols for a while.

But with long grass out the back paddocks again the feet are crap now despite the cream. Off to the vet with both this week anyway.

My question is .......Is it possible that the feet are reacting to grain. I looked at a friends dogs feet recently who is supposedly allergic to grain. And its feet look just like my dogs feet! I feed Royal Canine to my 3 dogs. My friend has a kelpie somewhat related to mine and she is feeding a special diet as her dog has crappy feet too. I hadn't considered this before.

Should I try grain free?

I wash her feet after each run but any other suggestions?

Would boots work or help?

Any advice appreciated.

Edited March 23, 2014 by skip

[Erny]

My faith and confidence in hair-DNA analysis continues to rise. The hair tells the story of what the body is lacking. It gives good direction on what supplements the body needs to get its system working to as optimum as possible. Saves a good deal of guess work along the way.

In the meantime, Calendula Tea wash/leave-in rinse to sooth the symptoms until you find out what is causing your dog's symptoms.

Cortison thins the skin.

[Dr Bruce Syme]

My faith and confidence in hair-DNA analysis continues to rise. The hair tells the story of what the body is lacking. It gives good direction on what supplements the body needs to get its system working to as optimum as possible. Saves a good deal of guess work along the way.

In the meantime, Calendula Tea wash/leave-in rinse to sooth the symptoms until you find out what is causing your dog's symptoms.

Cortison thins the skin.

Where do you send your samples for analysis - I think the preocess is very important to getting accurate results. I would like to use this in practice more than I do - your advice much appreciated.

[Erny]

Hi Dr Bruce

I go through Ross Wilson who works from Coburg Health & Nutrition in Coburg (Victoria). 03 9354 8007

[sas]

Hi Dr Bruce

I go through Ross Wilson who works from Coburg Health & Nutrition in Coburg (Victoria). 03 9354 8007

I had it done there - found out it wasn't scientific....it was someone placing their hands over the hair and getting energetic feelings from it.

Ended up getting it tested in a lab and it actually came back as opposite to what they had said (for the things they could test that were the same). I got no change using Coburg's herbs etc, and very out of pocket. Was more annoyed than anything about the whole thing.

[Erny]

I had it done there - found out it wasn't scientific....it was someone placing their hands over the hair and getting energetic feelings from it.

I'd be super angry if that turns out to be the case, Sas. My understanding is that a machine is used.

[Steve]

Hi everyone

I'm confused and thought I'd ask advice from those knowledgeable DOLers!

MY first kelpie x who is now 10 years has had red, itchy feet now and again during his life. If they flared up I'd use the cortisol cream given to me by my vet. "Ileum" ? I think. His belly is also effected and his skin there has that splotchy chronic look. But as he is older now they have seemed to settle.

I have heard of Cortivance? and would try and buy that in the future.

However the new kelpie as she has reached two years, her feet are also reactive. I assumed it was grass as every day she is run off lead in grass and its often dewy. She is also run at night in the paddocks as well. She also had some mild flaking on her chest between her legs.

She has been at the vet who did a fungal scrapping which was positive. He said it would be from dirt but we don't really have much dirt in the yard. I'm not sure that the fungal isn't just secondary to her pink hairless feet? Anyway the vet gave me a cortisol cream which was useless so we then tried a cortisol with a anti- fungal element. Better and she was off on hols for a while.

But with long grass out the back paddocks again the feet are crap now despite the cream. Off to the vet with both this week anyway.

My question is .......Is it possible that the feet are reacting to grain. I looked at a friends dogs feet recently who is supposedly allergic to grain. And its feet look just like my dogs feet! I feed Royal Canine to my 3 dogs. My friend has a kelpie somewhat related to mine and she is feeding a special diet as her dog has crappy feet too. I hadn't considered this before.

Should I try grain free?

I wash her feet after each run but any other suggestions?

Would boots work or help?

Any advice appreciated.

What you are seeing are symptoms and not the cause and Id need heaps more info to work out possible deficiencies which may be causing it.

No matter what when you see this type of stuff its about the immune system and sure your dog may be coming in contact with something in the grass or dirt or even your carpet which stimulates this reaction but if the immune system is healthy it shouldnt be an issue.

The yeast and itchiness thing is easily helped by calendula -look at this thread

My link but based on what you have said its likely to be a long term deficiency or absorption issue.

The whole concept of the hair analysis is a great idea to see if there has been any exposure to certain contaminants poisons etc and maybe give a start point for deficiencies but the danger with spotting for potential mineral deficiencies is that its not that easy. For example - you may turn up a deficiency but few things stand alone so its not as simple as simply supplementing what ever turns up as being low. You need someone with sound knowledge to look at the results and the diet etc to consider the why's and the solution and its never a good idea to give one vitamin or mineral without consideration of how they all interact with each other.

[persephone]

I think a bit more detective work needs to be done ,as you have had two dogs with similar symptoms .....

Breeding /feeding/ bathing/ things used around the home - insecticides,cleaning stuff,bedding. Garden - mulch,fertiliser,sprays . vaccinations/heartworm treatment , etc .

Are there things in common ?

[Erny]

What you are seeing are symptoms and not the cause and Id need heaps more info to work out possible deficiencies which may be causing it.

No matter what when you see this type of stuff its about the immune system and sure your dog may be coming in contact with something in the grass or dirt or even your carpet which stimulates this reaction but if the immune system is healthy it shouldnt be an issue.

This is exactly what I've been driving at too.

The whole concept of the hair analysis is a great idea to see if there has been any exposure to certain contaminants poisons etc and maybe give a start point for deficiencies but the danger with spotting for potential mineral deficiencies is that its not that easy. For example - you may turn up a deficiency but few things stand alone so its not as simple as simply supplementing what ever turns up as being low. You need someone with sound knowledge to look at the results and the diet etc to consider the why's and the solution and its never a good idea to give one vitamin or mineral without consideration of how they all interact with each other.

Totally agree here too :). My understanding (based in my experience of the hair-dna and subsequent supplementation for Mum) has been that the prescribed herbal mix is presented in a 'balance'.

Edited March 25, 2014 by Erny

[Erny]

I think a bit more detective work needs to be done ,as you have had two dogs with similar symptoms .....

Breeding /feeding/ bathing/ things used around the home - insecticides,cleaning stuff,bedding. Garden - mulch,fertiliser,sprays . vaccinations/heartworm treatment , etc .

Are there things in common ?

Agree here too, but reflecting on Steve's post (quoted by me, above) it also could relate to diet and the other things administered to the dogs.

Edited March 25, 2014 by Erny

[Dr Bruce Syme]

If the nails are broken and scaly looking, I would be thinking of nail bed fungal infection, which could spread to the other dog. If it is mainly the feet (webbing etc), then contact allergy is high on the list, and possibly zince deficiency. I agree, more info needed. Either way, a swap to a balanced raw food diet would assist greatly - this way you are targettinjg the immune system, and treating the cause, not the symptom.

[skip]

Thank You every one for your advice.

Sorry It's taken me a while to check back in. I've been back to the vets and Yes, definitely treating the symptoms for now with some antibiotics as while fungi in feet gone, bacteria are now having a party. And vet suggested trying some antihistamines too.

Interesting idea that as I have 2 dogs it's something effecting them both..... I have no garden things happening (pretty slack on that front) such as fertilizer etc. No carpet in house just floorboards easily swept.

Diet is now Royal Canin - medium + small dog kibble. REd meat bones, chicken necks, some odd meats as treats. However lately I have been feeding dog food like 4 legs and the other dog food rissoles in a bag ( just forgetting the name right now) for treats too and my dogs get a fair bit of it as training a lot.

Hmmmm... that could be the thing.

The vet did say that often grass is not always the cause however in jade's case it might be a contact allergy. She has the upper foot but not the soles and on her chest where the long grass hits, the dry reddish rash.

I back onto grassy paddocks so the dogs do run in long wet grass.

I will definitely get some tea as suggested. And look into diet.

Dr Syme - Vets all Natural has been a great help sponsoring our local dog agility club so I will definitely visit your site and see what is about. I have tried some of your products before after wins at our agility trials. I know our local dog store stocks your products.

Thanks again.