# Great Pyr Skin Issue



## wolffeathers (Dec 20, 2010)

We have a GP that will be 2 years in August. He is on 4Health, which is a 4-star(or maybe 4.5, can't remember), grain-free feed and gets 4 cups of kibble a day with the occasional egg or butcher scraps when we have them. I know it's not the "best" food, but we just can't afford the 5 star feeds. He stays indoors(because he swims around our perimeter fence).

He has these small crusty like sores down his back and on the top portion of his tail. I first noticed it this summer and thought maybe it was a flea allergy and treated him. He doesn't have any fleas now, but the "sores" are still there. They aren't open or oozing, so I hesitate to call them "sores". They look more like small scratches that have scabbed and then flaked excessively into his fur. The hair in that area is a little thinner and a lot more wiry then everywhere else. They aren't bleeding and really don't look "scabbed" just really, really flaky.

We don't see him digging or scratching excessively. It's not a corn allergy, there is no corn in his diet. It's not fleas, we don't have any right now. I don't think it's a shampoo issue, because it's really how I found out about it first was with his first bath(Mane and Tail). He's only had 3 baths and the "sores" were there before. 

It could possibly be a chicken allergy, because we haven't ruled that out(was going to try a lamb and rice formula, but they were out with the last feed run)... 

Does it sound like an allergy?
Can it be treated with an antihistamine?
Dry skin? Treated with fish oil supplement?

It bugs me, more than it does him. He digs at it occasionally, but not very much. If you know they are there, you notice his hair is much more sparse and wiry there and it has a yellowish hue instead of the bright white. 

I would like to avoid vet bills(won't we all) so I will ask here and see if we can resolve it and use the vet as a last option. (Not anti-vet, just anti-bills. LOL)


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## acde (Jul 25, 2011)

I have used a wash cloth soaked in 20 mule team borax( about 1 tbls per cup diluted)and water to wipe areas clean with great success. It kills any mites, fleas, whatever. Hope you figure it out and all is well soon.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

I've had good luck with Fish Oil and Vitamin E capsules

If you want to bathe him, this may help:

http://manentailequine.com/products/pro-tect-antimicrobial-medicated-shampoo/


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## wolffeathers (Dec 20, 2010)

Thanks guys. I'll give the M&T medicated a try. I've been meaning to go buy him an oatmeal type shampoo for dry skin instead of the regular M&T, but he rolled in "something" they were "emergency" baths and we just happened to have the regular mane and tail in the shower. LOL

Where do you get your fish oil and vit e capsules?


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

wolffeathers said:


> He has these small crusty like sores down his back and on the top portion of his tail. I first noticed it this summer and thought maybe it was a flea allergy and treated him. He doesn't have any fleas now, but the "sores" are still there. They aren't open or oozing, so I hesitate to call them "sores". They look more like small scratches that have scabbed and then flaked excessively into his fur. The hair in that area is a little thinner and a lot more wiry then everywhere else. They aren't bleeding and really don't look "scabbed" just really, really flaky.


The thick "wool" of their fur is notorious for causing hot spots. If you simply shave a lot of the hair down to allow air to get to the skin it helps. You can pour benedryl directly onto an irritated place if you need to or give it by mouth. And a trip to the vet for some prednisone and a shot of dex does wonders too.
I do understand your problem. We have a male that literally pulls out big patches of hair when he gets an irritation. It turns to a hot spot, then it costs almost $200 each trip to the vet. It is common in dogs that are just more allergy ridden and get rashes easier. Shaving a lot of the wool off to allow air to the skin does help, but our dog still gets them sometimes. I know the vet tells us that it is a common problem in the breed that they see a lot just because of the thick wooly hair.

I'm adding a link to a picture of a hotspot when they get bad. This isn't my dog, but they look the same. His get a bit bigger than this, and seem to occur near his rear.
http://photos.oes.org/albums/userpics/10812/hotspot1.jpg


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## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

Definitely add fish oil to his diet! Sounds more like a dry skin issue to me. I've had two dogs with food allergies (one had a severe allergy to chicken) and they would both scratch like crazy, so this doesn't sound like an allergy to me. I've also had dogs develop dry skin and fish oil capsules in their food really helped.

Good luck!


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## acde (Jul 25, 2011)

I use the same fish oil I take. I bite a tiny hole in it before givving it to the dog, he loves it.


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## gapeach (Dec 23, 2011)

My dog, Sammi, has the horse coat I think of the Shar Pei. It is very coarse and prickly. She really does have some skin problems. I am giving her Benadryl now twice a day and fish oil. I read that Zytec is even better than Benadryl. I ordered the Zymox topical creme for her. I am really surprised though that your GP does not scratch. Sammi scratches all the time. We are having our big Cedar tree taken down next week and I hope that will help.


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## Haven (Aug 16, 2010)

I he were mine, I would:

-Feed fish oil each day
-Bathe well in tea tree shampoo
-As a rule, spend twice as much time rinsing the dog as you spent shampooing. Every drop of shampoo must be removed from the coat and skin to avoid issues.
-Follow up rinsing with a strong vinegar/water solution, and leave it on the coat and skin
-Invest in a large Mars Coat King or the large Oster brand knock off, these tools are worth their weight in gold and will pluck massive amounts of clogged undercoat out of double coated breeds. They open up the coat and allow the follicles to breathe.
-If you are grooming him at home, purchase an orange metro force dryer, or a more powerful brand like the K911 if you can afford it. Breeds like this can hold moisture in their coats for 6 hours or longer if left to air dry.
-Use a fine tooth flea comb dipped in vinegar over the scabby area to help seperate the fur, pull out any extra dead undercoat and scabs.
-Spray a squirt of Bactine over any areas that look like they may be developing a seconday infection.

The fact that he is getting scabs down the back and around the base of the tail leads me to suspect that he may be going out in the rain, and moisture is settling in those areas. I see a lot of hot spots around the base of the tail on double coated breeds since this is an area similar to an armpit where moisture can collect.


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## gapeach (Dec 23, 2011)

That is great information, especially about the flea comb dipped in vinegar. I wish I had known that when I had my double coated German Shepherds.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> Where do you get your fish oil and vit e capsules?


Any store that has vitamins.
Around here, Sam's is the cheapest place.

They eat the fish oil caps like candy, and I slip the Vit E in their food


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## gapeach (Dec 23, 2011)

Dollar Tree has them. That is why I get mine. My dog loves them.


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## maggiemom (Feb 19, 2007)

I've used a good dandruff shampoo for flaky skin with god results too-store brand is fine


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## gapeach (Dec 23, 2011)

OOPs. I meant to say Dollar tree is where I get my fish oil tablets.

I am wondering if non-allergenic baby wipes would not help more instead of a bath for an itchy dog. My Sammi is scratching so much, I think she must be allergic here. This is very much a coastal area. We live on an island and very close to water. We are taking the big cedar tree down in the backyard next wk. We brought Sammi here from the upstate. There is nothing in her vet records about allergies. Thank goodness, the granuloma is just about gone and the fur has grown back.

Good luck with getting to the bottom of why the scabs.


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## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

Sounds like a staph infection or rain rot to me. I would shave the area and I would do a round of anti-biotics to help dry up the pustules. After a few days on the anti-biotcs I would bathe with an oatmeal shampoo to get the scabs off. I would let him soak a bit to help loosen the scabs and then shampoo, rinse and apply MTG

http://www.jeffersequine.com/original-m-t-g/camid/EQU/cp/12006/


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## wolffeathers (Dec 20, 2010)

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. Will give many of them a try.


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## Pyrenees (Oct 23, 2004)

As other posters have mentioned the scabs could be a secondary bacterial infection called seborrhea. Underlying cause is most often allergies. Over the internet that is an absolute guess of course. Your geographic locale can open more options such as flea allergies and mites.

At only two years of age, a vet bill may be cheaper in the long-run that repeatedly trying over the counter remedies.


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