Severely itchy dog

[Trriinnni]

Hi! My dog Buju has been dealing with severe itchiness. He's lost a lot of weight due to elimination diet and also a lost a lot of fur on his body and face. After reading some of HA info about diets for dogs, I want to mainly make his food. But I'm not sure where to find a safe butcher to get meat/bones from. I live around Orange County/ Los Angeles, California.

1. Buju, 2.9 years, Male
2. Neutered
3. Husky Mix (with Akita, Golden Retriever)
4. 53 lbs

5. BEAM - Friendly with people and most dogs. Reactivity has improved a lot with other dogs the past few months. High energy, very active when we go out, he can go for long walks and hikes. Loves playing with other dogs when we were able to, he can play a long time. Great appetite, started getting picky at a certain point, some time after 1 years old and wouldn't eat veggies/many fruits, but since changing his diet a few months ago he loves all fruits and veggies now. He use to be so stimulated outside that he didnt care for food, but now he's very food/treat motivated outside too. Mood: seems calm mostly, but he has a cone on all the time, so it seems like he's less playful at home, and it prevents him from playing with other dogs if I take him out with a friend's dog.

6. Small batch rabbit patties: 2 patties; sardines; rotate between dr. harvey's raw vibrance and steamed veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, green beens, brussels, variety of squashes); cucumbers, wild blueberries, mixed berries, bananas, apples, papaya, pears. Supplements: - Vimergy Micro-C, 5~drops of B-12, olive leaf, goldenseal, licorice, propolis. Atlantic dulse. Seaweed Calcium. - "Pet Health and Nutrition Center" : Daily Multi-Plus, Chia seed oil, recently started and stopped Glandular supplement because I found out there's beef in it (I believe he's allergic to beef and chicken). Sometimes local raw honey, coconut oil. Coconut water. Sweet potatoes, potatoes.

7. Puppy shots at 6 months, then none since. Trying to avoid rabies shot, but animal control keeps requesting it. Just got him titer tested. Fractured his leg due to car accident in March 2024, was on lots of meds/antibiotics and got neutered during the same procedure. Thankfully his leg healed great, he was running and active again not long after.

8. Itching on and off as a puppy. I would change his fresh food/kibble (mostly carna4) or add a supplement when I noticed itching. Noticed he would shake his head when eating beef. Some months after the accident, noticed he was itchy a lot more. His ears were yeasty darker and groin area started getting darker and more irritated. Starting from his groin area he was getting scabby along with his back area. Think it was a bacterial infection/yeast, I started showering him with veterinary formula shampoo 2x a week to remove the scabs/hard clumps on his body, and odor. His body started getting smoother, but it traveled to his upper body and face. Switched to 4 legger shampoo. He would rub his face and scratch himself until he bled, so he's been wearing a cone 24/7. His skin is a lot smoother now, but still itchy. Seems a little bit scabby left on top of his head, but his ears aren't dark anymore, just dry. Super flakey, so I'm trying not to shower him too much but he'll start getting so flakey and the odor will come back quick. I've been applying aloe gel, and recently trying coconut oil and sunflower oil topically. He's lost a lot of fur.

9. Keeping the cone on kinda makes him less itchy or helps him resist better. If I bring him to see a friend in a car, or in their house with a dog he seems more itchy. Outside with a cone he seems less itchy. I'll bring him with me everywhere I can, or someone needs to be with him or else he'll scratch his side body/front legs with his hind legs until he bleeds. I'll have to physically stop him from scratching and keep him on a leash so he can be with me. He sleeps through majority of nights now without scratching or biting himself. He still shakes his head and entire body in the middle of the night and often throughout the day.

10. Intolerance test back in November may have shown what was inside him at the time, but it didn't show beef (he shakes his head to beef), so I thought that was odd. His energetic imbalances section were what made me think he could use help in that area. Recent integrative vet visit on 1/14, got him an allergy blood test, fecal microbiome test, titer test, but no results yet. Got his digital thermal imaging analysis, and it showed he as inflammation in the areas he lost his fur from scratching and in his right shoulder/peck muscles, maybe due to weight-bearing compensation from his leg recovery. Vet says he doesn't have fleas/ticks, but prescribed Nexgard to eliminate the possibility of demodex mites, or sarcoptic mites. I haven't given him the nexgard yet. They also suggested cytopoint if things don't get better.

11. Homeopath prescribed sulfur 30c once a week for 4 weeks. Nanolight Acupuncture during recent vet visit. Vet gave Ozone shampoo and Yeasty Beasty spray for affected areas like ears. Suggested Rectal Ozone treatment at next vet visit. I'm still trying to find a Reiki healer for him.

12. Stools are great since diet changes around October/November 2024. But has lost a lot of weight due to elimination diet, still figuring out the right diet for him that will help him gain more weight and that's cost efficient. Has some big roundish dark flat spots on his skin, vet said that's hyper-pigmentation. He use to eat his stool as a puppy and not too long ago. I think I read that could be a sign of energetic imbalance. His left eye keeps having some eye boogers/discharge making it a lil blurry, I'll try to wipe it. Wondering if it's cause he hasn't been drinking much water. His food has been more hydrating, so I feel like that's why he hasn't been drinking much water. He doesn't stick out his tongue anymore since the diet change, which made me think he was sad (bc dogs look happy with their tongue out), but I realized maybe that was a good sign that he wasn't as tired/thirsty?

Some questions I have:
Thoughts about Nexgard and Cytopoint? How can I determine if he has mites?

How can I improve his diet? How to find a good quality safe butcher?

Is there anything that I can avoid that can be feeding the bacteria/yeast if he still still has it?

Are potatoes, sweet potatoes safe for him to eat and help him gain weight?

Anything else I can do to help help stop itching?

Please let me know if you need any other info.
Thank you so much.
-Trini

 

[Dr. Christina]

I see you have been a member for a few months, Trini. Have you taken the 5 lessons of the 101 class?

Lesson one will help you realize that having skin problems (especially when the stool issues have resolved) means the energy field is quite balanced. With some patient, carefully prescribed homeopathy or chinese medicine it should become fine. Stopping the itch too soon (with drugs or even holistic approaches) can cause other health problems as the underlying energy issue has not been healed. Once balanced, there will be no food allergies (usually).

You are doing so much good work - keeping Buju happy with many walks and a lot of love, and feeding fresh food, and experimenting with foods he likes and that may soothe him for a bit.

Do also go to the resource library and read the entire skin article - many suggestions there for soothing, as well as at my site.

Thoughts about Nexgard and Cytopoint? No to either
How can I determine if he has mites? Your veterinarian will have tested. The pattern does not really fit mites.

Is there anything that I can avoid that can be feeding the bacteria/yeast if he still still has it?

As alluded to above, the itching is not caused by bacteria/yeast, it is caused by an imbalance in the vital force. Read the article on finding a vet, which will help you evaluate who is a good match. Maybe see if you can get an appointment with Dr. Richard Palmquist, an amazing holistic veterinarian in LA. - or select a homeopathic vet to work with virtually. Dr. Sagrera sees a lot of skin problems as she is in Louisiana.

Who have you been working with so far?

Are potatoes, sweet potatoes safe for him to eat and help him gain weight? Yes.

Good healing, Dr. Christina

 

[NancyK]

It this problem is due to malassezia overgrowth or an autoimmune response to malassezia, certain oils will feed the malassezia and actually make it worse. These oils include coconut oil and sunflower oil and many others. You could try MCT oil without lauric acid. Note that some MCT oil contains lauric acid so watch for that. This does not solve the root cause but at least will prevent making it worse by applying oils that feed malassezia.

Oils to Avoid If You Have Seborrheic Dermatitis, Dandruff, or Fungal A

Nancy

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Wow!

Great post, and thanks so much for all the information. And for working so hard to help Buju regain his homeostasis.

Did you adopt him from a rescue? If so, do you happen to know anything about his "backstory"?

Thoughts about Nexgard and Cytopoint? How can I determine if he has mites?

I concur with Dr. Christina about these.

How can I improve his diet?

Variety, freshness and moderation are the keys. Use what you can find locally and humanely sourced and that is affordable for you. I also love (and use) Viva raw food along with Small Batch along with other fresh food variety. Code "vitality" gets HA! members a 25% discount off the first order if you want to try them out.

How to find a good quality safe butcher?

Ask around including on Next Door or Front Porch (Fb).

Is there anything that I can avoid that can be feeding the bacteria/yeast if he still still has it?

Great question! In general, sugar and carbs. However, IMHO the immune imbalance and allergic manifestations are not due to bacteria, yeast, or even pollens or foods.

A Way To Connect Modern Veterinary Medicine And Ancient Wisdom: An Introduction To Terrain Theory - Holistic Actions!

www.holisticactions.com

When the underlying energetic and immune imbalance are succesfully treated, Buju's susceptibility/sensitivity to allergic triggers will resolve.

Are potatoes, sweet potatoes safe for him to eat and help him gain weight?

In moderation. How about organic oatmeal, quinoa, buckwheat, etc.?

Anything else I can do to help help stop itching?

Yes! Work with a *classical* vet homeopath who will analyze all the clues that your pup has tried to communicate to us throughout his life.

How to Listen to and Learn From Your Pet’s Symptoms to Take Effective Holistic Action - Holistic Actions!

www.holisticactions.com

Pure vet homeopaths typically have very specific training in the energetic model of dis-ease. Unlike general holistic vets who treat disease physiologically and may also prescribe homeopathic remedies.

The Return to Wholeness and Homeostasis

As the legacy of Decartes comes to an end, the principle of dynamic equilibrium is being rediscovered and gaining prominence in veterinary medicine.

www.holisticactions.com

Foundational Veterinary Homeopathy Courses

We offer veterinary homeopathy courses that give 168 hours of CE & qualify vets for national certification (CVH) by the Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy.

www.vethomeopathy.org

What is Homeopathy - Pitcairn Institute of Veterinary Homeopathy

Homeopathy: A Science Explained Homeopathy started about 200 years ago with a discovery by a German doctor, Samuel Hahnemann. Wondering why quinine was useful in malaria, he took the medicine himself and found that, given to a healthy person, it temporarily produced the symptoms found in...

pivh.org

 

[GinnyW]

What he said.... There are all sorts and levels of "homeopaths" out there, with varying levels of understanding about the nature of healing. So, that said, diet is likely not the cause of his symptoms, although it can appear to be when initially changed, as the body "tries it on" to see if it works. But this response is not an authentic healing, nor even a clue as to what would be ideal for him.
Best would be to feed a moderate raw diet based on meat - any variety, really - and a few veggies. Stick to it for a while, unless you see a violent negative result. And in the meantime find a well-recommended classical homeopath - they work long distance just fine. As the others said, this is a fundamental derangement of his vital force, not necessarily a reaction to a food item - although this sort of symptom should be considered part of his entire presentation. A healthy, balanced dog will not be reactive to any reasonable food item, generally speaking, and so messing with the diet ingredients will never be a "major fix". You want a permanent systemic reorganization, a building of healthy response, which is possible with proper homeopathy. Anything else is just muddying the waters.