[imoverit]

My poor beagle has had a rash on her stomach for some 3 months now and has had countless visits to the vet who gave her antibiotics and creams. It has never gone completely away so i am now keeping her indoors as much as possible. She is still on the tablets and cream but she still sctratchs and drags herself along the ground. Some nights its so bad that i need to gentley rub her tummy till she falls asleep.
It has to be something outside but i have not changed anything in the yard and she is only 15 months old. Is there something common that beagles are sensitive to that my vet dosent know about.
Any suggestions would be greatly appriciated.

 

[Smeagle]

What food are you feeding her on?

I have a dog here who had a rash for most of her life, the answer was diet - we found the right food and she has not had rash in almost two years.

Similarly, my beagle kept getting itchiness and infections in her ears due to a yeast build up. We put her on a raw diet and therefore cut grains out of her diet completely and the difference is amazing.

I would eliminate grains first, if you haven't already as they would be one of the biggest causes when it comes to itchy and rashy dogs.

 

[silleb]

I agree with cutting out the grains. Ben used to be a very itchy boy - always chewing at his feet and scratching at his ears. Along with the runny eyes, he was a mess. Always on allergy pills too.

I used to feed him the Kirkland (Costco) food. One day I switched him over cold turkey (literally LOL!) to raw food. The changes happened almost immediately. No more allergy pills that is for sure.

You could also try adding some oils to her diet - fish oil and sardines are what Ben gets. This will help to moisturize her skin and coat. That may help with the itch.

I hope your girl feels better soon.

 

[Smeagle]

Originally Posted By: *silleb*I agree with cutting out the grains. Ben used to be a very itchy boy - always chewing at his feet and scratching at his ears. Along with the runny eyes, he was a mess. Always on allergy pills too.

I used to feed him the Kirkland (Costco) food. One day I switched him over cold turkey (literally LOL!) to raw food. The changes happened almost immediately. No more allergy pills that is for sure.

You could also try adding some oils to her diet - fish oil and sardines are what Ben gets. This will help to moisturize her skin and coat. That may help with the itch.

I hope your girl feels better soon.

The change in them can be amazing can't it!! Daisy's overall condition is amazing, her coat is so silky smooth and shiny. I get so many comments about her coat now from people even those who aren't dog people!

I feed a lot of fish too, sardines, mackarel and salmon if I can get it.

For the OP, this is a great website about BARF, which is the most common raw diet:
http://www.njboxers.com/faqs.htm

 

[Murphys Dad]

My last dog, Amber, had skin allergies as well. I switched her food and she stopped itching. I put her on Innova at the recommendation of my vet and she never had another problem with skin rashes.

 

[mrsjenlester]

Mine are on Innova as well and no more itchy skin or chewing on their feet. I would say switching foods is really worth a try.

 

[Brien]

I'd have to agree with everyone else. Sounds like a food allergy. But I'd be surprised if the vet didn't already address that will you. You might want to try a BARF diet for a little while to see if it clears up. The only other thing I can think of is maybe the soap used to bath her. Another possibility... maybe the laundry detergent you use to wash her bed or toys.

 

[nmartin32]

Ditto on what everyone has said to you already. I once noticed a rash like that on Coco but it was due to the grass. Usually whenever he rolls around in it, he gets a rash on his belly for a couple of days.

 

[Opus]

Winston also had an itchy rash almost from the day we got him. I agree with the diet change. We cut out the grains. It took a good 4-6 weeks to clear it all up. But you also have to remember to watch the ingredients in the treats. If you don't cut those out, or change them, you may not notice a difference with a food change.
My vet advised us if cutting out the grains doesn't work, (and he also said give it a good month to determine that) change the common protiens such as chicken or turkey, and switch to fish, or game.
Our vet also suggested looking for food and treats that promote skin and coat health. I look for treats that are high in Omega 3 and 6 and grain free. I also added fish oil to his food for a while and he now has a thick and wavy coat, and very seldom scratches.
I didn't think a BARF diet was feasible for me so I tried Orijen with great success.

 

[Brisen]

Ditto on the above responses...change her diet to a grain free type of food. I feed Maggie Innova, and she has the most beautiful shiny coat, and absolutely no skin problems.

 

[imoverit]

Thank you all so very much for the advise. I am going to start her on some fish oil and drop the grain food out. I must say my vet did not mention diet at all as a possible problem, so i'm at a loss there. I have visited the same vet on 4 different occasions for this and seeing her itch all the time is stressing me out. I will let you all know how we get on in a weel or so.
Again thanks everyone..

Barry

 

[Smeagle]

Originally Posted By: ImOverItThank you all so very much for the advise. I am going to start her on some fish oil and drop the grain food out. I must say my vet did not mention diet at all as a possible problem, so i'm at a loss there. I have visited the same vet on 4 different occasions for this and seeing her itch all the time is stressing me out. I will let you all know how we get on in a weel or so.
Again thanks everyone..

Barry

It is quite amazing that the vet didn't suggest diet, as it would definitely be the first thing I think of when I hear about an itchy dog!

Good luck with it