Pyrs losing hair..Help please

HappyFarmer · #1 09/02/08, 11:34 AM

Hi all,

I have a G. Pyr & 2 pups (8 wks) that are losing hair. Mom is shedding heavily like she normally does, only she is starting to lose hair around her tail, all the way around. 2 out of 3 pups have lost hair on their tails, one on the top of it's front foot. The hair loss on their tail is down from the rear a little, about 1-2 inches, then the hair is normal to the tip.

1 pup and 2 adult pyrs do not seem to be affected at all, this started around 3 or 4 weeks ago.

Pups have been wormed with safeguard, had 1st shots, and I treated them with Permethrin(sp). Mom gets Ivermec for heartworm monthly, and received the Permethrin(sp) treatment over the spine.

Side note: pups hang out on patio blocks under a dogloo, but have free access to pasture, grass, etc. Not sure if laying onthe patio blocks would do this, particularly since the hair loss goes all the way around the tail?

Any idea what this may be? Scar. Mange maybe? The other dogs aren't affected, though. Will the hair grow back?

Recommended treatment? I am making an appointment with the vet, and considering a skin scraping, just not sure when she can fit us into her schedule.

Thanks,
HF

marvella · #2 09/02/08, 12:34 PM

hot spots? they are very susceptible to heat. try shaving the area and applying sulfodene.

mylala · #3 09/02/08, 06:11 PM

flea allergy?

southerngurl · #4 09/02/08, 06:23 PM

Does sound kinda like a flea allegy to me. I have a dog with that. Just one flea bite can set them off for days.

Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians · #5 09/02/08, 07:01 PM

And staph. Chlorhexideen baths, spray with Genesis and give pills (and not being in puppy mode right now can't for the life of me remember

Make sure and clean their area with chlorhexideen or something else that kills staph. Vicki

HappyFarmer · #6 09/02/08, 07:52 PM

Thanks for the reply's. I've had the female for 2 + years and havn't had her lose hair quite like this, I would imagine a flea allergy would have shown up by now? The Permethrine(sp) should take care of them if it is.

Vicki, Please tell me where I can get this Chlorhexideen & genesis. Would Jeffers carry this? What kind of pills? Not sure what they are, and our Agway doesn't carry very much by way of livestock supplies.

No response from the dogs vet yet-she kinda fits us in when she can so that may not happen till this weekend. Nights are starting to get cooler here(50's) so we don't want them to lose all their hair!
HF

Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians · #7 09/02/08, 08:15 PM

Jeffers does carry Chlorhexideen, I get all of it from my vet, we actually use chlorhexideen to clean our pups. Course you have to really take care of Ridgback pups skin. Your vet of course will be able to tell what is up just by looking at them, without using a bunch of things they may not need. Vicki

mylala · #8 09/02/08, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HappyFarmer

Thanks for the reply's. I've had the female for 2 + years and havn't had her lose hair quite like this, I would imagine a flea allergy would have shown up by now? The Permethrine(sp) should take care of them if it is.

Vicki, Please tell me where I can get this Chlorhexideen & genesis. Would Jeffers carry this? What kind of pills? Not sure what they are, and our Agway doesn't carry very much by way of livestock supplies.

No response from the dogs vet yet-she kinda fits us in when she can so that may not happen till this weekend. Nights are starting to get cooler here(50's) so we don't want them to lose all their hair!
HF

I've seen dogs develop severe allergies late in life.

thequeensblessing · #9 09/02/08, 10:06 PM

Our female Pyr developed hair loss on a hind leg earlier this spring, and she'd lick and lick and lick. Our vet did a skin scraping and found nothing. But she decided to be aggressive with treatment. She treated it with anti-biotics, steroids, and a sulfur-lime dip that stunk to high heavens, but it kept her from licking the area. Within 2 weeks it was completely healed and her hair was growing back in. Now, you can't even tell that she ever had a problem there. Whatever it was, the vet got it.

Milk n' Honey · #10 09/02/08, 11:15 PM

I have never heard of 8 week old puppies suffering from something like this. As a dog groomer, I can tell you, this is usually from an allergy of some sort and the dog is biting at the rear area like crazy. Bad thing is, is can start out itchy allergies and turn into staph or a hot spot from the dog breaking its own skin and introducing bacteria. However, since all three have it and two of them are sooo young, I'm curious. Fleas could cause it but you say you've treated them for that. What does the skin look like where the hair is missing? Is it healthy or red and sore looking? Have they had baths? You can tell a lot more about what is going on if you wash them. If they have fleas, they'll all come out to the surface once the dog is wet. They hate water. You need to be aware that some dogs are very allergic to Permethin. Also, allergies are often developed and don't have to start at birth. I would recommend using Frontline Plus. They could be allergic to it also but it is much safer. It does not contain an insecticide like Permethrine, which is harmful to children, cats and aquatic life. You wouldn't know if they were allergic to it until you tried it. I have a few customers whose dogs can't use different things because they are allergic to them. There is also a new pill out which is EXCELLENT in controlling fleas and is a bit cheaper than Frontline Plus. Ask your vet about the new pill that is out. It has a weird name and I can't remember it but two of my customers have their dogs on it and when nothing else would work, this does wonders. So, your dogs have either an allergy to the flea prevention you used, something in your yard (not as likely) or the food you have them on or the have a lot of fleas, a bacterial infection of the skin like staph, or mange mites. If it were me, I'd start be washing them really good. Let them soak for about 10 minutes in shampoo suds (that will kill any live fleas on them, then rinse. If their are any gooey yucky places on the skin, use some antibacterial soap on those places and your better off if you shave the hair off in any of those places before bathing. It will heal faster. Keep some sort of antibacterial salve or spray on the sore spots, if there are any. Don't put the Permethrine back on. Go get that new pill. Since they may be very sensitive skinned, a pill might be a better choice. There is an pill that is not so new that is called Sentinel. It is great also because it covers heartworms, roundworms and hookworms plus it stops the development of flea eggs and larvae. It does not kill adult fleas but if the eggs never hatch, the dogs will be fine. Adult fleas don't live long. Unless you have serious flea infestations where you live, then you should use the new pill that is out instead. I'm really leaning towards an allergy to the Permethrine but since I can't see your dogs, it is difficult to say. Did they already have this problem before you put on the Permethrine? Were the fleas bad on them or did they even have any that you could see? Well, I've said all I can until I find out more. You may know more about it by the time you read this. I hope you get it figured out!!

HappyFarmer · #11 09/03/08, 11:04 AM

Sigh, I wrote a long response & it disappeared when I hit send!

To answer some of the questions.
The mom had a bath about 1 week after the pups were born. A week or 2 after that she started shedding, I thought she was just blowing her coat, didn’t notice anything unusual.

A couple weeks after that, the pups started to lose hair on their tails, ever so slightly, and mom had a 3x4” bare area over her ribs(this just started go grow back). Mom has since lost hair over her shoulder, and most recent her tail. 2 of 3 pups lost hair on the tail, one of which lost hair on top of her paw. 1 pup & 2 adults have no issues. All are acting normal.

When I noticed I had a problem, I used Permectrin (sp) on the pups & mom. After two days The baths were given because of the problem. I bathed them (last weekend), to 1) clean off the Permectrin and 2) just to clean off their skins for what it was worth. I did not notice any fleas on them, probably because of the permectrin.
The pups bald spots on the tails are pink-skinned. There are little holes-looks like the pups are biting each other in play. The holes range from light pink to darker pink. Moms skin does not have any marks-just bare skin.

I do not notice any excessive scratching on any of the dogs, nothing to indicate to me I have a flea problem. Occasionally yes I see someone scratching, but nothing that struck my attention.

There has been no change in diet.
The pups tails do not show any sign of growing back in at this time.

Still do not have an appointment for the dogs vet, hoping to get one this week(she works out of her home & comes to us for the dogs only), if not I’ll take them to our livestock vet who is a little further out.
Thank you so much!