[bella&littlebearsmommy]

I am new to this site i have 2 dogs my bella is 5 months old and my little bear is almost 2 my bella is recently itching and loosing her hair i am really worried about her please answer if u have any ideas!!!!!

[Espi]

What kind of food are you feeding? It might be food related allergies.

[bella&littlebearsmommy]

ty for ur feedback i think it's purina

[Bacis Dad]

well first and foremost get her on a better food. Sorry to be blunt, but purina is a junky food! I can list a ton of other foods that are better but best place is try to find a local feed store not a petco or petsmart. feed stores tend to carry higher quality foods, but check out
dogfoodanalysis . com
and look at reviews for some suggestions, I wouldnt reccomend anything less than 5 stars.
here is a link to purina's review and that may answer the question you are asking
dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/showproduct.php?product=1843&cat=7
But you still should see a vet most skin problems are caused by food allergies, but the loss of hair could also be very well due to mange, deending on the affected areas.
Good Luck!

[bella&littlebearsmommy]

the affected parts is her neck ears and her back legs she isn't bald in those areas just loosing hair which i was wondering if it was normal in either one of her breeds that i think that she is i think that she is dauchsund and rat terrier i rescued her when she was 3 1/2 weeks old and had her ever since she is almost 5 months old also when will her first heat start?

[Bacis Dad]

Heres a clip from a web page that talks about mange:
"Telltale signs of sarcoptic mange are crusty ear tips, fierce itching, and hair loss, particularly on the ears, elbows, legs, and face in the early stages. Later on, the hair loss spreads throughout the body....
If your dog suffers from irritated, itchy skin, make an appointment with the veterinarian. Early diagnosis of any of these problems will give you a head start on a cure and will be less uncomfortable for the dog and your wallet."
I dont believe those breeds are more prone to this but it can happen to any breed. There is a product called revolution, it's a flea/tick and heartworm medication that also treats revolution. But PLEASE speak to your vet about this. Really if you catch it early it shouldnt cost you tooo much.
As far as the heat it can start as early as 6-7 mos, your planning on getting her spayed, right!?

[bella&littlebearsmommy]

no i don't want to spay her but i am wanting to nutar my male b4 sje has a chance to have a heat!!!

i just found out that my sisters puppies had mange that she was unaware of and my dogs were in contact with her puppies but she says the kind they had was from the mother and was not contagious is this possible if so were could my bella have gotten it from if thats whats wrong with her

[Lara's mom]

You need to take a trip to the vet to get a proper diagnosis, especially if your dog came into contact with a dog who had mange so that the proper treatment can be prescribed.

Even if the problem is not food related, I would definitely get a higher quality of dog food. Go to a pet food store and ask what they recommend. You could also ask the other members what brands they buy. Purina is junk food. There are much better foods on the market and the extra money is worth every penny!!!

[lulusmom]

Please see my comments in blue below.

Originally Posted by bella&littlebearsmommy

i just found out that my sisters puppies had mange that she was unaware of and my dogs were in contact with her puppies but she says the kind they had was from the mother and was not contagious is this possible if so were could my bella have gotten it from if thats whats wrong with her

I believe your sister was referring to demodex mange which is common in puppies. Like humans, all dogs have demodex mites, and the immune system keeps them in check. Puppies, especially some breeds that are predisposed, do get the mites from their mother and because their immune system is not in full gear, their little bodies can't fight off the mites and there is a resultant population explosion. Demodex mange is normally not itchy or uncomfortable; however, I have seen dogs that scratch a lot. Older dogs can experience demodex mange; however, there is almost always an underlying illness or condition that has compromised the immune system, leaving the dog vulnerable to the mites.

The areas affected on your dog and the intense itching sounds more like sarcoptic mange, also known as scabies. This is a highly contagious condition which can be contracted from dogs, cats and even humans. I highly recommend that you get your puppy to a vet asap for a proper diagnosis and prompt treatment. If left untreated, both conditions will worsen.

no i don't want to spay her but i am wanting to nutar my male b4 sje has a chance to have a heat!!!

May I ask why you don't want to spay your dog? Working in rescue, we see unaltered females with horrible mammary tumors, a lot of which are malignant. The risk for this can be greatly reduced, if not eliminated, if you spay your dog before her first heat. We also see a lot of pyometra which is a life threatening condition. This horrible condition as well as multiple sex organ cancers can be totally avoided if your dog is spayed.

I hope this helps

[Bacis Dad]

Lara's mom and lulus mom are hitting it right on!
Go to the vet, whatever it is it is not worth self diagnosing or self treating! Especially since she has come in contact w/ mange.
And please look into a better quality food and fix both of your dogs!
There really is no reason to keep her in tact. She is a mix breed so she cant be shown and there is no reason to breed her no matter how cute or sweet she is. You are doing her a great favor and prolonging her health and her life by doing so! Please let us know what your vet tells you after you go, and what food you decided to switch them to!
I wish you and them the best of luck and a happy healthy, sterile life on their new high quality food!

[Mr. Vega]

Hello bellaandlittlebear,

Sounds like some classic juvenile demodex mites. This condition is not uncommon in pups and fortunately will resolve fairly quickly and easiliy. If there are little white pustule type bumps on their stomachs, then it could be a little puppy pyoderma, which, again resolves easily.

As stated above, it can not be emphasized enough that you take these animals to the vet and have this checked. The internet is no substitute for someone seeing your kids in person. Also, there are MANY benefits to having your pets spayed/neutered and only 1 reason not to (plan on breeding).

[firetyrant]

I was just watching the video on this site about demodex.

[Ward9320]

My dads dog had the same problem and when they took him to the vet they told him that it was because of dry skin. He recommended a certain type of shampoo. I would say to just google a dry skin shampoo if your dog has the same issue