Itching, Skin and Coat

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Transcript Itching, Skin and Coat

Itching, Skin and
Coat
May 18, 2006
Brought to you by:
The Brookside Barkery and Bath
and
Acupuncture and Herbs For Pets
What’s all the fuss about?
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Itchy flaky skin
Dry coat vs. oily coat
Dermatitis
Oils added to diet
How often to wash your pet
Shampoo’s & ingredient to avoid
Itchy flaky skin
Dermatitis
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Dandruff
Rash
 Pustules/Blisters
Infections
 Staph/Fungal
Sores/Hotspots
Hair loss
 Generalized/Localized
Odor produced by heat + moisture +
organisms
Itching
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Auto-immune
Allergies
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Parasite infestation (fleas, ticks, lice, mites)
See last months talk about fleas and ticks
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Nutrition
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Food allergens
Inhalant allergens
Contact allergens
Deficiencies
Excesses
Psychogenic
Get a diagnosis
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Why is your pet is itching?
Look for fleas and ticks yourself
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Flea comb
Examine under a bright light-glasses on
Feel their skin with your fingers
Wash them and see what is in the water
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Blood rinse off the skin
Fleas caught in the lather
Veterinary examination-dermatitis is complex
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Physical examination
Blood tests?
Skin scrape?
Biopsy?
Allergy testing?
Don’t keep applying Frontline
Generalized Demodex Mange
Ellie
Chronic Dermatitis
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Life long symptoms
Conventional diagnosis: Atopy
9-10 y/o Fs Lab/Visla mix breed
October 11, 2005 94#
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Immuno-therapy
Amitryptalline
Steroids oral and injectable
Overweight
Alternative treatments
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Chinese Herbs-custom formula
Changed diet to Urban Wolf
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Transition two to four weeks
Cook meat for first eight weeks
Probiotics
Digestive enzymes
Dermastrength vitamins
Benedryl as needed
Follow-up
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Two weeks
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Itching rarely
Off all drugs
A little trouble with digestion
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Let digestive enzymes sit on the food 10 min
Six weeks 89.4#
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Doing great-left ear a little itchy
Stop Benadryl
Injury to right carpus; resolving with rest
Go to raw meat
Follow-up
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Three months
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No dermatitis symptoms
A little digestive upset; gagging, swallowing, changed
herbs
Arthritis a little worse; now the primary problem
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Four Months
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Glucosamine/Chondroitin/MSM/Pain Plus/Massage, etc.
February 15, 2006 83# (11 # wt loss)
Six Months
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April, 2006 (Bad time of year for test)
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No symptoms for so long that caregivers stopped herbs. 
Mild symptoms returned/itching/licking feet
Herbs refilled-doing okay
Dermatitis
in general
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Complex
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Often chronic and recurrent
Conventional approach-potential for harm
Need for professional guidance
Find someone you can work with
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Open minded
Willing to work with alternative vet &
postpone drastic measures
Tools for home care
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Nutrition
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Diet (August lecture)
Supplements
Grooming
Pest control (April lecture)
Nursing care (March lecture)
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Medications
Wound management
Vitamins and Immune Supplements
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Fatty acids/oils
Immunoglobulins IgG
Colostrum
Multi-vitamin/minerals
Water soluble vitamins
 C, B-complex, B-12
Fat soluble vitamins
 A, D, E, K
Anti-oxidants
Amino acids
 NAC, DMG, LG
Oils added to diet
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Omega 3 fatty acids
 Omega 6 fatty acids can aggravate the symptoms
Fish Oil
 Salmon oil
 Cod liver oil-excellent source of Vitamin A
Flax Seed Oil
Grape Seed Oil
Sunflower Oil
Adequate fat content in dietary ingredients
70-80% lean for most pets
Don’t drain off all the fat
Grooming
How often to wash your pet?
It Depends 
 Symptoms-rash-greasy-intense itching
 Odor or discharge
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Twice weekly medicated baths…find problem
Not normal-baths do not resolve the problem
Time/Budget
 Habits and environment
 Cooperative vs. difficult patient
Normal dogs
 As often as you want to
 Use gentle product
 Don’t allow them to chilled or traumatized
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Shampoo
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Non-detergent shampoos
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Detergent Shampoo
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Natural
Chemical free
Do not strip the skin and coat of natural oils
Moisturize
Lather easily
Rinse completely
Strips oils from skin-sometimes desirable (Dawn)
Crème rinse
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Leave in
Rinse out
Ingredients to avoid
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Carbamates
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Carbaryl
Propoxur
Organophosphates
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Chlorpyrifos
Dichlorvos
Phosmet
Naled
Tetrachlorvinphos
Diazinon
Malathion
Cats
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More sensitive to pesticides
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No permethrins-severe damage to CNS-often fatal
Pyrethrins are okay
Avoid
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Tar and sulfur
Perfume-sensitizing agents (dogs too)
Alcohol
Petroleum distillates
Propellants such as aerosol and mousse
Tea tree oil
Pennyroyal
Cedar
Acceptable Ingredients
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Colloidal Oatmeal
Essential Oils
Lavender
Tea Tree Oil-not for cats
Citronella-not for cats
Aloe
Plant Sterols
Natural glycerin
Cysteine HCl (natural amino acid),
Palm, Coconut and Borage seed oils
Flower Essence Fragrances
Prescription Shampoo
Virbac products
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Histacalm Emollient oatmeal shampoo
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Ecto-soothe
Eti-derm
Allergroom
Sebolux
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Anti-histamine containing 2% diphenhydramine HCL.
Strips greasy buildup
Keto-chlor
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Anti-bacterial
Anti-fungal
Goals
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Educate yourself
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Better nourishment
Avoid using drugs if possible
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Know what you can do, should do, should not do
Nursing care lecture BBB website
steroids
antibiotics
Provide nursing care
Relieve symptoms and discomfort
Know when to seek veterinary care
Longer, healthier, happier lives for pet companions
Deb-BBB
TIPS
By the Whole Dog Journal November 2005 issue
To Promote health, the diet must be formulated
to meet the individual pet needs. No single diet
suits all pets.
Any pet with a skin problem, needs an
improved diet. If the pet is being fed a lowgrade or mid quality kibble, try a better one. If
they are already on a good food, try a quality
canned or frozen raw diet. Home prepared is
ideal with a variety of fresh meats and
vegetables is ideal.
TIPS
By the Whole Dog Journal November 2005 issue
Adding supplemental vitamins (A,C, and E)
antioxidants adding Omega 3 and 6’s to the diet
are extremely beneficial
Herbal remedies can be helpful
Enhancing the immune system by providing a
rich source of antioxidants and other nutrients
to relieve itchiness, calm nervousness and let
the animal sleep better which is a direct benefit
to the skin.
Daily massage is a great skin therapy for dogs,
cats and humans alike.
Web Links
www.lowchensaustralia.com
www.thepetcenter.com
www.thewhole-dogjournal.com
Magazines
Bark
Animal Wellness
Products
Essential Fatty Oils
Salmon Oil, Cod Liver Oil, Flax Seed, Dreamcoat, Pure Coconut Oil,
Missing Link
Solid Gold Seameal
Urban Wolf Softgels
Homeopet products
Hot Spots, Skin and Itch Relief
World Herbs Hot Spot (External)
Nature’s Specialties Wham and Quicker Slicker
Immune Boosters
Colostrum
Shampoos
Oatmeal, medicated
Skin and Itch
Quicker Slicker
Next Topic
June 15, 2006
7:30 Your Wellness Connection
Vaccinations & Immune System – Dr. Faris
Do vaccines help or hurt
What is titer testing
Core /extraneous vaccines
Heartworm preventatives
1,2 ,or 3 year rabies
How the immune system works