Chihuahua pup with bad skin! HELP!!!

[Spanky22]

We have 3 Chihuahua's. Mom (Sandy) Dad (Spooky) & now baby boy (Spanky)! He's about 7 months old. Our problem is he has dry red flaky spots on his back (mostly) some on his front elbows. And he loses hair where these spots are. He doesnt act like its itching him though or if he does he does it when we're not watching. We've searched the internet for answers but nothing really has popped yet. We've tried some medicated shampoos, vitamin shampoos. sulferdine too. but nothing seems to help. ANY IDEAS????????? Thanks
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[Herschel]

1) What food are you feeding? Are you sure they don't have an allergy to something in the diet?

2) Have you gone to your vet?

[~Jessie~]

It sounds like a food allergy to me as well... I'm also wondering what food he is on.

[Spanky22]

Food is Purina puppy chow with healthy morsels
And cant really afford a vet right now

[~Jessie~]

Puppy Chow is one of the worst foods. Dogs are carnivores... here are the ingredients for Puppy Chow:

Whole grain corn, corn gluten meal, whole grain wheat, chicken by-product meal, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), soybean meal, brewers rice, meat and bone meal, beef, pearled barley, sugar, sorbitol, fish oil, calcium phosphate, animal digest, salt, phosphoric acid, potassium chloride, sorbic acid (a preservative), dried peas, dried carrots, L-Lysine monohydrochloride, calcium propionate (a preservative), added color (Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 2), Vitamin E supplement, choline chloride, brewers dried yeast, zinc sulfate, zinc proteinate, ferrous sulfate, niacin, manganese sulfate, manganese proteinate, Vitamin A supplement, calcium carbonate, DL-Methionine, Vitamin B-12 supplement, calcium pantothenate, copper sulfate, copper proteinate, thiamine mononitrate, garlic oil, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, Vitamin D-3 supplement, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), calcium iodate, folic acid, biotin, sodium selenite.
G-4037

As you can see, it doesn't contain any actual real meat. It is made of cheap grain fillers, dyes, and sugars (along with menadione which causes death and seizures). Some of the most common allergens in dogs are wheat, corn, beef, and soy (which this food contains).

I recommend a food change. Also, you really should go to the vet...

[Maxy24]

well a food change is in order then There are many good foods. Some I can think of now are Canidae, Innova, Evo, California Natural, Timber Wolf Organics and Orijen. There are more but I'm drawing a blank right now so I'm sure others will chime in soon. Also visit Mordy's site http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=main

And take a good look at this part of the site http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index....badingredients

then look at the ingredients of what you are feeding:
Whole grain corn, corn gluten meal, whole grain wheat, chicken by-product meal, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), soybean meal, brewers rice, meat and bone meal, beef, pearled barley, sugar, sorbitol, fish oil, calcium phosphate, animal digest, salt, phosphoric acid, potassium chloride, sorbic acid (a preservative), dried peas, dried carrots, L-Lysine monohydrochloride, calcium propionate (a preservative), added color (Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 2), Vitamin E supplement, choline chloride, brewers dried yeast, zinc sulfate, zinc proteinate, ferrous sulfate, niacin, manganese sulfate, manganese proteinate, Vitamin A supplement, calcium carbonate, DL-Methionine, Vitamin B-12 supplement, calcium pantothenate, copper sulfate, copper proteinate, thiamine mononitrate, garlic oil, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, Vitamin D-3 supplement, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), calcium iodate, folic acid, biotin, sodium selenite.
G-4037

The first ingredient of a good food should be a specific meat or specific meat meal. You really don't want food with corn or wheat (these are most likely the cause of your dog's food allergies if that is what he has)


These are the foods i mentioned websites
Canidae: http://www.canidae.com/
Innova: http://www.naturapet.com/brands/innova.asp
EVO: http://www.naturapet.com/brands/evo.asp
California Natural (hypo allergenic): http://www.naturapet.com/brands/california-natural.asp
Timber Wolf Organics: http://timberwolforganics.com/
Orijen: http://www.championpetfoods.com/orijen/orijen/ (a bit hard to find)


Now if you look at the ingredients in those foods what do you notice? MEAT, and that's what canines eat. I would switch food. I would also go to the vet, to make sure it is not something worse. Do you have any pictures of the area you can show us?

I hope this helps, If you want post in the food section about food that is good for allergies and see what answers you get there.

Sorry Jesse we posted at the same time

[Spanky22]

if you have a yahoo ID i have pics posted at the link above.
http://ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/Pet.../view/c86f?b=1

[MafiaPrincess]

You'd have to join that group to see it, not just have an id..

[Maxy24]

yeah i can't get to the pics. To post pics I go to www.photobucket.com and upload my pics there. Than I click IMG code and it should say copied. Then come here and paste the code. When you submit it it will show up as a picture.

[Spanky22]

Oh, ok Thank you. Here they are.