Boxer Dog Stress

[CarleighB]

My Boxer is a rescue from an abusive back ground. We have had him for 4 years and other than the usual pacing he has been fine.

Recently however - he has lots of really sore looking patches and flacky scalp. As far as i know we haven;t changed anything in the enviroment we live in. Vets prescribed cod liver oil tablets and shampoo - but I believe it's getting worse.... any ideas how to help?

[Noweia]

If it's not clearing up with the shampoos you can take him back to the vets for a skin workup - sticky tape impressions and skin scrapings might be able to rule out mites or a skin infection.

Is he scratching or chewing at the patches?

[Snappy]

What are you feeding him?

[showcatbenga]

He may be showing signs of an allergy. They can develop at any time & the cause could be enviromental. It could be due to something as simple as changing your laundry soap or fabric conditioner. If he goes for walks on or through grass he could have picked up mites or be allergic to a particular plant. Dog food manufacturers can change the ingredients of their branded food without mentioning it to consumers & cause a reaction in certain individuals. Go back to your vet & have the tests that he recommends, it's the only way to get more information on what's going on with your dog. Good luck.

[daisycup]

my dog started developing sores a couple of years ago. Got worse when the weather was hot. Turns out that she gets heat rash and has eczema. I have to bath her in special shampoo given to me by the vets and put cod liver and primrose oil in her food. Like you, it didn't really clear right up so I asked it I could be sudocrem on her and they said it was fine. It helped slight but the best thing that clears it right up is salt water. I take her down the beach and her skin is almost back to normal.

It could be that she is allergic to something. The vet will have to do lots of different tests to find out with it is.