black spots.

by Teresa
(Oregon)

I tried to comment this story but it was to long.....

I was googleing for jack Russells with the same black spots as my dog if I could help or find something new to help me.
it was a story about black spots on a mothers, dauter's Jrt.

I just I could pass along the things I've come across and something that have so far helped us.

I have an 8 year old jack named paulie.

she's was at one point my mothers dog, but I took her away to help.when she was about three she stared scratching a lot, to the point where she was HALF bald at all times. she had open sores and swollen skin that looked flaky yet moist. *ick* she itched all the time for years non stop gnawing, biting, rubbing. she was a mess, my mother did try but never went beyond these possible problems: flea, food and genetics.

she spent thousands of dollars on random and most often fruitless medicines, benadryl shots, flea spray, drops, cones, shampoo, topical ointments(not to add in vet costs). I felt so bad for her, I know I would feel violated being under so much forced medications.

finally I stepped in after my mother was going to have her put down after one especially scarring day. My mother and I opened the door of her house to find a rather large bald and bloody wound on the back of her head.by her own doing, some how rolling on a blanket enough to pull a cone off. there was blood (but not much) on the blanket and the wound itself seemed superficial. but horrifying to think that she probably spent a lot of time on this.

she has been with us for six months now and is doing quite a bit better, but we have been more than I ever thought we could. the First few vet visits were to determine what state she was in at the moment I got her and to have her spayed. she got one last benadryl shot, antibiotics and a new food. the vet told me she could have extreme allergies in which the grass and tree pollen could effect her (it still might), a single flea bite could send her into a biting frenzy for weeks and allergies to most foods. not to mention the vet told us that she has never seen a dog at her age with such receded gums, warned that she would soon be losing her teeth.

we found through trial and error:
1 she can't have beef,chicken,grain,gluten and NO HUMAN FOODS.she eats a buffalo and vinicen brand food.

2 a single flea bite DOSE send her into a frenzy, blowing on her skin will too. Advantage every month.

3 after being spayed I was told that her uterus was very red and had some infectious swelling.

after all of this and not having any medications she was better but still itching, biting scratching! we dove more into why was her skin is weird ,flaky yet moist looking. we finally came across a possible suspect in an internal yeast infection.
we came across this website :

http://www.greatdanelady.com/articles/systemic_yeast_mini_course.htm

we now rotate with a few home remedies that seem to be doing her well.
1. apple cider vinegar mixed into her food a single cap full once a day (she was skeptical at first but eats it like a champ)

2.1/4 cup plain keifer. it's like a treat for her! keifer is a non gelatinous yogurt that contains high amounts of probiotics that help fight the yeast infection in the intestines.

3.goldenseal, this is serious stuff! small amounts with water, never for more than four days in a row, 1-3 times a day.

we've noticed that ALL of her black spots are fading now. she still must wear a cone at all times as she is still not completely healed. I feel that since she itched for years it will take many more months if not another year before we can truly see the full effects.

she has been losing teeth but it doesn't seem to bother her yet. we plan on giving her high quality soft foods when the time comes.

I Also have a fear that weather/seasonal allergies still may pose a threat next spring. I live in the willamatte valley and it means "valley of sickness". laced in a wet spring, pollen coats tree and bush leaves alike and is much like a haze of yellow. she may need a more dry weather?

she use to never be playful, when you started to play she would just roll on her back and scratch. now she's playing with my two dogs! she's like a whole new dog and I can't to see if I can help her fully recover.