[kodie]

I just cant take it anymore! I have tried already a few things to see what the problem is with kodie but i dunno what to do now... Kodie keeps licking his front legs... right on the top of his paws... and he woke me up last night at 5am because he was licking them and I could hear him slurping right next to my head!! I looked at his legs this morning and now he has a brush burn on the top of each of his front paws from ALL THE LICKING!!! I have tried a few things because I thought it was allergy related....

1) I cut out cheerios (I thought the wheat was doing it)
2) I stopped fresh veggies (he was also getting gas from those)
3) I tried to correct him and tell him thats bad to lick his paws! (haha.. i was disperate) I have also tried to take his attention away from the paws when hes licking them so he will stop. Sometimes he gets nasty with me if I try to move him away from licking his paws.

I have a few ideas and would like everyone elses opinons... do you think that maybe its the shampoos I use? I use these brands..
*[attachment=389:attachment] This is the Lambert Kay Oatmeal and baking soda shampoo and I use the conditioner..
*[attachment=390:attachment] I use this snowy coat whitener from lambert kay at times too.
* I will also use BoDerks shampoo and conditioner
* I use Lambert Kay baby tearless shampoo for his face only
* [attachment=391:attachment] I only give kodie 1 cookie every morning of these (original flavor only)
* Do you think hes allergic to his dog food... he only gets Hill's l/d dry kibble.
* I do give him heart worm tabs every month...

These are the only things I do or give to kodie... so is there a product that is still causing allergies? or is he bored and just licking just because of boredom?

Please help... Any suggestions please... I rather NOT go through allergy testing either! I think kodie has been through enough testing... so I'm trying to maybe fix the problem myself... hopefully. -_- The only other thing health wise to mention is that he has MVD... but is not showing any clincial signs of it... soo I do NOT have to have a completely strick liver friendly diet as of yet.

 

[Ladysmom]

Kodie's paw licking might be an obsessive/compulsive behavior. There's a lot of information about it on the internet.

http://www.dermapet.com/articles/art-18.html

I know sometimes stress can cause obsessive licking. I had a rescued Siamese cat that licked all the hair off one leg when she first got brave enough to venture out in the whole house (she spent the first 3 months living in my daughter's room). Fortunately, she got over it. I know that's not Kodie's situation, but some animals are just naturally stressed out/worrywarts like some people are. I know they even put dogs on Prozac for OCD, but you wouldn't want to do that with Kodie's liver disease.

Inhaled allergies are actually more common than food allergies. Many dogs are allergic to grasses. Could that be it? Does Kodie go outside to potty?

 

[kodie]

No, Kodie is trainned on puppy pads..

 

[NC's Mom]

It's possible for dogs to get tested for allergies?! Little C and I are going to have to pay a visit to the vet!!!! I thought you had to figure it out through a process of elimination, but testing would be SO much easier.

Little C frequently goes after her front legs, too, but in a different area. It's on the front o fthe legs, very near where the legs are connected to the body. I actually have to keep that area shaved down just for applying medicine and keeping an eye on it. I also have to keep her feet shaved down to the skin because of the same thing.

Every time they run out of dog food, I buy a new kind because by then, Little C seems to be allergic to something in there. For the first week or so of a new bag, all her skin problems disappear. Then they start back up again, slowly. If I dare to buy the same dog food twice in a row, it looks like someone threw boiling water on her.

I would force myself to buy meat for her and put her on raw (she never had ANY skin problems when she was on raw) for at least one meal a day, but I don't feel like the meat is safe either. There are always so many warnings and such.

Do you keep Kodie's hair short? I've found that it's easier to keep on top of everything if the hair in the problem areas is shaved completely off. She looks really weird, but it certainly helps.

 

[NC's Mom]

Lady'sMom, you must have posted while I was typing.

Grass! Why didn't I think of that? Little C goes outside EVERY DAY to pee and she always HAS to go on the grass. She also likes to rub herself on it, and roll in it (which I scold her for because that's nasty). Sir N DOES have an allergy to grass, which is one reason I started the whole feet washing thing. He's fine so long as I wash his feet, but perhaps that isn't enough for Little C. Hmmmm.

Anyway, going to go pester the vet about allergy testing tomorrow.

 

[Ladysmom]

We have a thread going about allergy testing you might want to read.

http://spoiledmaltese.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=5982&hl=

My Petie (Golden) was allergic to grass. It's a pretty common allergy.

 

[kodie]

I'm trying to advoid the testing if possible...

 

[MalteseJane]

Frankly I don't think Kodie's licking is due to boredom. It's allergies. The reason ? He starts licking at 5 in the morning. That's about the time the cells in the paws start responding to it. I am sorry I am not good at explaining things. And it's a long time my vet told me about this (my late lhasa had allergies very bad). It has something to do with the cells coming together in the paws and that's why the first thing they lick is the paws. It used to drive me nuts too. Oscar (my lhasa) would chew his paws open to the flesh.
Check the ingredients in the food you are giving Kodie and check if they contain RICE. I posted something about this a while ago. Try to eliminate Rice for a while and see what happens. It's worth a try.

 

[kodie]

Brewers rice, pork fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), dried egg product, soybean meal, pasta product, soy fiber, flaxseed, pork protein isolate, chicken liver flavor, vegetable oil, powdered cellulose, glycerol monostearate, taurine, DL-methionine, L-arginine, L-carnitine, L-tryptophan, ethoxyquin (a preservative), minerals (dicalcium phosphate, potassium chloride, calcium carbonate, salt, zinc oxide, manganous oxide, calcium iodate, sodium selenite), vitamins (choline chloride, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (a source of vitamin C), niacin, thiamine mononitrate, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, menadione dimethylypyrimidinol bisulfite ( a source of vitamin K)).[/B]

Brewers rice... whats that? I dunno what to feed him then... all the Hill's food has it in it... and I'm supposed to watch his diet... now what do I feed him?

What can i feed him for a few weeks to try out if it IS the rice?? Remember Kodie has MVD... I know i can feed him some baby food.. he loves that... but what else?

 

[Ladysmom]

That food also has soybean meal. Soy products are one of the top 3 allergy-causing ingredients in dog food.

Have you ever tried Benedryl at night to see if it helps? For Kodie's size probably 1/4 of a tablet would be good. That would tell you if it's allergies or not.

 

[Chilly dog]

Hi, sorry I new to the Maltese scene (I got my Chilly a month ago!) so I'm not sure I can really give any valuable advice on the licking problem!

I had a question that's SOMEWHAT related... Because for over a week now Chilly has been hacking, almost like he's trying to cough up a hairball, and it usually ends in a gag. I was thinking it might be from licking himself and swallowing hair, so I was just wondering if Kodie ever did this?

-Mal&Chilly-

 

[LexiAndNikkisMom]

Originally posted by Chilly dog@Sep 13 2005, 10:14 AM
Hi, sorry I new to the Maltese scene (I got my Chilly a month ago!) so I'm not sure I can really give any valuable advice on the licking problem!

I had a question that's SOMEWHAT related... Because for over a week now Chilly has been hacking, almost like he's trying to cough up a hairball, and it usually ends in a gag.  I was thinking it might be from licking himself and swallowing hair, so I was just wondering if Kodie ever did this?

-Mal&Chilly-
<div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=99148

[/QUOTE]
Have you talked to you vet about this? It might be a crushed windpipe or he could have something stuck in his throat.

 

[kodie]

Originally posted by LadysMom@Sep 13 2005, 11:03 AM
That food also has soybean meal. Soy products are one of the top 3 allergy-causing ingredients in dog food.

Have you ever tried Benedryl at night to see if it helps? For Kodie's size probably 1/4 of a tablet would be good. That would tell you if it's allergies or not.
<div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=99143

[/QUOTE]
So... if i continue feeding kodie the hill's l/d and just give the benedryl that will tell me its allergies? How many times a day do you give the benedryl?

 

[kodie]

Originally posted by Chilly dog@Sep 13 2005, 11:14 AM
Hi, sorry I new to the Maltese scene (I got my Chilly a month ago!) so I'm not sure I can really give any valuable advice on the licking problem!

I had a question that's SOMEWHAT related... Because for over a week now Chilly has been hacking, almost like he's trying to cough up a hairball, and it usually ends in a gag.  I was thinking it might be from licking himself and swallowing hair, so I was just wondering if Kodie ever did this?

-Mal&Chilly-
<div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=99148

[/QUOTE]
no, he does not do this.

 

[Ladysmom]

Originally posted by Kodie+Sep 13 2005, 10:22 AM-->

<!--QuoteBegin-LadysMom

@Sep 13 2005, 11:03 AM
That food also has soybean meal. Soy products are one of the top 3 allergy-causing ingredients in dog food.

Have you ever tried Benedryl at night to see if it helps? For Kodie's size probably 1/4 of a tablet would be good. That would tell you if it's allergies or not.
<div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=99143

So... if i continue feeding kodie the hill's l/d and just give the benedryl that will tell me its allergies? How many times a day do you give the benedryl?
<div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=99157
[/B][/QUOTE]

Benedryl is an antihistamine, so if you notice a difference, that would mean it's probably allergies.

I'd probably just give Kodie just a 1/4 tablet at bedtime, at least to start. I always try to err on the side of being conservative when it comes to medication. It will also make him drowsy.

Benedryl is pretty safe. It's the only drug my vet would let me give Lady for her allergies initially since she gets phenobarbitol for seizures which can cause liver damage. Unfortunately, that also causes drowsiness and she was so sedated she could barely walk so she now gets Zyrtec. I have a neighbor with a seizure dog who gets Allegra for allergies.

 

[Ladysmom]

Originally posted by Chilly dog@Sep 13 2005, 10:14 AM
Hi, sorry I new to the Maltese scene (I got my Chilly a month ago!) so I'm not sure I can really give any valuable advice on the licking problem!

I had a question that's SOMEWHAT related... Because for over a week now Chilly has been hacking, almost like he's trying to cough up a hairball, and it usually ends in a gag.  I was thinking it might be from licking himself and swallowing hair, so I was just wondering if Kodie ever did this?

-Mal&Chilly-
<div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=99148

[/QUOTE]

Chilly's Mom, you might want to read this article on collapsing tracheas:

http://www.toybreeds.com/health.htm

 

[LexiAndNikkisMom]

Originally posted by LadysMom+Sep 13 2005, 10:48 AM-->

Originally posted by [email protected] 13 2005, 10:22 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-LadysMom

@Sep 13 2005, 11:03 AM
That food also has soybean meal. Soy products are one of the top 3 allergy-causing ingredients in dog food.

Have you ever tried Benedryl at night to see if it helps? For Kodie's size probably 1/4 of a tablet would be good. That would tell you if it's allergies or not.
<div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=99143

So... if i continue feeding kodie the hill's l/d and just give the benedryl that will tell me its allergies? How many times a day do you give the benedryl?
<div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=99157

[/QUOTE]

Benedryl is an antihistamine, so if you notice a difference, that would mean it's probably allergies.

I'd probably just give Kodie just a 1/4 tablet at bedtime, at least to start. I always try to err on the side of being conservative when it comes to medication. It will also make him drowsy.

Benedryl is pretty safe. It's the only drug my vet would let me give Lady for her allergies initially since she gets phenobarbitol for seizures which can cause liver damage. Unfortunately, that also causes drowsiness and she was so sedated she could barely walk so she now gets Zyrtec. I have a neighbor with a seizure dog who gets Allegra for allergies.
<div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=99176
[/B][/QUOTE]
I've given Lexi Benedryl before and it didn't make her tired.

I had heard it usually does so I kept waiting for her to get tired. Never did

 

[jellybn1]

Maybe you should put Kodie on a "premium organic "kibble are many great ones...... Merrick-Solid Gold-Wellness etc. Corn & soy are not at all good for dogs.
I gove Cha Cha Stella & Chewies freeze dried steaks too. Diversify the foods... Try a natural diet. Ut's also a wonderful & healthy way to feed our babies. I have many kinds of foods & websites if you need additional help.
Jellybn1

 

[LexiAndNikkisMom]

Originally posted by jellybn1@Sep 13 2005, 03:57 PM
Maybe you should put Kodie on a "premium organic "kibble are many great ones...... Merrick-Solid Gold-Wellness etc. Corn & soy are not at all good for dogs.
  I gove Cha Cha Stella & Chewies freeze dried steaks too. Diversify the foods... Try a natural diet. Ut's also a wonderful & healthy way to feed our babies. I have many kinds of foods & websites if you need additional help.
                                                  Jellybn1
<div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=99308

[/QUOTE]
Because Kodie has MVD Kodie's mom has to be very carefully what she feeds him.

 

[kodie]

Originally posted by Lexi's Mom+Sep 13 2005, 05:02 PM-->

<!--QuoteBegin-jellybn1

@Sep 13 2005, 03:57 PM
Maybe you should put Kodie on a "premium organic "kibble are many great ones...... Merrick-Solid Gold-Wellness etc. Corn & soy are not at all good for dogs.
   I gove Cha Cha Stella & Chewies freeze dried steaks too. Diversify the foods... Try a natural diet. Ut's also a wonderful & healthy way to feed our babies. I have many kinds of foods & websites if you need additional help.
                                                   Jellybn1
<div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=99308

Because Kodie has MVD Kodie's mom has to be very carefully what she feeds him.
<div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=99310
[/B][/QUOTE]
yeah.. which is bad because what if the end result is that kodie IS allergic to his liver diet food...

What am i gonna do....