Hello friends, I am looking for advice from seasoned dobie owners who a) know what the coat is supposed to look or smell like and b) can tell me from the below if they suspect something is wrong with our Duke.
I will *try* to keep this brief.
I introduced ourselves and our dog on the welcome page a few days ago and I am now seeking your advice. Duke is almost 2 yrs old, a rescue from Aztec Doberman Rescue of San Diego. The rescue recommended Nature's Domain because it will keep flatulence at bay (I'm guessing it does as he not gassy) and it is a higher quality food that is also grain free. We are using the salmon and sweet potato formula with absolutely NO human food or wet food. Just kibble and water.
When we picked up Duke his coat seemed healthy (albeit dusty and a bit dirty from being kept outside during the daytime hours) with no smell and no visible dander. We drove straight to Costco from the rescue, picked up Nature's Domain and gave him his first meal. He seemed to like it fine. The next day we gave him a bath to clean up the dust on his coat.
Fast forward about ten days. We start noticing Duke has a very strong musky smell. Very visible dander now... and itching has started. We wait till the two week mark since his first bath and then gave another bath (vet said OK to bathe once per week but NO MORE). ONE DAY LATER the strong musky smell returns, more itching. A few days later VERY VISIBLE DANDER.
After I checked that his food was good quality on Dog Food Advisor's site--it came back as 4-stars--I thought it's a reaction to the shampoo. I waited one week till he was "due" for his bath (and barely could make it because of his smell!) and mixed my own homemade shampoo recipe: 1 cup water, 1 cup Seventh Generation dish soap (gentle and toxin free), 1 cup apple cider vinegar, and 1/3 cup glycerin. Shampooed Duke and we thought we were home free; he didn't smell for two days! Then BAM! The smell, dander, itching and now, shedding, started back up.
A couple of days later, while standing outside, I noticed the fur on his back, around the rump area was thinning. I freaked out and took him to the vet. He said there is definitely an allergy as Duke is not supposed to have dander, smell like this, nor have an oily-feeling coat, nor be showing bald spots.
He thought it was an environmental or inhaled allergen, eliminated a flea allergy, and thought that Nature's Domain *should* be just fine as food, but that we could come back and re-examine later, if it turns out it's not an environmental allergy. He gave him a cortisone shot and a prescription shampoo ($42!!) to help his coat and clear up the itching and dander.
He said we could wash him right away to start the healing process. We did that, it's been a week...and we are back to square one.
Mercifully the vet called to check up on him right as I was about to reach for the phone and call them myself. I relayed that there has been absolutely no change at all, he still smells, still dander-y, still itchy, and shedding.
He said the cortisone would have helped about 90% of dogs with environmental allergies, so if there was no change at all, it was now time to look at food as an allergen. He is prescribing ZD Science Diet.
I researched online and on this forum here and was not pleased with what I was reading, yet I really like this vet and this practice (ABC Veterinary Hospital in San Marcos, CA; highly rated and I was VERY pleased with their care and attention) so I am doubting that they would prescribe something harmful.
So net/net (thank you for reading along till now, if you are still with me!):
1) In your vast experience, do Dobies smell? Have very visible dander? And do they go through shedding cycles?
2) If the answer is no and you agree that there is an allergy, what has worked for Dobie owners who have come across this?
Please help. I am desperate and I am finding myself reluctant to be near him which breaks my heart--we rescued him so he could be LOVED, not avoided! Luckily our kids are oblivious to his stench and lavish all the love and attention on him they can.
Many thanks,
Hiba
I will *try* to keep this brief.
I introduced ourselves and our dog on the welcome page a few days ago and I am now seeking your advice. Duke is almost 2 yrs old, a rescue from Aztec Doberman Rescue of San Diego. The rescue recommended Nature's Domain because it will keep flatulence at bay (I'm guessing it does as he not gassy) and it is a higher quality food that is also grain free. We are using the salmon and sweet potato formula with absolutely NO human food or wet food. Just kibble and water.
When we picked up Duke his coat seemed healthy (albeit dusty and a bit dirty from being kept outside during the daytime hours) with no smell and no visible dander. We drove straight to Costco from the rescue, picked up Nature's Domain and gave him his first meal. He seemed to like it fine. The next day we gave him a bath to clean up the dust on his coat.
Fast forward about ten days. We start noticing Duke has a very strong musky smell. Very visible dander now... and itching has started. We wait till the two week mark since his first bath and then gave another bath (vet said OK to bathe once per week but NO MORE). ONE DAY LATER the strong musky smell returns, more itching. A few days later VERY VISIBLE DANDER.
After I checked that his food was good quality on Dog Food Advisor's site--it came back as 4-stars--I thought it's a reaction to the shampoo. I waited one week till he was "due" for his bath (and barely could make it because of his smell!) and mixed my own homemade shampoo recipe: 1 cup water, 1 cup Seventh Generation dish soap (gentle and toxin free), 1 cup apple cider vinegar, and 1/3 cup glycerin. Shampooed Duke and we thought we were home free; he didn't smell for two days! Then BAM! The smell, dander, itching and now, shedding, started back up.
A couple of days later, while standing outside, I noticed the fur on his back, around the rump area was thinning. I freaked out and took him to the vet. He said there is definitely an allergy as Duke is not supposed to have dander, smell like this, nor have an oily-feeling coat, nor be showing bald spots.
He thought it was an environmental or inhaled allergen, eliminated a flea allergy, and thought that Nature's Domain *should* be just fine as food, but that we could come back and re-examine later, if it turns out it's not an environmental allergy. He gave him a cortisone shot and a prescription shampoo ($42!!) to help his coat and clear up the itching and dander.
He said we could wash him right away to start the healing process. We did that, it's been a week...and we are back to square one.
Mercifully the vet called to check up on him right as I was about to reach for the phone and call them myself. I relayed that there has been absolutely no change at all, he still smells, still dander-y, still itchy, and shedding.
He said the cortisone would have helped about 90% of dogs with environmental allergies, so if there was no change at all, it was now time to look at food as an allergen. He is prescribing ZD Science Diet.
I researched online and on this forum here and was not pleased with what I was reading, yet I really like this vet and this practice (ABC Veterinary Hospital in San Marcos, CA; highly rated and I was VERY pleased with their care and attention) so I am doubting that they would prescribe something harmful.
So net/net (thank you for reading along till now, if you are still with me!):
1) In your vast experience, do Dobies smell? Have very visible dander? And do they go through shedding cycles?
2) If the answer is no and you agree that there is an allergy, what has worked for Dobie owners who have come across this?
Please help. I am desperate and I am finding myself reluctant to be near him which breaks my heart--we rescued him so he could be LOVED, not avoided! Luckily our kids are oblivious to his stench and lavish all the love and attention on him they can.
Many thanks,
Hiba