# Armpits turning black and losing hair



## Kyzzer (Dec 18, 2012)

I'm new to this so here goes. My silver sable shepherd's armpits are turning black and red. Also underneath his rear end and underneath back legs. He's light colored, kind of beige mixed with black and silver, but very light colored shepherd. Took him to the Vet and she said it's allergies and to put baby powder on them. Didn't work and they're getting worse. He licks them a lot. I feed him Blue Buffalo and always have. He's turning 6 yrs old and never had this problem before and we've always lived in this house. Sure would appreciate any ideas, or should I just take him to another Vet? Thanks,:help:


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Staph infection or thyroid imbalance are possible culprits. Did the vet do a skin scrape? Get with a different vet. 
Never heard of using baby powder on a skin problem. Gold bond, possibly....but not baby powder!


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## Kyzzer (Dec 18, 2012)

onyx'girl said:


> Staph infection or thyroid imbalance are possible culprits. Did the vet do a skin scrape? Get with a different vet.
> Never heard of using baby powder on a skin problem. Gold bond, possibly....but not baby powder!



Thanks, sounded a bit strange to me, too. I have 2 other dogs totally unaffected by this.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Vitamin C supplement will help reduce inflammation and support the immune system. Omega oils help w/ skin and coat.
But I'd still get with another vet for some tests...what one dog has doesn't necessarily affect the others in the household. 
Because the vet suggested baby powder would have me going elsewhere....very odd suggestion, but maybe they thought it was just chafing of the skin?


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## zyppi (Jun 2, 2006)

Yeast infection?

Get you vet to check.


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## GatorBytes (Jul 16, 2012)

Dog Hypothyroidism Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention

Desiccated thyroid extract - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kelp, Ashwagandha (works on stress hormones)

Link about cushings, but talks about thyroid.

Sounds like thyroid.

My dogs whole groin area turned black after a vaccination, I learned months later about kelp for the iodine (prior to putting on raw), used a tincture, he was between 3 & 4yrs....couple months on kelp, skin started to normalize...then switched to raw and skin completely pale pink again. He is now 8 and I think he is going to need a bit more then kelp as a small area in groin is blackening, not progressing, but definately think he has age related thyroid/possible immune. Looking into desiccated thyroid extract

 Natural Solutions For Cushing’s Disease


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## Kyzzer (Dec 18, 2012)

Thanks. Need to get a blood test done it sounds like. Appreciate all the responses. He's my best bud.


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## GatorBytes (Jul 16, 2012)

Look into the link inside the Mercola link re: Dr. Jean Dodds re: "grey" area. Most vets only test T4//T3 and these could come back normal, but your dog could in fact, be heading to it. supplimenting with natural, before this happens could stimulate the thyroid to work. Synthetic meds. will take over hormone production and the thyroid will essentially get lazy and stop working all together...then meds will be req'd for life. Prevention in the form of already mentioned, search web too and titer (tests for antibodies - if dog has, then vax. not re'd) from now on, instead of re-vaccinating


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

baby powder - you have got to be kidding . Baby powder isn't , hasn't , been used for babies , nor talc for after shower , for decades because of dangers to lung from fine talc powders being inhaled , and in girl babies with suspect cancers particularly ovarian cancer Study Links Baby Powder Use To Ovarian Cancer Risk CBS Pittsburgh - talc - scented talc was once an additive to hygiene products . important for your own healt - read Talcum Powder can cause cancer

your problem may be a sytemic fungal problem . I would find a good intergrative vet - get a diagnosis , then you can treat the CAUSE -- shampoo with Selsun Blue fortified for fungal , use Vetrycyn - good for bacterial / fungal --- and address through diet , environment .
first on the list though is get a Vet .


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## Kyzzer (Dec 18, 2012)

carmspack said:


> baby powder - you have got to be kidding . Baby powder isn't , hasn't , been used for babies , nor talc for after shower , for decades because of dangers to lung from fine talc powders being inhaled , and in girl babies with suspect cancers particularly ovarian cancer Study Links Baby Powder Use To Ovarian Cancer Risk CBS Pittsburgh - talc - scented talc was once an additive to hygiene products . important for your own healt - read Talcum Powder can cause cancer
> 
> your problem may be a sytemic fungal problem . I would find a good intergrative vet - get a diagnosis , then you can treat the CAUSE -- shampoo with Selsun Blue fortified for fungal , use Vetrycyn - good for bacterial / fungal --- and address through diet , environment .
> first on the list though is get a Vet .



My wife took him while I was working and when she told me what the Vet said I had the same reaction you did........baby powder??????? We live in a small town so not lots of choices, but there is another vet about 30 - 35 mi. away, but he's not open on Sat. where I can take him. She's going to have to take him again, but I told her I want a skin scrape and blood test done at minimum. I'll give the Selsun Blue a try in the meantime. Thanks a lot for the info. Common thread I'm seeing here is get another Vet, and I couldn't agree more.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

We had a dog come through like this, and it was just ongoing allergies. 
The skin darkens due to irritation. 
An allergen food (Natural Balance) is the best place to start, Temaril P can help, as can a daily zyrtec, or benadryl 2x a day at 1 mg/lb of body weight.


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## Kyzzer (Dec 18, 2012)

msvette2u said:


> We had a dog come through like this, and it was just ongoing allergies.
> The skin darkens due to irritation.
> An allergen food (Natural Balance) is the best place to start, Temaril P can help, as can a daily zyrtec, or benadryl 2x a day at 1 mg/lb of body weight.


Thanks very much, I'll give that a try.


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## GatorBytes (Jul 16, 2012)

Kyzzer said:


> Thanks very much, I'll give that a try.


 
Hope you don't mean you'll try the Temeral P - this will make things worse in the long run.

Temaril-P® (Brand)

Side effects

Side effects may include sedation, exposed third eyelid, muscle tremors, weakness, blood disorders, and an increase in drinking, eating, and urinating. Your pet may have more "accidents" and need to go outside or use the litter box more often. Less common side effects include increased appetite, weight gain, panting, diarrhea, vomiting, and behavior changes.
Side effects of long-term use include muscle loss, weakness, and the development of diabetes or hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing's disease). The typical signs of these diseases are increased thirst, urination, and appetite. Animals with Cushing's disease may also develop thin skin, a poor hair coat, and a "pot-belly." 
Immune system suppression may occur, especially on higher doses, making a pet more susceptible to infection. Contact your veterinarian if your pet has a fever (over 103° F), painful urination (a sign of urinary tract infection), tiredness, and sneezing, coughing, or runny eyes.
If your pet has an allergic reaction to the medication, signs may include facial swelling, hives, scratching, sudden onset of diarrhea, vomiting, shock, seizures, pale gums, cold limbs, or coma. If you observe any of these signs, contact your veterinarian immediately.


Have the thyroid tested via Dr. Jean Dodd's (think provided link or it's a link in a link?), although may have on another thread...

just thought I'd catch this caution for you before calling it a night


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## Kyzzer (Dec 18, 2012)

GatorBytes said:


> Hope you don't mean you'll try the Temeral P - this will make things worse in the long run.
> 
> Temaril-P® (Brand)
> 
> ...


No, not trying the Temaril since I don't know anything about it. I'm trying the Benedryl until I can get him to the knew vet, but 1 mg/lb. sounds like a lot to me, especially twice a day. He's a 100 lb. shepherd, but that equates to 4 Benedryl twice dailey. That's much more than a 200 lb. person would take. I'll give it to him as the box dosage indicates and see if he responds until I have a day to get him in. So, we'll see. Thanks for the head's up.


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## Kyzzer (Dec 18, 2012)

*Benedryl*



Kyzzer said:


> Thanks very much, I'll give that a try.


That sounds like a lot of Benedryl for a 100 lb. animal. That's more than an adult would take. Did you actually mean that much? That's 8 benedryl a day. Just want to make sure I understand you. Thanks.


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## Midnight12 (Jan 6, 2012)

My last dog was on benedryl weighed 75 lbs and took 3 twice a day. Make sure they the 25 mg because they also come in 50 mg


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

Dogs metabolize many things differently than humans, so yes, 1mg/lb is the correct dosage.
I'd still ask your vet about Zyrtec. It is 1 pill once a day.


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## GatorBytes (Jul 16, 2012)

I'd ask your vet about about the benedryl dosage b/c when I tried the conv. approach, I believe it was 50 mg 12 hrs apart (max 2x/day), so half of what you noted.

also, I read somewhere NOT to use the non-drowsy and def. NOT the kids ben. due to artificial sweeteners. 

But then there is always the red dye.

You could try nettle (also known as stinging nettle) capsules or tincture - 2/3 human dose. Google it


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

January issue Dogs Naturally magazine -- discusses Cushings syndrome  Natural Solutions For Cushing’s Disease


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