f6twister

We have 6 y/o yellow lab. We bought her as a puppy shortly before my wife and I were married.

In the time that we've owned her, she has become what can only be described as odd. She developed allergies which cause her ears to become red and inflamed and her paws to itch and swell. Because of the allergies, she chews on her paws until they develop sores and sometimes bleed. We've taken her to multiple vet appointments but we don't have the money to have the expensive allergy tests done. Even if we did, the desesitation shots are more than we can afford also. She also developed a very bad body odor that only goes away for about 3-4 days after a bath then returns.

Her behavior is also strange. She hates to go outside, even to do her business. When she is outside, she sprints back to the house as soon as she is done. Despite being a "family type" dog, she has never liked the kids. She walks away when they try to pet her and growls at them if they pet her when she is sleeping.

Today was probably the breaking point. She both threw up on and peed on our dining room floor. She didn't indicate that she needed to go out which is unusual.

We are now looking at our options. My wife grew up with her parents owning labs and says that none of them were ever like this one. The vets are stuck having done everything they can without going into the next cost bracket. Do we give her away? Drop her off at the humane society? Put her down? Or do we keep her and deal with her? My wife is all for getting rid of her but I feel guilty (even though she was the one who wanted a dog).

If this was your dog, what would you do?

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Poppinjay

Uh, well we've gone into the upper cost bracket several times. So that's what we would do.

The most common allergy for dogs is wheat. So stop serving her any wheat based dog food. That's easy because the market now has many inexpensive non wheat dog foods. Get cornmeal based or make it yourself.

Inflamed ears is usually caused by wheat allergies. Likewise the vomit.

It's also entirely possibly that it is something in your yard, hence the reticence to go outside. That would explain the irritated paws.

If your dog is suffering from her own environment, she will be snappish and act very much unlike a lab. It's not so much that she doesn't like kids, but that kids have the ability to touch everywhere it hurts on a dog without knowing it.

There's something in your yard or in her food bowl. Certainly don't put her down, plenty of people could probably accommodate her allergies. If you really feel you have to remove her from her family rather than research her problems further, make sure you take her to a no-kill humane society or SPCA shelter. You will likely be asked for a surrender fee, which will help her get adopted out.

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noodle

If she doesn't feel well, she's not going to be a "family dog".
I'm not a people-person when I don't feel good, either.
I agree with poppin', that you should try the wheat-free foods.
Poor pup. But, most dogs adapt if you need to move on from/for her.

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Glory's Sun

Well, without getting a proper diagnosis, it's really hard to say where to begin. I think poppinjay is on the right track with the wheat allergy. Try switching to a different dog food and see if that helps at all.

You can also give dogs Benadryl. Make sure it has no dye and no added pain relievers in it. 1mg per 1lb of body weight is sufficient. It will make her drowsy, but it will help the itching for the time being. Most dogs chew their paws because there is something bothering their body (fleas, parasites, injuries or allergies etc) or because they are anxious and don't know how to handle their energy.

As far as her reactions to children, it's a tough call. What type of training has she had? Most behavioral problems are solved relatively quickly by socialization training as well as obedience training. I have 2 GSD's and while if they feel a threat they will meet it head on, they are very social and very loveable to anyone that is allowed in my house. I have a 4yr old and a 2yr old. The only reason I mention it is because labs are not power breeds and the training should be easier than say a GSD or Rottie.

You may have to do some sensitivity (weird huh?) training as well. Desensitize her to different things that seem to be bothering her. What is your routine when you leave the house and come back? Does she show signs of anxiety when you leave or return? Those are key things to know in order to try and help put together a plan of training to reverse certain behaviors.

What type of exercise does she get? How many hours? Is it slow paced or fast paced? Labs are high energy dogs and require at least 2 hours of exercise a day. Sometimes if they aren't getting the energy released, they resort to abnormal behavior because they simply don't know what outlet to put the energy in.

Honestly it sounds like a two fold problem to me.. the main being training and exercise and the secondary being the allergies or parasitic problem of the body.

Can you answer a few of my questions in detail so me and others can help you out a bit more? Dogs don't normally change breed specific behaviors unless something is really out of whack.

Salem

I also agree. Take out the wheat, try not to bring her out for long periods of time, don't force her to go out, and maybe go down to a pet store and see if you can find stuff for her paws. My dog had cracked pads once and I got this little jar of kind of waxey vaseline type stuff, and put it on his paws and it helped a lot.

I know the vet is expencive, but try these things and if nothing works, take her back to the vet and discuss the best options with them.

I hope things work out!

Glory's Sun

No offense intended, but I completely disagree with the "don't force her to go out" bit.

While you certainly don't want to make matters worse by petting her while she's outside or yanking on her collar to go outside, you can do some simple leash commands in the house to get the trust up and then go outside with her on the leash. Let her know you're there and use the trust buildup routines. Once she trusts you, her confidence will grow and the behavior should change. Just don't coddle and love her when she's scared. That reinforces the negative behavior.

Training, training, training. I can't emphasize it enough.

f6twister

I've tried changing the food, many, many times. With wheat, no wheat, hypoallergenic, etc, no change.

We have been using benadryl for the itching but we end up giving it to her twice a day every day just to keep things in order and even that does always help.

While there may be something in the yard causing her to dislike going outside, I can't figure out what it could be.

__________________
A little rudeness and disrespect can elevate a meaningless interaction to a battle of wills and add drama to an otherwise dull day. Calvin

yournamehere

Where do you shop for dog food? If you're only buying at the grocery store or Petsmart, you need healthier food. Look into foods that don't use by-products or wheat. Expect some sticker shock, though. Decent dog food starts at around $40 for a 35 lb bag. We pay $55 for 35 lbs for our two dogs (19 days worth) , and we're still at the low end of the spectrum at our pet food store.

Also, sometimes diseases have a variety of symptoms that are sometimes overlooked by vets. I don't know what part of the country (or world) you live in, but here in the Southwest, Valley Fever is a very serious disease that many dogs get that can manifest itself in a variety of different symptoms. Also, Lyme disease from ticks can have different symptoms in different animals.

Another thought - because the allergy seems to be on the paws, and your dog seems to dislike going outside - do you have your yard sprayed regularly for pests? Perhaps it's a reaction to pesticides. That happened to a friend of mine's golden retriever. As soon as they discontinued their monthly pest control treatments, the dog got better. The yard didn't look as nice, but that was fine with them.

I can identify with the financial aspect of vet visits - I've been unemployed for 11 months now - but having a pet is a responsibility, and as a long-time pet owner, I'd say suck it up and have the allergy tests done if none of the above advice helps. One sacrifice we have refused to make because of unemployment is our dogs' care. I may have to eat ramen twice a week, but my dogs don't.

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Glory's Sun

I think we spend about $300 a month on dog food.. so yes, good dog food can be expensive.

you didn't answer any of my training and exercise questions. I know you're concerned about the chewing and licking of the paws, but again, I have seen several cases of dogs that abuse their bodies because they aren't getting an energy outlet.

Does she have anything on her skin that looks like dandruff? If she does it's probably Seborrhea. It's usually treatable with medicated shampoo and it can cause odor issues. If that isn't it, it could be a bacteria issue or an anal gland issue. Have the vets cleared her anal glands or checked them at all?

Does she eat people food? I had a lab that couldn't digest people food when he occasionally found a way to sneak some. He would puke it up almost instantly. He also couldn't handle plastic when he was a pup.. he was quite the chewer and if the toy had any plastic on it, or he got hold of something he shouldn't he would puke.

I know it's a lot of questions, but there are a lot of knowledgeable dog owners here that want to help.. I certainly do.

yournamehere

Right - we all do. I'm sure this thread will grow rapidly as the day goes on.

Another thing I forgot to mention - you might try a veterinary dermatologist. They don't cost much more than regular vets, but they're much more familiar with anything that happens on your dog's skin.

We had a golden retriever that was losing hair in places; our regular vet dismissed it as contact dermatitis. When the symptoms didn't go away, we took her to a veterinary dermatologist, and discovered she had lymphoma - probably due to a lifetime of eating Pedigree.

Now here is another instance in which I can identify with money problems - we were told that there was chemotherapy available that we could put her on that might extend her life by up to six months. But at $600 per month, there was not even a reason to discuss it - we just couldn't afford it at the time. But at least we knew what was wrong.

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If you want to avoid 95% of internet spelling errors:
"If your ridiculous pants are too loose, you're definitely going to lose them. Tell your two loser friends over there that they're going to lose theirs, too."
It won't hurt your fashion sense, either.

amonkie

I have a cocker Spaniel with food allergies and chronic ear inflammation. My vet recommended fish oil in addition to Benadryl to help the body process and get food out more quickly.

I spend $50 on a 17 lb bag of Prescription sensitivity food, which lasts about a month.

I was told my dog needed frequent baths (2x a week) with oatmeal shampoo to help remove the agents that could be causing allergies. This has helped quite a bit.

Due to his allergies, he's on a potato/venision diet. But i have to stress, you can't just change the dog food in order to see a true improvement. All the same ingredients are in most dog treats, and if its a beef, chicken or turkey allergy, that rules out virtually all rawhide and other treats.

Our compromise has been to go for the more exotic (again the pocketbook, but I find it cheaper than continual prescriptions/vet visits). He gets kangaroo bones instead, and emu, salmon, and kangaroo treats.

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Glory's Sun

Eukanuba has a potato/venison food that is excellent and free of wheat and gluten. They have a rice/salmon one also.

I double checked our dog food expenditure.. it's more like $180/month..not $300.. geez.

wooÐs

The yard probably hurts her feet. These allergies sound out of control. I really think you need to opt for the tests. There are vet specialists who will accept payment plans.

Unfortunately, I don't think you're going to have much luck finding new owners willing to take on the responsibility of an ill dog requiring special treatment. I speak from firsthand experience. I tried to find new owners for a cat with cancer on Cragislist. I received people offering donations instead of a new home.

Help is out there. But if you folks aren't willing to commit to this, then you need to consider quality of life for both her and your family.

james t kirk

I have my doubts about the suitability of any processed pet food. (But that's a long story.) It is my opinion that all processed pet food is garbage regardless of how much you pay for it. In my opinion, the only suitable diet for a dog is BARF. There are several sites which would guide you to this end. BARF need not be expensive, but it is not convenient like the crap out of a bag is.

The other issue that no-one has mentioned is in-breeding. This is no joke. I was watching a TV show on it recently and it has become an issue with dog breeding today. Simply put, we humans are screwing up dog genetics by "pure" breeding them.

wooÐs

Finding a proper diet for a dog can be way difficult. I have a friend who cooks for her dogs. She makes a massive batch of chicken, rice, green beans, peas and carrots. Mixes it all up, stores in Ziplock containers and uses them during the week. It really isn't that much more expensive than buying dog food. Just a bit of a hassle imo.

james t kirk

That's what I do for my cats as well ever since 1 of them was diagnosed with Kidney disease.

It is work, but the food is far healthier for the animal than any crud out of any bag.

wooÐs

You know, as corny as it may sound, it might add a little to whole bonding experience with a pet. Instead of scooping out some foul smelling dry nuggets out of a bag, warm them up something more 'wholesome.'

I might think about this. Especially since my boy's a bit on the chubby side.

cadre

Wheat is by far not the only food allergen that effects dogs and corn is a big problem too. Do not feed your dog corn based food if it has allergies.

Corn, wheat, preservatives, dyes, beef and many other things are food allergens for dogs. Also, dogs can be allergic to grass (and I'm not referring to when they eat it).

What foods have you tried? Have you been doing anything different to your yard? How long has your dog been having problems and did you make any changes when this started?

For the time being, try putting your dog on a bland diet. You can cook rice and boil chicken (nothing added) or you can ask your vet for the Hill's I/D formula. As far as a better food goes, look for Blue Buffalo, Nature's Recipe, or AvoDerm (all easy to find at Petsmart). Nature's Recipe is a pretty decent food for dogs with allergies and it doesn't cost as much as AvoDerm and Blue Buffalo.

If you can find the money to have the allergy test done that will help you solve this problem but I understand the lack of money. That said, it may be cheaper to do the test than to steam clean all of your carpets and buy ten different bags of food.

The interaction with kids is all about getting the dog used to new things and practicing. Training is key. If a dog is not used to kids being around, of course it will be a little weird.

Edit: To add my own experience here, I adopted a baby German Shepherd mix back in February and had no idea what I was getting myself into. She has a sensitive stomach, food allergies and a condition called Megaoesophagus. There were a lot of vet bills so it was really hard for me. It seemed like every time we thought we had solved one problem, another would pop up. But we figured everything out and now she is very health and almost and adult. She even graduated from her obedience class tonight. For me, it was better in the long run to bite the bullet and pay the extra vet bills because once we got all the medical problems under control everything was 100 times easier.

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Salem

How have things been going this week?

f6twister

Thanks to everyone for your input.

The issue with her paws has been going on for a while. If its a contact allergy, it has to be from grass because she had these issues when we lived in a different city. We do use some pesticides but not very often.

Her exercise is not as much as it should be due to work schedules and three kids but again, these issues were occurring when she was getting more excercise. We also tried upping her number of walks per day with no change.

We shop for pet food at pet stores. Nothing from Walmart or other similar stores. As I mentioned, we have tried many different types of food. She just started Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream. If anyone is interested in looking, the ingredient list is on their website: Taste of the Wild-Pacific Stream Canine Formula
Yes, we have been reluctant to switch to home made foods due to time constraints. Having three kids that are 5 years, 3 years and 5 months old leave us very little free time to home cook food. We will discuss that option after we see how our lab handles this food over the next couple of months.

She has been seen by the vet a number of times for these issues. We have not considered seeing a dermotologist so we will add that to our list of options.

I should point out that the vomiting is not a regular issue. It only happens 2-3 times a year and I don't believe it is related to her other issues. It just happened to occur the day I made my original post. She has not vomited again since that day.

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A little rudeness and disrespect can elevate a meaningless interaction to a battle of wills and add drama to an otherwise dull day. Calvin

cadre

Taste of the Wild is a good food, has anything changed since you put her on it? Was that when she got sick? Some dogs don't adjust as easily as others to change in their diet.

Your dog could be allergic to grass, also some pollens can be allergens too. That could be why she doesn't like to go outside.

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yournamehere

I agree that looks like some healthy food.

Could be what's in the grass. Have you ever looked at your yard closely? Any chance you have fire ants, or some other critters that could be biting her?
My guess is, though, that with 3 kids running around, they'd be just as susceptible to insect bites as your dog, and you'd know about it.

Good luck; keep trying; and let us know when you figure it out.

Oh - about the vomiting - I wouldn't worry. I don't know of any dog that doesn't puke a few times a year! Especially when they're puppies.

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If you want to avoid 95% of internet spelling errors:
"If your ridiculous pants are too loose, you're definitely going to lose them. Tell your two loser friends over there that they're going to lose theirs, too."
It won't hurt your fashion sense, either.

Martian

This is true, but not.

Reputable breeders (those registered with the CKC or AKC, or equivalent organizations) typically do keep records of their line's pedigree. A breeder will frequently have the same line for generations, and will ideally obtain stud services from multiple other breeders in order to increase genetic diversity and reduce the risk of inbreeding. Most pure breeds do have some 'typical' health problems, but these are related in a lot of cases to the dog's physiology more than the inbreeding per se (an example of this is large dogs often having heart or lung issues, due to the increased size of the chest cavity).

The problem is that not all breeders are reputable, or registered. It's very important when shopping for a dog to do your homework and learn about your breeder's track record, as well as the pedigree of the dog you're thinking of purchasing.

That said, at this point advice regarding breeders and bloodlines isn't particularly helpful to the OP.

I'm not convinced that raw food diets are all that beneficial. It's something akin to the organic food movement in my mind -- the notion that dogs 'naturally' eat raw meat doesn't necessarily mean that it's any better for them than a formulated kibble diet. Given that salmonella or e coli can be just as harmful for your pet as it can for you, the kibble really seems to be the better choice here.

All of that aside, experimenting with her food is a bit like throwing darts in the dark. You may get lucky, but you're more likely to just put a bunch of holes in the wall.

There's really no practical way to treat this without the input and assistance of a veterinarian. If you decide to keep her, that's going to be your best course of action -- in the long term, it will be cheaper to get this resolved quickly and lead to much better quality of life for your pet (and you, by extension).

Saying this may make me unpopular, but if you decide not to keep her I really think your best option is to have her put down. It's very unlikely that you'll find someone who's got a big enough heart to take on this level of responsibility for a strange dog, so you probably won't be able to adopt her out. And taking her to the humane society really just offsets the responsibility to them and takes away time and resources that could be used to help other pets get into happy homes. The best she could hope for there is to spend the rest of her life in a crate with minimal human contact, which is really no life at all.

I'm not recommending that you put her down -- with proper assistance, you can overcome this. But if you decide that there's no way you can possibly keep her, do give it some thought.

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I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept
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Reese

Get the dog some shoes and make sure she wears them whenever she goes outside. If it's a grass allergy, the paws should clear up. If it doesn't clear up at least the dog has some awesome new shoes.

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cadre

A couple things here. While switching foods is somewhat hit and miss, you can take a good chunk of allergens out of the dogs diet by switching to the right foods. Taste of the Wild is a good option for this. At least it knocks out some of the most common food related problems.

Also, putting her down is definitely not a better option than giving her up for adoption. They could easily look for a no kill shelter or a breed specific rescue. I know of quite a few rescues that specialize in finding homes for dogs with medical problems.

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wooÐs

I would have opted for the no-kill cat shelter if it were available. But here, they're all full. Pretty sad. It's mainly the cat shelters that are full.

Assuming you were referring to me lol, he did get a home with a veterinarian who fell in love with him. I brought him in to a clinic to have him put down and she insisted on keeping him. Everything happens for a reason. That was a good day.

wooÐs

Peeking in for update...

amonkie

I'm an advocate for doing your homework. Just like you should research the breed before you pick your dog, you should do the same at times like these.


Breed rescue groups are a great place to get a wealth of information. I learned TONS about cockers that I could not find in books, including tips and things to try that other owners with similar problems have had. Its also reassuring to know that other dog owners were going through the same thing I was.

As long as you are being upfront with the current medical condition of the dog, you may find someone who feels a little more enthusiastic about living with a pet despite medical concerns.

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Calling from deep in the heart, from where the eyes can't see and the ears can't hear, from where the mountain trails end and only love can go... ~~~ Three Rivers Hare Krishna