Hot/crusty spots everywhere!

[Sugah]

Every February/march Moosh gets a hot spot. I don't understand it but we treat it and she's usually fine until the next year.
But this year it's crazy!
She's had two somewhat significant spots which cleared up a couple weeks ago. But now I've found three more patches of crusty skin (no open sores, more like very hard scabs).
Are these hot spots too? Any thoughs?
Everytime she gets them I chop the hair around them and clean. But I don't understand how all these spots keep popping up.
I should also add her coat suddenly looks really dull - and it usually shines.

I'm wondering if it could be partially food related? We changed from acana lamb and apple to the fish version a little over a month ago.

 

[DAWNMERIE]

Sounds like it could be food related, but the fact it happens every Feb/Mar makes me think possibly it's enviornmental. Do you keep a log on her? What made you change foods? Myra would get the crusty spots...I think with her it was due to the foods, but it popped up 2/3 months later. Feel up and down her sides (for pimples...pyoderma) Myra had it all over her body the last time we had a food related problem.

 

[Brandie&Maggie]

Sounds like maybe partially seasonal, and partially the food? Was there any particular reason you changed foods? Can you go back to the other formula to see if that helps?

 

[Sugah]

Thanks for the messages. I changed because I thought putting her on an ancestral diet would be better for her. :/
I'm going to switch back to the other food today and see if that works.

Dawnmerie, what kind of log? And no, I've never felt I needed to... But now I don't know.

 

[dgsumner]

Wellingon gets these hard little spots from time to time. To me they seem very seasonal - I give him fishoil and I brush him a lot - this oddly seems to help.
For me I think its about him shedding his winter coat and get oils that are being secreted on his skin distributed. He looked a bit dull the last few weeks, but he is looking very shiny now! I brush a little every day, and on sunday we have a big brush session, which he seems to really like, and I fill ( at this time of year) a shopping bag with hair.

 

[Brandie&Maggie]

Thanks for the messages. I changed because I thought putting her on an ancestral diet would be better for her. :/
I'm going to switch back to the other food today and see if that works.

Dawnmerie, what kind of log? And no, I've never felt I needed to... But now I don't know.

Well, at least by switching back you can eliminate that variable. If it helps, great. If not, you can pinpoint more seasonal allergy type concerns.

I found Maggie was able to eat Orijen regional red, but not 6 Fish. However, she's on a fish based homemade diet now - apparently salmon = good, white fish = bad for us. So trial and error!

I hope you can figure it out!

 

[DAWNMERIE]

Just my experience,

I mentioned log or note book just in regards to changes with her since you said it seems to happen the same time each year. I kept a log book cause I honestly thought it was something I was doing. But after my 4 yr look back only thing that made sense was the time of year...always the same, so I opted for the blood allergy testing. Year 4 it started a month or two early, which really threw me off and it did end up being a food issue that didn't pop up for 2/3 months after I changed her diet from Bison to Lamb. I was being pro-active about a Solid Gold recall. Allergy blood work showed she was allergic to Lamb not as highly allergic as to the enviornmental issues she has but besides the severe pyoderma she also had ear issues start up. :tequila: They always keep us on our toes...that's fer sure! Wishing you guys an easy answer, and hope changing the food back solves the issue. How old is she now? Has she shed her winter coat yet?

 

[Wayne A]

Kandy has had lots of skin problem but we feed her a Kangaroo based food and when any trouble starts clip around the area and apply Bacroban. Not sure on spelling have had good results with polysporin also. I truly understand what a nightmare this can be. Fortunately she has been good the last year or so. We are constanly trying to stay on top of it.

 

[Lisa@Caeles Hills]

I have always fed Orijen, or Acana, or tried other high end in lamb or fish, and STILL skin issues, worse in fall. I finally got the allergy test done a few weeks ago and SO glad I did! He's sensitive to corn, ( no surprise don't feed it anyway) barley, kelp, and alfalfa which are in most of the best foods! I was given a list of foods he can tolerate and many good grain free's are listed so he can still be on a high end kibble. Highly recommend the blood test as this is going to save me lots of vet bills and he is already feeling so much better and skin is healing! It cost $300

 

[victoria1140]

Could she need an extra good groom and blast out, thought it might be due to shedding and not enough air moving in the coat if that makes any sense

 

[Sugah]

She seems to be shedding her winter coat right now so I've been brushing her a couple times a day.
She was on Acana fish and I've now changed it back to the original food. Fingers crossed it helps.
I feel so bad for her she has all these bald patches now on her hind area

 

[Sugah]

@Dawnmerie, she's almost 3 and definitely shedding.

 

[AngusMcDubhsMom]

Gracie has same thing going on now too. She's on an antibiotic because the vet thinks it's bacterial, but he also mentioned could be food allergy...but I haven't changed her food. sigh