Maltese skin allergies?

If he's been on the hypoallergenic food for at least 12 weeks and you've seen no improvement whatsoever, you can be about 99% sure it's not a food allergy :) There's a small possibility he's allergic to one of the ingredients that hasn't been altered but it's pretty unlikely. I would move onto environmental causes for allergies. Anything from dust mites to cats can cause allergies. Ask your vet about an allergy test. Once they find the offender, they can often formulate allergy shots to re-program your dog's body, just like with humans. Also they can have antihistamines such as Benadryl, Claritin, and Zyrtec. Get the proper dose from your vet. Pick one and give for about a week. If you notice no improvement or little improvement, you can switch to the next. They recommend trying 3 different ones because some work better for a particular dog than others. Finally, if your vet isn't getting you what you need, ask if there's a doggy dermatologist in your area. Good luck!

I also wanted to add, since you're getting a lot of flak about the food.. food allergies are only about 10% of allergy cases in dogs. The other 90% of allergy cases in dogs are something in the environment. So statistically speaking it's not likely to be food allergies. Still a good thing to rule out, though.

Oops, one more thing. People often find that fish oil helps with skin issues. You can find it at the pet store. It has extra Omega fatty acids for healthy skin.

i wouldn't keep switching foods until i knew for sure it was the food. your best bet is to have her allergy tested. then you will hopefully know for sure what is bothering her. she's awful young so you don't want a life of steriod injections and food changes. the allergy test often tests for environement and food allergies. if it's food then you'll know what in the food is bothering her and be able to choose a brand of food that doesn't have that ingredient. if it's environemental, then if you can't remove the problem, such as a grass or other nature problem, you can get allergy shots that are designed to help her build up a resistance to that allergen. allergy testing can be expensive, but in the end it's often worth it. science diet does make a allergy food that has almost no allergens in it, it's called z/d ultra. if you are feeding an allergy food from the vet you can give no other foods or treats while on it. and yes often the dog does not like these foods. ask your vet if it comes in a canned form you can mix a small amount of canned with to help your dog want to eat it more. personally i would just go for the allergy testing instead of hit and miss experiments with the food. good luck and i hope she soon gets to feeling better. also i'm assuming she doesn't have fleas?

Hi. I don't think it's anything to do with the breed, as such.

He is obviously alllergic to something.

Just because he is on a hypoallergenic dog food, does not mean he is not allergic to one of the ingredients.

AS it's been going on for so long, I would say, change his diet. Take him off his food gradually and cook his food yourself. Completely natural. You can make a batch up and freeze it.

Or, go raw with raw bones.

He could also, be allergic to the medicated shampoo. So, I'd stop that also.

Bath him yourself, try a t tree oil shampoo and rinse him with half and half white vinegar and water and leave it on to dry.

Get a spray bottle and spray him every day with the same solution.

Give him, plain, natural yogurt every day and a good probiotic.

He could also have a yeast allergy. How does he smell? How are his ears? Any infections that he has been treated for?

You say, he has always had issues?

If it's yeast, any steroids or antibiotics, will make it worse.

Often vets don't look for yeast at all.

If he has smelly ears, use a half and half solution of white vinegar and witch hazel.

Flood and massage his ear, twice a day for 2 weeks. Then once a day for 1 week. Then once a month, always.

Let him shake his head and wipe away any muck.

There is a good website, with loads of advice. The pet section of. www.earthclinic.com

First of all, he is not soiling because he's angry. That is giving your dog an emotion that dogs do not have. If he has been reliably housebroken to this point, either he has an infection, or his allergy issues are bothering him to the extent that he forgets to go outside to potty.

Check the label on what you are feeding. Even though you've evidently been told the food is hypoallergenic, there may still be something in it that is not agreeing with him. The major allergens in food are corn, wheat, soy, and by-products mainly because the dog food manufacturer is not required to list what they are using, and artifical colors and preservatives. Also, chicken is now considered an allergen to dogs with food allergies, so stay away from that also. Store bought treats are absolutely terrible for dogs with allergies. For some reason, dog food manufacturers are not turning out as good treats as they are kibble. Make your own. I use wild salmon, rice flour, garlic powder, shredded carrots and enough water to form a dough. Mix everything in the food processor, then make inch size circles and bake at 350 for 17 minutes. Keep in the fridge and use as treats. Dogs love them.

"he's angry and lets us know by soiling my floor)."

That's not how dogs think. He's soiling your floor because he isn't being let out enough, and as i have found with my own experience dogs on kibble poop more and alot.

Sometimes dry itchy, sore skin can be from parasites or even allergies to the food. yes, i know you're on hypo-allergenic dog food. I was too for my dogs allergies and it did nothing for my dog and his allergies until we switched to raw now he's thriving and in the best condition he has ever been, haven't seen the vet for months, was going often especially because of his seizures which he no longer has.

Your vet can check him to determine what he is allergic to, they will sometimes prescribe Benedryl tablets to relieve the allergy, but the best thing is to determine what he is allergic to and avoid having him in contact. Many dogs have skin reactions to fleas and sometimes the weeds or grass they are exposed to can cause it.