My Labrador is suffering from hair loss due to a blood parasite.

[Mobi]

This has been going on for several months now. He licks an area on one of his legs until he through to the flesh, and there are patches developing on his body with no hair. He is continually scratching and licking his skin.

We took him to a vet several months ago who did a blood test and told us he had a blood parasite. He gave him a shot and gave us a course of meds to give him.

His condition improved and he stopped scratching and licking. But within a week or so of finishing the course of meds, he started itching again.

We went back to the vet - another shot and another course of meds. He improved, but relapsed when the meds finished.

We are now into a third cycle on this. There is no doubt that the meds are helping but they are not curing him completely.

I'm afraid I don't know what meds he is taking (little white pills), but no doubt I can find out next time we go there.

In all other respects he seems fit and healthy, always hungry and is very lively. We take him to the park every day he runs himself silly, and has loads of energy.

It's really difficult to trust vets here, and most of them just want your money and tell you a lot of BS. The vet we use seems to be genuinely caring and I trust him, but Micky is not getting cured.

Any suggestions or ideas what I should do?

[pokoal2000]

I wish I could help, but we got exactly same problem with our Alsation. I wait and see if anyone has a suggestion.

[Mobi]

I wish I could help, but we got exactly same problem with our Alsation. I wait and see if anyone has a suggestion.

Seems I'm not the only one....

Actually, it is a common problem with street dogs - some of them have lost nearly all their hair and look terrible, poor things..

I'm also wondering if it's contagious, as I also have two Shih Tzus.

Edited February 4, 2016 by Mobi

[dddave]

I had a Black Lab in the US with the same problem and was told at the time that it was a common problem with the breed. My home city of Boston has one of the worlds most renowned animal hospitals, Angell Memorial Hosp. and even they were unable to come up with a cure. We tried many different treatment's but it would usually go away for a while then re-appear. Miserable for the dog.

[meatboy]

I wish I could help, but we got exactly same problem with our Alsation. I wait and see if anyone has a suggestion.

Seems I'm not the only one....

Actually, it is a common problem with street dogs - some of them have lost nearly all their hair and look terrible, poor things..

I'm also wondering if it's contagious, as I also have two Shih Tzus.

hi mobi me and mrs meat have been going through the same problem see BLOOD TESTS ARE WE BEING CONNED.

we have just came back from the best animal hospital in korat and at last we seem to be getting somewhere with our boy,and not being conned.

ours has been exactly the same as yours,fit,healthy,eating,drinking and not showing any symptoms of parasite desease.

have you got the results of the blood test,me and the wife now exactly what is what after 13months of test after test.

the small white tablets you have been given could be PREDNISOLONE. if the dog is drinking a lot dont worry its the tabs.

as we lost trust in the past 4vets,we ask them what they are given them and a print out of the blood test result.

if it is parasite infection the dog should have been given doxy short for doxycylcline.they are small yellow.

there is so much information on a laboratory analysis report for you to compare your test with the normal range.

ask your vet for it and what tabs he has given you.

good luck mobi and hope he gets well soon.

HOW ARE YOU.

[isanbirder]

This sounds more like a form of mange than a blood parasite?

You don't say whereabouts you live, so it's not really possible for anybody to suggest where you can go to get it treated

[A. BOOZER]

Just looked up the medication, it looks like long term usage may be problematical. Always a personal choice, but I would not self medicate for myself or for my dogs.

https://www.vetinfo.com/prednisone-side-effects-dogs.html

Edited February 4, 2016 by A. BOOZER

[Jeffrey346]

Parasites are very difficult to cure without constant medical attention. It seems the meds can affect vital organs. My Lab had them about a year ago. Our Vet gave her an injection and we gave her meds daily for 2 weeks.

This process continued for 3 cycles and she is now fine.

Check with your vet and make sure your dog is getting top rated meds and not the cheap generic ones that may or may not work.

[Stupi]

Similar problem with farm dogs in South Africa.

Parasitic infections are notoriously difficult to eradicate.

Only continuous cycles of medication, shots and pills, without a break for the parasites to gain strength once again, will cure this.

If lifetime mediation is necessary this is better than the constant itching.

Good luck.

[DGS1244]

I wonder if you brought your dogs to Thailand from another country? It is just that I was told by a vet, I have two small Thai bred dogs, that dogs from abroad do not have the resistance in their system that Thai bred dogs do. The same vet advised against importing dogs from other countries as they frequently have problems, particularly with their hearts. Hope you find a solution to the reoccurring problem, if you do let us all know for the future.

[bark]

I have lived here for 12 years now. Whenever I go to the doctor or take my dog to the Vet. I always look at the med's on the internet.

What are they for, side effects, other natural cures etc etc. You cannot trust any doctor, here or in any Western country. These doctors and Vet

make money from the big drug companies. Why do they always get free drug samples to give to you. You take the samples, feel better and they say you should take for the rest of your life. B.S.

Sorry about your dog, hope he get better.

[wombat]

just saying what worked for me in the tropics with dogs in oz.

teaspoonful of sulphur in the evening meal will sort out the blood thing.

vitamin B will get rid of the itch part.....same deal,tablet disguised in the evening meal.

i have no veterinary qualifications.....im just saying what has worked for me.

[Mobi]

This sounds more like a form of mange than a blood parasite?

You don't say whereabouts you live, so it's not really possible for anybody to suggest where you can go to get it treated

Pattaya. There must be at least 100 vets here , if not more, and I don't trust any of them. Had many bad and expensive experiences through the years.

My current vet is a husband and wife team (both qualified) and as I said they are very caring and reasonable in their charges. He does his own blood tests and shows us the results, so I tend to think he knows what he's doing.

But I can't be sure....

[Mobi]

I wonder if you brought your dogs to Thailand from another country? It is just that I was told by a vet, I have two small Thai bred dogs, that dogs from abroad do not have the resistance in their system that Thai bred dogs do. The same vet advised against importing dogs from other countries as they frequently have problems, particularly with their hearts. Hope you find a solution to the reoccurring problem, if you do let us all know for the future.

No, all my dogs are born and bred in Thailand - wouldn't dream of importing a dog to Thailand, but many do. Neither would I dream of exporting a dog from Thailand to Europe or the USA, but many do.

But we are digressing.

Thank you for your kind words, I will keep in touch on this as many people seem to have similar problem with their dogs.

[Mobi]

Parasites are very difficult to cure without constant medical attention. It seems the meds can affect vital organs. My Lab had them about a year ago. Our Vet gave her an injection and we gave her meds daily for 2 weeks.

This process continued for 3 cycles and she is now fine.

Check with your vet and make sure your dog is getting top rated meds and not the cheap generic ones that may or may not work.

Thank you. You have given me hope that we should just continue with the treatment. When the current course of meds is finished I will go and ask the vet about it all, find out what meds he has prescribed and ask to see the blood test results.

[Caspersfriend]

Sorry about your Lab Mobi. Unfortunately I lost mine to a snake bite last year but he had a similar problems a while back due to infestation from the brown dog tick. As you will be well aware Labs love water ... and ticks love warm moist dogs. He was infested, our mongrel p[that incidentally I did bring from overseas] had a few but it was Tiga they loved. They laid their eggs all over him and for a while our house! Literally hundreds of tiny dots on the walls that were the babies. The vet we took him to has now moved away so I can't tell you the actual treatment but I do know that it took months to get rid of the blood parasite element and we had to be rigid with ensuring he never missed a pill nor injection. One egg surviving will start a new colony. We also changed his diet to freshly cooked food and dusted him daily with Proguard - Tick & Flea powder.

My advice, simply as a dog lover, is [if you haven't already] get the exact parasite identified as the shotgun approach [favoured by lazy vets] will not always work and the side affects of prolonged treatment can lead to other issues.

Good luck..

May not be this but just some background on the tick aspect: http://www.merckvetmanual.com/pethealth/dog_disorders_and_diseases/blood_disorders_of_dogs/blood_parasites_of_dogs.html

[Sudgirl]

Hi Dimataceous Earth (spelling) will rid dogs of parasites please read up on this treatment for dogs. It's very cheap and works well, I know many people who have used this treatment both for themselves and pets too.

[sead]

Just to be on the sure side. You do clean all the places and surfaces he have been in contact with? All that can be washed should, and if not then throw it.

Edited February 4, 2016 by sead

[rapom]

Google "skin mites on dogs" and look at the pictures of symptoms. From your description, this is what it could be. Treatment can take several weeks to be completely eradicated using both oral medications and medicated shampoos. You killed the adults with oral meds, but the eggs will still hatch, starting the cycle all over again.

[rapom]

Just to be on the sure side. You do clean all the places and surfaces he have been in contact to? All that can be washed should, and if not then throw it.

Yes, do make sure your family and other pets are not exposed. Best to quarantine the dog and avoid physical contact during treatment, till all symptoms are gone. If it is skin mites, they are parasites and humans can be hosts.

[murray122]

This sounds more like a form of mange than a blood parasite?

You don't say whereabouts you live, so it's not really possible for anybody to suggest where you can go to get it treated

Pattaya. There must be at least 100 vets here , if not more, and I don't trust any of them. Had many bad and expensive experiences through the years.

My current vet is a husband and wife team (both qualified) and as I said they are very caring and reasonable in their charges. He does his own blood tests and shows us the results, so I tend to think he knows what he's doing.

But I can't be sure....

North Pattaya animal hospital (opposite Bkk Pattaya hospital); they've always sorted my two labs out a treat

[mikiea]

This sounds more like a form of mange than a blood parasite?

You don't say whereabouts you live, so it's not really possible for anybody to suggest where you can go to get it treated

Pattaya. There must be at least 100 vets here , if not more, and I don't trust any of them. Had many bad and expensive experiences through the years.

My current vet is a husband and wife team (both qualified) and as I said they are very caring and reasonable in their charges. He does his own blood tests and shows us the results, so I tend to think he knows what he's doing.

But I can't be sure....

it is a form of mange , and it can be passed from animal to animal . prednisone is a at end life drug , makes comfortable , but does not cure , the vets are lazy ass's or they want you to return . try to find a good one . there is a course of med's that works . and keep your dog away from other dogs . good luck ...

Edited February 4, 2016 by mikiea

[snowgard]

I think your dog has the most common blood parasite Ehrlichiose/Anaplasmose!!! All my german sheperd dogs got it before.

To solve it you don't need a vet but a big pack of Doxycycline. Give it for 4 weeks to the dog and all gone.

Ehrlichiose

- 5 - 10 mg/kg every 12 - 24 h vor 2 - 3 month or

- 10 mg/kg 2 × daily for 2 - 3 weeks,

make a bloodcheck again 2.5 month later

Easy to handle.

For the skin my thai wife bought a yellow powder from a chinese pharmacy in Naklua.

Price was around 20-30 THB.

This powder smells like Sulfur. I think it is sulfur. We mix it with a little bit water and Oliveoil and give it on the infected skin. Don't wash it out. Some days later the skin is well again and new hair comes.

If you have more dogs you can ask a doc or pharmacy to sell you a box of Doxycycline wih 500 capsules for 600-800 THB.

Edited February 4, 2016 by snowgard

[meatboy]

I think your dog has the most common blood parasite Ehrlichiose/Anaplasmose!!! All my german sheperd dogs got it before.

To solve it you don't need a vet but a big pack of Doxycycline. Give it for 4 weeks to the dog and all gone.

Ehrlichiose

- 5 - 10 mg/kg every 12 - 24 h vor 2 - 3 month or

- 10 mg/kg 2 × daily for 2 - 3 weeks,

make a bloodcheck again 2.5 month later

Easy to handle.

For the skin my thai wife bought a yellow powder from a chinese pharmacy in Naklua.

Price was around 20-30 THB.

This powder smells like Sulfur. I think it is sulfur. We mix it with a little bit water and Oliveoil and give it on the infected skin. Don't wash it out. Some days later the skin is well again and new hair comes.

If you have more dogs you can ask a doc or pharmacy to sell you a box of Doxycycline wih 500 capsules for 600-800 THB.

our boy was given doxy for over 5months this time,although the blood test said NO PARASITE FOUND,there was always the excuse from the vets are they are very difficult to find,thin capsules,clumping as i posted the topic HIDDEN DANGER.in over 30yrs.you would think i have learnt a lesson but it does take time but we are getting there.

[snowgard]

For one of my dogs I given a higher amount too because it don't gone. After 2 month everything ok.

Now we don't had problems anymore the last 2 years. But for some dogs it never gone.

Maybe you try another antibiotic like Tetracycline.

Ehrlichia canis

All breeds are prone to CME. However, German Shepherd dogs and Siberian Huskies are predisposed to develop more severe clinical signs of ehrlichiosis; therefore, these breeds have a worse prognosis [119,120]. This fact was corroborated in experimental studies, which showed that the cell-mediated immune response to a challenge with E. canis was reduced in German Shepherd dogs compared to Beagle dogs [119].

Canine ehrlichiosis may appear at any age. No sex predisposition has been detected in the development of CME. Some studies have found higher seropositivity in males, but this may be explained by a higher exposure to vectors than females, due to behavioral characteristics [121]. Similarly, in epidemiological studies, higher seropositivity rates were found in older dogs [121-123]; this observation may be attributed to a higher probability of exposure to E. canis as the dog ages, rather than an increase in susceptibility with age.

Full article: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4324656/

Merck Manual for Vets: http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/generalized_conditions/rickettsial_diseases/ehrlichiosis_and_related_infections.html

[KarlosInBKK]

Sorry to hear of your dog's distress. I can't recommend any medication, but my friend who manages a dog charity recommended turmeric oil for skin irritation. I treated a street dog with this. The dog had red mange. I applied it to the itchy area whenever I saw him. Beware though, it is yellow and will stain clothes, furniture etc. I also applied a Thai style Frontline ointment to the back of his neck. Within a few weeks he was completely fine. I understand that your dog has different symptoms, but it could be worth a try.

[Mobi]

Thank you for all your replies - I am slightly overwhelmed by all the suggestions. For the moment I will carry on with the course of meds and we will wash him regularly with medicated shampoo.

If it looks like we are not getting anywhere I will look further at the alternative suggestions.

For the avoidance of doubt - Micky still has most of his hair, and the main hair loss is underneath and around his crotch area. But I can also see patches on his main coat where it is thinning out, and then there are the sores on his leg where he has licked them.

Here's some pics we took today, where you can see that the hair has thinned out around his legs.

[Caspersfriend]

Thank you for all your replies - I am slightly overwhelmed by all the suggestions. For the moment I will carry on with the course of meds and we will wash him regularly with medicated shampoo.

So much negativity spouted on TV it's good to see that all on here are trying to help your pal.

As well as the medicated shampoo, I suggest you consider [if you haven't already] some Antihistamines. It most likely won't help in curing the prevailing condition but may well reduce his compulsion to scratch those already inflamed areas ... which may restrict it spreading.

[meatboy]

hi mobi just a thought ours went through this 3yrs ago,itching,licking,scratching and then developing soars what was it? HOT SPOTS.

google hot spots on dogs and click on PETMED.

[robertson468]

Hi Doggie People. We have three dogs. A labrador, a terrier mix and a Merle Great Dane. The former are fit and wonderfully well, but the Merle, which we bought as a six week old pup had been persistently very poorly. He had blisters on his paws which made going out painful, itchy dry skin, bare patches on his hind quarters, weepy eyes, upset tummy and constantly lethargic. Our Vet, who is a really good and well read Guy tried a variety of treatments; injections, pills and different biscuits that claimed to be anti this and anti that. The Vet said the dog's low immune system is the problem, which he diagnosed from the blood tests and he was trying everything he knew to boost it. Like others on the Forum, the treatment would work for a while and then, the poor lad was back to square one again and again. It was not only frustrating, but terribly upsetting to see him looking and feeling good for a while, only to once again take a dive. My Wife, whose "Little Boy" he is did some comprehensive research on the website and we came across this feeding regime called B.A.R.F. which stands for Bone and Raw Food. Included in the raw food is veggies and fruit, but check which ones are good for dogs. In a period of a week, we changed all the dogs over to B.A.R.F and they get a breakfast and evening dinner. We buy the bones and raw meat from one of the well know Cash and Carries, chop it to manageable chomping sizes and freeze it. The night before it gets defrosted and and fed to the dogs the next day. Well, I could not believe what happened. The blisters disappeared, his coat is beautiful and shiny, his eyes are 90% better and he is now an absolute galloping, playful idiot! The labrador's coat is all shiny and loves to go for a run with me and the terrier mix, whose coat was so straggly we called her Mommem, which in English means scruffy, but now has a beautiful shiny coat that no longer tangles (perhaps I need to change her name?!). I was so impressed that I told my Daughter in UK who has an older Lab, about 12 years or so. She said he appeared to be loosing his zest for life and his coat too was loosing it's natural shine. He was also prone to various infections etc. She put him on B.A.R.F and Walla - his coat is looking good and his energy levels have zoomed up and is now an all round "happy chappy". I must admit that at the beginning, I was very, very cynical, but since the "Big Boy" was her Baby, I thought better to try something than let this unacceptable state of health in him continue - we actually feared we would loose him because of his very low immune. So, if your dog is catching this and catching that and is never really fighting off the host of things that they can catch, I would strongly recommend you try B.A.R.F. You can also look it up on the website and they even have a B.A.R.F Club in Thailand (if you have a Thai Partner), although I must confess, I don't know if they have one in other Countries. Personally, now, I would never, ever feed my dogs with commercial dog biscuits. Often, you do not know what you are getting and if you have to get premium biscuits, it is costing you an arm and a leg, for what? I hope our experience might help other dog lovers on the forum, and of course everything expressed here, is based on our own personal experience. I wish you and your four legged friend a happy and a fit time together barf, barf!