# Skin scraping & blood test



## RachelJ (Oct 5, 2012)

Hello All

Happy New Year - hope you had a lovely festive period 

Darcie is going to the vets tomorrow morning for her blood test & skin scraping to try and get to the bottom of her allergy  For a good while now she has been itching under her chin and licking her vulva lots - it is hard for us to deal with so I cannot imagine how awful it is for her. I am hoping we will soon find out the cause of this and hopefully can make changes to ensure it clears and she doesnt feel irritated all the time.

Have any of your poos had this done and did you get the results you expected?

Thanks x


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## sugerlump (Oct 6, 2012)

ginger does the same thing, so when you find out what it is please tell me.but unlike most dogs ginger has seizures.so i have to watch her all the time .it breaks my heart when she gets one ,but there is nothing we can do about it. i love her so much .i really can't stand to watch when she has one ,,thank you


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## Mazzapoo (Jul 28, 2013)

Yes good luck with sorting Darcie's problems. Poppy regularly scratches under her chin quite violently but I can never see a reason and gave accepted it as 'her' but perhaps I should investigate.

Poor little Ginger - she's lucky to have such a devoted owner, all our poos are! And we're so lucky to have them too!


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

I hope you can find the reason, allergies are so difficult to sort out, sorry to hear about Gingers seizures Lumpy, its a worry. Dudley has a few minor behaviours which I think can be stress related, but i think have become a bit of a habit with him, it doesn't seem to take much for him to get into habits - good or bad. He chews the hair off his back feet but never down to the skin so I don't worry too much, (just annoying as it spoils a nicely groomed foot!),he too can scratch under his chin quite violently, I usually just gently distract him, recently I have noticed him rubbing his chin on the floor which looks funny. Good luck at the vets with Darcie.


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## Mazzapoo (Jul 28, 2013)

I suppose their chins are in contact with a massive number of substances - Poppy walks around with her tail straight up and her nose glued to the floor most of the time! She has a bit of brown colouring on some of the white on her chin too.....hmmmm maybe I need to start flannelling her face after eating like a toddler


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## melhardy (Dec 30, 2014)

*Skin allergy?*

Charlie my 9 month old male Cockapoo has a simular problem. He keeps biting and gnawing one part of his front right paw and bottom part of his leg only. It irratates him so much that the skin under the fur is red raw. 
We have put Thornit powder on the effected area thinking it might be a mite problem,but if he had mites i assume it would effect other parts of his body as well. Another possibility or cause could be where the vet shaved the leg to insert a catheter when he was castrated at 6 months,but the fur has just about grown back now. Anyway if it does not clear up it looks like a trip to the vets. Anybody got any clues or ideas what could be the cause ?.


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## RachelJ (Oct 5, 2012)

Thank-you for all your replies - they are funny creatures arent they 

I will let you know how we get on! Fingers crossed for results that are easy to stop it x


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

melhardy said:


> Charlie my 9 month old male Cockapoo has a simular problem. He keeps biting and gnawing one part of his front right paw and bottom part of his leg only. It irratates him so much that the skin under the fur is red raw.
> We have put Thornit powder on the effected area thinking it might be a mite problem,but if he had mites i assume it would effect other parts of his body as well. Another possibility or cause could be where the vet shaved the leg to insert a catheter when he was castrated at 6 months,but the fur has just about grown back now. Anyway if it does not clear up it looks like a trip to the vets. Anybody got any clues or ideas what could be the cause ?.


If it is in the area where he was shaved it could well have been that, it can be itchy for them and it could be that it has just become a habit now, Dudley has also been chewing around his dew claw on his front leg (and the nail itself).


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## fairlie (Sep 7, 2013)

DB1 said:


> I have noticed him rubbing his chin on the floor which looks funny.












Rufus has learned how to apply ice to his itchy chin.


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

fairlie said:


> Rufus has learned how to apply ice to his itchy chin.


love it! Dudley does this too!!


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## RachelJ (Oct 5, 2012)

We have had the results back from Darcies blood test & skin scrape today......

She is showing as being allergic to dust mites.
No sign of any allergies to food or anything else which is a good thing but I guess that would have been easier to treat.

Any suggestions on how we can help this. I already wash her & our bedding weekly & clean, hoover the house atleast once a week, not sure what else I can do. 1 website I have seen advised to remove any stuffed toys from the house  I would feel so mean, they are her friends!

Any help is appreciated 
Thanks x


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

Oh poor you, this would be a nightmare scenario for me as housework is never high on my agenda!! I remember reading something about freezing cuddly toys and then vacuuming them to get them really clean? (then keep them in a lidded box and just give them occasionally), maybe worth googling info on that, there is probably lots of helpful info on the internet regarding children with dust allergies and I'm sure some of it would be the same regarding dogs. At least you have found out what is causing it. Good luck.


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

Yikes...
Are there any natural remedies that might help her cope with the irritation cause by the nasty dust mite...


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## RachelJ (Oct 5, 2012)

I know I feel better now we know what is causing it but just a shame its not an easy fix! We have bought a spray from the vets to spray the whole house, carpets, curtains, rugs, Darcie bedding & stuffed toys. Apparently it is for killing all mites and it should protect for up to a year, I have sprayed everything this morning and taken Darcie to my mums for the day so we shall see if there is any improvement over the next few days at home. 

The vet said they can make up a vaccination for her which would help her ......at a cost of £270 and then £11 a month thereafter  but would mean she would have to have an injection every month  which I really dont like the sound of.

Going to buy a new hoover this weekend with a HEPA filter and try and be extra clean to see if we can solve this without going down the vaccination route. 

If anyone has any more suggestions please let me know 
Thanks x


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## susanb (Jan 19, 2012)

For the stuffed toys - you can seal them in a plastic bag and put them in the freezer for 48 hours. This kills mites. You can do this for bedding, pillows etc too. So you could have toys on a rotation - a couple of days out to be played with and then a couple of days in the freezer.


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## fairlie (Sep 7, 2013)

I recall putting stuffies in a very hot dryer when my son had asthma, not sure if it kills dust mites though? Before you go for the expensive meds I'd do more research. I remember hearing that it is rare NOT to be allergic to dust mites.


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## sugerlump (Oct 6, 2012)

hey i got this from google, it might help you understand what your in for.they are not easy to get rid of.hope this helps and good luck 

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8 Ways to Get Rid of Dust Mites

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Dust mites are tiny microscopic relatives of the spider and live on mattresses, bedding, upholstered furniture, carpets and curtains.

These tiny creatures feed on the flakes of skin that people and pets shed daily and they thrive in warm and humid environments.

No matter how clean a home is, dust mites cannot be totally eliminated. However, the number of mites can be reduced by following the suggestions below.

Preventive Strategies for Dust Mites

Use a dehumidifier or air conditioner to maintain relative humidity at about 50% or below.
Encase your mattress and pillows in dust-proof or allergen impermeable covers (available from specialty supply mail order companies, bedding and some department stores).
Wash all bedding and blankets once a week in hot water (at least 130 - 140°F) to kill dust mites. Non-washable bedding can be frozen overnight to kill dust mites.
Replace wool or feathered bedding with synthetic materials and traditional stuffed animals with washable ones.
If possible, replace wall-to-wall carpets in bedrooms with bare floors (linoleum, tile or wood) and remove fabric curtains and upholstered furniture.
Use a damp mop or rag to remove dust. Never use a dry cloth since this just stirs up mite allergens.
Use a vacuum cleaner with either a double-layered microfilter bag or a HEPA filter to trap allergens that pass through a vacuum's exhaust.
Wear a mask while vacuuming to avoid inhaling allergens, and stay out of the vacuumed area for 20 minutes to allow any dust and allergens to settle aInstitutes of Health. Dust Mites..




Sinus Problems? It Could Be a Sinus Infection

Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D?


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

So sorry to hear this, but I believe you can effectively manage the situation. You won't eradicate the mites, but you can control them in order to reduce symptoms. So we know that, dust mites love: 

Dead skin cells and dander
Humidity

They live in bedding, carpets, soft furnishings and clothes. The droppings of the dust mite is what causes the allergy. So frequent cleaning and dehumidifying works best in order to clear up the microscopic droppings (cleaning) and provide an environment that the mites won't survive in (dehumidifying).

I would get rid of any rugs with thick/long/shaggy pile. Get a bed that is the waterproof breathable material rather than soft and fluffy (don't worry, Darcie won't mind in the slightest). You need to wash in at least 60 degrees. Steaming is a good idea as the heat destroys the mite and the water dissolves the allergen (dust mite droppings), however, you must Hoover after steaming to pick up any remainder bits. Soft toys are fine, as long as you minimise the amount available and wash them at 60 every week. Obviously getting rid of carpets is the way forward as it's impossible to keep carpet clean, no matter how hard you try - this is an expense so if you can Hoover every other day and steam then Hoover your carpets once per week. 

A simple antihistamine should hel with any residual symptoms. The injection is practically useless as they will never be able to get it just right and you will need to do the most of the above anyway to reduce the mites/droppings. 

Good luck.


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## colpa110 (Jul 5, 2011)

I don't want to sound negative but have become a bit of an expert in allergies as have been battling Betty's for almost four years. In all that time I have hardly ever come across allergy results that DONT include House dust mites. I seriously believe that if you test any dog it will show a positive result - and believe it's just something to include when nothing else is showing up!!
Has your dog always been like this or is it something new??


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

colpa110 said:


> I don't want to sound negative but have become a bit of an expert in allergies as have been battling Betty's for almost four years. In all that time I have hardly ever come across allergy results that DONT include House dust mites. I seriously believe that if you test any dog it will show a positive result - and believe it's just something to include when nothing else is showing up!!
> Has your dog always been like this or is it something new??


I have to agree, I think we are all allergic to dust, with differing degrees of reactions.


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## RachelJ (Oct 5, 2012)

Thanks all! I have to agree that most dogs are allergic to dust mites and they usually do show up on the test results! That is the only thing that showed up - Dust & storage mites! Everything else was fine! 

Darcie has always scratched alot around her ears but I think that was fairly normal, then about 6months to a year later she started to scratch under her chin and around her mouth (maybe around the time I changed her food from Royal Canin to Barking heads, but this is maybe just a coincidence as she is not intolerant to any food) and then approx 6 months ago she started to lick her vulva.....alot! Before it used to be just after having a wee which was fine as she was just cleaning herself but now it is all the time randomly early hours of the morning she will vigorously lick & bite!

I am doing all I can with regards to hoovering (bought a new hoover with a HEPA filter) and washing - although I have always washed once a week and think I am clean but i guess like people say it doesnt matter how clean you and your house is you can never get rid of dust mites completely! 

Hoping we can sort something out x


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## fairlie (Sep 7, 2013)

Tell us about Darcies day. Could she be a bit bored and under stimulated? Some dogs will scratch and lick from stress when they have not had enough exercise and activity in general. Rufus certainly does this as a way of making me feel guilty on the days we can't spend an hour on ball fetching.


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## Miss Lilly (Sep 12, 2014)

Really sorry to hear about Darcie's problems. It must be very uncomfortable for her and difficult for you to watch.

I feel like a broken record but wonder if she might do better on a grain free, preferably raw diet? I've just looked up Barking Heads and it contains a lot of grains including rice and oats, and lentils.

Darcie may only be allergic to dust mites, but she may be intolerant of other things. Looking at one of your previous posts, you said that she is not intolerant to anything but at the same time you seem to have made a possible connection between a change in food and an increase in her scratching?

It's just a thought and may be a red-herring, but a minimally processed, grain free diet is beneficial in so many other ways that it could be worth a try...

Hope this helps


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## RachelJ (Oct 5, 2012)

Hi Miss Lily - sorry I should have mentioned I changed Darcies food to Wainwrights grain free but didnt make any difference at all that is when we decided to have the tests done as I had origionally thought it must be a food allergy x


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## RachelJ (Oct 5, 2012)

Darcie licks every day numerous times - even when she as been for a really long walk and lots of running she will have a bath and be chilling then just start licking..... x


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## susanb (Jan 19, 2012)

perhaps you could try the calming music that has been talked about on another thread.....just in case the licking is any sign of anxiety?


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## Cat 53 (Aug 26, 2012)

Could you try some canine Bowen on her? If her skin is prickling her Bowen may be able to reduce the prickle. Bowen can be really effective on children with exzema. It tends to soothe the irritation.
You can find a therapist on The European Guild of Canine Bowen Therapists website.


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## wellerfeller (Jul 12, 2011)

Hi, some times its the actual processing of the food that the dogs react to. I would give raw a go and maybe steer clear of chicken as dogs can also become allergic to certain proteins.


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