Black Labrador Retriever always has Skin Problems - part I

Subject: Black Labrador Retriever always has Skin Problems - part I

From: John

Labrador Retriever Name: Charles ( Chucky )

Reader's E-mail - John Writes:

Hello, my name is John and I have a beautiful 2 year old male Black Lab who has always had skin problems. He is an American Labrador named Charles, ( Chucky ). It has gotten worse in the last few months, he has developed sores on his head and front paws. He was chewing on his tail and the area at the base of his tail.

The Vet fixed the problem with the tail and the hair grew back. Now he has these little sores sprinkled around his body. He is on antibiotics and allergy meds.

His skin has always been flaky and now more than ever. His hair on his back comes out real easy. The Vet ran some test and he does not have mange, now he is being tested for ring worm. It may sound like my doggie is hideous but he is not. I know my Chucky is very uncomfortable and need help determining what his condition is.

Thank you
John

All About Labradors Response:

Hi John,

Thank you for visiting All About Labradors blog. I'm sorry to hear about Charles condition. Please answer the below questions, as I need some further information to try to be of help to you.

First off, in regards to the problem with the tail, what did your veterinarian say it was, and what did he do to fix it? (Fleas?)

What kind of testing did your veterinarian do for mange?

He's had skin problems since birth?

How long has he had the sores, and when did it start developing?

Is there itching going on? If so, where?

Any licking of his paws going on?

Any problems with his ears?

Does Charles have a strong odor to his coat?

Any circular patches of hair loss?

What do you feed him - food - include name brand and flavor of food, treats - name brand and flavor, any table scrapes?

Any other conditions you can tell me about - weight gain, weight loss, lack of energy, etc.

With all the email questions I receive, I always ask a favor of the person writing. If you have any photos of your Labrador Retriever, that you could email me, I would love to post them to the Labrador Retriever Pictures blog. You DO NOT have to send a photo to receive an answer to your question.

Get back to me with the answers to these questions and we will continue from there.

Talk to you soon,
Fay

To read part II of John's email visit: Black Labrador Retriever always has Skin Problems - part II

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