Vet in Dublin that specialises in skin conditions

Hi All,

Got my dog from shelter in September, his coat was perfect. since then it has gotten very bad in a certain patch all red and raw. He has had his food changed numerous time, numerous visits to vets who prescribed anti biotics and steroids etc but its even worse now.

Does anyone know any vets in Dublin preferably or Leinster that specialise in skin conditions?

Please don't just post your local vet because you recommend him, the dog has been to 3 separate vets who cannot help and it is costing us a fortune, anyone know any vets that specialise in skin condition?

Thanks

andreac

Do you mind me asking what food he is on now and what you have tried?

Have you tried the raw diet? Also what breed is he?

irish_goat

You could ask your vet to refer you to UCD, specifically Rory Breathnach.

http://www.ucd.ie/vetmed/staff/veterinaryclinicalstudies/rorybreathnach/

borderlinemeath

Maliah Squeaking Cupboard wrote: »

Hi All,

Got my dog from shelter in September, his coat was perfect. since then it has gotten very bad in a certain patch all red and raw. He has had his food changed numerous time, numerous visits to vets who prescribed anti biotics and steroids etc but its even worse now.

Does anyone know any vets in Dublin preferably or Leinster that specialise in skin conditions?

Please don't just post your local vet because you recommend him, the dog has been to 3 separate vets who cannot help and it is costing us a fortune, anyone know any vets that specialise in skin condition?

Thanks

What breed is he? And have you tried any grain free foods? Or a good quality wet food that is high in meat? The number one allergen for dogs is gluten or wheat and it's in a lot of dog foods. TBH most vets will recommend either Prescription Hills or Royal Canin because they sell it, along with a course of steroids, which only mask the condition rather than cure it. He could possibly have a reaction to chicken, which is the meat used in the majority of dog foods, or even rice, which is the most benign grain, but still can cause issues in some dogs. Or even a reaction to the storage mites that live in every bag of dog food, no matter how expensive, that's where you might have success with a good quality wet food - nothign like pedigree or any of the tins you get in a supermarket but something like Naturediet, Rocco, Rinti, Lukullus - all available online.

Raw or home cooked is another option, raw preprepared foods are available easily enough from Carnivore Kellys, Slaney Pet foods, or even making your own with building up a relationship with your local butcher, or the reduced counter in your local supermarket. Fish is a great protein for itchy skinned dogs, the oils are fantastic and it's great for their coats and skin. Even something like sardines and mashed potato if you're stuck for a meal. Cheap frozen turkeys are always seasonally on offer from Aldi/Lidl or Dunnes and deboned there's loads of meat for plenty of meals and you could make up a soup or stew for him.

Millem

Maliah Squeaking Cupboard wrote: »

Hi All,

Got my dog from shelter in September, his coat was perfect. since then it has gotten very bad in a certain patch all red and raw. He has had his food changed numerous time, numerous visits to vets who prescribed anti biotics and steroids etc but its even worse now.

Does anyone know any vets in Dublin preferably or Leinster that specialise in skin conditions?

Please don't just post your local vet because you recommend him, the dog has been to 3 separate vets who cannot help and it is costing us a fortune, anyone know any vets that specialise in skin condition?

Thanks

Goose this is probably a stupid question...did you get that allergy blood test thing done and the depending on results they make up a vaccine?
Or did you try those very expensive tablets..atopica

borderlinemeath

borderlinemeath wrote: »

What breed is he? And have you tried any grain free foods? Or a good quality wet food that is high in meat? The number one allergen for dogs is gluten or wheat and it's in a lot of dog foods. TBH most vets will recommend either Prescription Hills or Royal Canin because they sell it, along with a course of steroids, which only mask the condition rather than cure it. He could possibly have a reaction to chicken, which is the meat used in the majority of dog foods, or even rice, which is the most benign grain, but still can cause issues in some dogs. Or even a reaction to the storage mites that live in every bag of dog food, no matter how expensive, that's where you might have success with a good quality wet food - nothign like pedigree or any of the tins you get in a supermarket but something like Naturediet, Rocco, Rinti, Lukullus - all available online.

Raw or home cooked is another option, raw preprepared foods are available easily enough from Carnivore Kellys, Slaney Pet foods, or even making your own with building up a relationship with your local butcher, or the reduced counter in your local supermarket. Fish is a great protein for itchy skinned dogs, the oils are fantastic and it's great for their coats and skin. Even something like sardines and mashed potato if you're stuck for a meal. Cheap frozen turkeys are always seasonally on offer from Aldi/Lidl or Dunnes and deboned there's loads of meat for plenty of meals and you could make up a soup or stew for him.

Thanks so much for the detailed post. He is a little jack Russell type mongrel, hes quite muscular so i reckon he might have a small bit of staffie in him somewhere along.

Hes on burns sensitive plus dry dog food at the moment. I have attached a picture of his back but it doesn't really show how sore and red/raw he is because he keeps at it.

Another opinion we had from a friend was that maybe its stress or something and that's why he keeps at it but we don't really know. All I know is when we got him he didn't have any problems.

He did however chew everything when he got home and then he started at his back a few weeks later

His natural skin has spots all over it and in the last month they have become more visible so it seems his hair is thinning as well, he sheds quite alot.

andreac

But have you tried grain and cereal free foods at all? Or go for the raw diet, completely natural.
I have one of my Rotties on raw now as he was chewing the feet off himself and had very sore ears.
The difference is unreal. I highly recommend the diet route and explore all options there first to rule out issues there.

borderlinemeath

He's mostly white, with pinkish I presume? For some reason dogs with white fur/pink skin are very much in the firing line for skin allergies. If I recall correctly it's something to do with the lack of pigmentation in their skin.

Burns is ok food wise but there's better out there. Is the sensitive one grain free (is it the fish or duck and potato one?) but again he might have issues with the storage mites regardless. If he's a jacker cross you'd feed him fairly easily on a raw or home cooked diet, it's about 3-4% of their body weight. Or have a look on zooplus for the wet foods mentioned above, again, something fish based would be best.

He would need to go on what's known as an elimination diet, that means cutting out all treats such as dentastiks or anything with grain and feeding exclusively grain free/wet/fresh/raw food for at least 6-8 weeks. You may not see a difference immediately as the scratching or biting at his back may have become behavioural and almost a "comfort" to him. I know a dog that had huge issues with a food allergy, his vet had him on steroids and eventually labelled it as a pollen and grass allergy but it took him less than 3 months to adjust to his new raw diet and all his itching eventually subsided. Prior to changing diets he had to wear a buster collar every night and had bandaged legs most of the time. If he didn't have bandages he would lick til he bled, or he figured out that sitting on the step he could rub his legs off the bend . He had also become bloated and cranky from all the steroids but hasn't been on them in a few years now and is a different dog.

aonb

That photo looks pretty bad - I would definately ask your vet for a referral to UCD. I feel so sorry for you and your little dog - getting these skin/itch things diagnosed/sorted can be so tricky!

I had a JRT X that had a skin itch that we never got diagnosed - he was taken to 3 or 4 vets, skin scrapings, allergy tests etc etc etc. In the end out of sheer desperation, we started to feed him home cooked food only (I dont handle raw being a bit of a vegetarian type!) - this really helped (cutting out grains, only feeding chicken/rice/veg/potatos). I also gave him coconut oil in his food, also helped, and a supplement called Bionic Biotic - advertised for skin itches/coat problems which also helped - see link below


http://poochandmutt.co.uk/product/bionic-biotic-supplement-for-digestion-skin-coat-and-condition/

If he is stressy/anxious then its probably not food related, but I would definately recommend looking more in to getting grains out of his diet. Go to UCD if you can and can afford it. See what they say. Then maybe if that doesnt help look at the food option. If it is stress/anxiety related there are options that you can investigate too (lots of advise on the subject on here) but best to get the medical possibilities sorted first.

GOOD LUCK - let us know how you get on, I know how it is to have a pet having a problem like this - the pits watching them bothering a spot, and they look so awful and sore you feel even worse.

@aonb

@aonb

Its the burns duck and brown rice labelled sensitive dog food

andreac wrote: »

But have you tried grain and cereal free foods at all? Or go for the raw diet, completely natural.
I have one of my Rotties on raw now as he was chewing the feet off himself and had very sore ears.
The difference is unreal. I highly recommend the diet route and explore all options there first to rule out issues there.

When you guys mean raw do you actually mean giving the dog raw food? any raw meats

Could we give him what we eat for dinner? once we cut the grains , so just the meat and veg if he would eat it

Thanks so much for all the help

andreac

Yeah raw mince, wings, chicken or turkey necks, offal etc.

You could feed him very cheaply as he's so small.

At the mo it's costing me roughly 50 euro for a month of raw food from carnivore kellys to feed my male rottie.

He gets minced chicken or minced duck, Wings or necks and some offal daily.
You feed them roughly 2% of their bodyweight in food every day.

borderlinemeath

Maliah Squeaking Cupboard wrote: »

@aonb

Its the burns duck and brown rice labelled sensitive dog food



When you guys mean raw do you actually mean giving the dog raw food? any raw meats

Could we give him what we eat for dinner? once we cut the grains , so just the meat and veg if he would eat it

Thanks so much for all the help

Spuds too! No cooked bones at all though.

Raw means just that, raw meat, with some cooked vegetables, and some herbal additives. Have a look at some of the preprepared chubs, really easy to start off with, once you get confident and have the storage space you could buy in bulk, but with a jacker x even the chubs won't work out that expensive. Depot is in clondalkin so within easy reach of you.

http://www.carnivorekellys.ie/depot.php

aonb

Raw diets are hugely popular and well documented on here - do a search for more information on "raw diets" on this forum. The guys who feed raw will give you lots of tips and pointers. Dogs afterall are carnivores and MEAT is what they evolved on! Like all new diets/changes to diets you should introduce anything new slowly - over the course of a week at least.

If you are interested in home cooked, which is what I use, take a large pot, add chicken pieces (on the bone), a cup of brown rice, any veg that is cheap/in season - carrots/peas/turnips/brocolli etc - chopped - and top with water. Boil until the meat is cooked. Take it off the bone (never feed cooked bones! You can bone the meat before cooking, and give raw bones in moderation), chop it up and return to the pot. Put whole lot in the fridge, and you have enough food for your terrier for many meals! I usually cook this up once/week and vary it with maybe different veg, or potatos instead of rice, or swap chicken for beef, for a bit of variety

Aru

Rory brethnach in ucd is the resident dermatologist.Id be looking for a referral to there.

His issues may not be food related.
There are dozens of causes of skin issues in dogs from mites,allergies(enviormental allergies can be as big an issue as food intolerences) to hormone imbalance's. Ucd's team are good at looking at the overall picture and putting together plans to get to the bottom of these sort of issues as they have numerous specialists on site.

shaymus27

You could do an internet search for your dog's symptons.

I found hills science plan made my dog itchy so gave him maxizoo gluten and wheat free duck and potato. It does have chicken or poultry fat in it.

New Acana singles have a lamb food with no wheat etc. Acana and Orijen are expensive but Acana singles with lamb looks to me like a good food for food intolerance - I bought some but the hassle of having it delivered was a pain - look up bernpetfoods.co.uk as I think it is the distributor for these parts and should have fresher food. Look up the Acana singles brochure of ingredients out of curiosity.

You said don't mention local vet but I found Tom Spillane of Vetcare - he is based in Portlaoise in the mornings, impossible to find out where in the afternoons to be the best vet I have ever encountered. He is highly regarded by anyone I met who has a dog in the area.

You could ring him in Portlaoise in the mornings - you may have to battle through the vet nurses who answer the phone to get him to call you back as he is always in demand. If what he says makes sense to you, you might visit and if not don't. Don't know what he's like with skin stuff it could be the one thing he's not good at -but in general he is very good.

A long time ago I found John Carey of Carey and Keane in Dublin to be good and there were vets years ago in charlemont street who were very good.

You need to get the best vet in a practice so don't keep going to practices - go to the best vet in that practice.

Give any vet you do go to a complete history of what medication your dog has been on. At this stage the medications might be confusing things.

Try think of what has changed in outside, inside environment - foxglove was planted by someone and I think it made their dog unwell. New cleaning agents, carpet stuff.

Good luck.

shaymus27

Apologies for posting same thing twice in error previously.

UCD vet hospital website say they have someone who specialises in various problems and one is Dermatology.

They probably have better and more technology than anywhere else and should be able to call upon specialists in more than one field for consultation if one isn't sure.

Look up their website. I would go for them. Find out the price but it might be worth it instead of spending a lot on different vets.

tk123

Having VERY mixed experiences of UCD for different issues my advise would be to save yourself some money and try a grain free wet or home prepared diet. Or even a cold pressed grain free food that has a shorter shelf life so I'd imagine less time for storage mites to be present?

Every time I was at UCD they pushed some variety of RC. Last time it was when Bailey's breath was stinking after his op - told me it was his raw diet to but I t had only started since all of his jaw issues...my own vet reckoned it was the painkillers being harsh on his tummy and to start supplementing with probiotics and problem solved. Also to be aware you may not ever see the specialist but a team of students who will take the dog off to see the speciast rather than them coming to you. I get that it's a teaching hospital but it can be frustrating when you're out of your mind with worry to give the same history/details again and again....and again.

shaymus27

As referred to elsewhere in replies, there are breeds who are inclined to suffer from skin conditions.

Find out what breeds they are.

Contact the secretary of their breed club - ask the Irish Kennel Club or google them. Contact the Irish kennel club anyway. A man used to be president don't know if he still is - Sean Delmar is one of the nicest most helpful men you will meet - get through to him if the IKC don't give you satisfaction. He is unbelievably approachable and helpful - he was for me a long time ago.

They should be able to tell you of vets in Dublin they have found good for skin problems for their own dogs who suffer skin problems.

I found vets not to be great with allergies. Not saying it is an allergy.

Your dog may need pain relief - hopefully the medication agrees with him.

Pete widderburn or something is vets name ontv3, he might be based in bray. You could grasp at straws and send a better pic with history by email to the irish supervet in England from channel 4 and ask him for an opinion.

fiounnalbe

shaymus27 wrote: »

You could grasp at straws and send a better pic with history by email to the irish supervet in England from channel 4 and ask him for an opinion.

Fitzpatricks are orthopedic and neurology specialists only as far as I am aware.

Treating allergies is a very long process. A lot of people seem to think that a vet should have a diagnosis and cure for them on their first visit. I know personally I suffer from allergies and still the doctors sometimes struggle to control it. I would pick a good vet and stick with them through all the trials etc until you find something that works. Every time you move vet it's probably starting from scratch again...

boardbrowser

Poor little fella. It could indeed be a dietary issue , however,
Have any of the vets you have seen to date ruled out hypothyroidism as being the possible culprit here?

Some clinical signs can include
1-Hair loss ( especially bilateral hair loss), coarse and dull coat, excessive shedding
2- Weight gain
3-Lethargy
4-Intolerance to cold
5-'Drooping' facial expression
6- Recurring ear infections, redness or ear odour.

boomerang

tk123 wrote: »

Having VERY mixed experiences of UCD for different issues my advise would be to save yourself some money and try a grain free wet or home prepared diet.

But you're presuming the issue is dietary. That's not for you or I to say. Rory Breathnach is the top veterinary dermatologist in the country. I'd be asking for a UCD referral, personally.

Satori Rae

Maliah Squeaking Cupboard wrote: »

Hi All,

Got my dog from shelter in September, his coat was perfect. since then it has gotten very bad in a certain patch all red and raw. He has had his food changed numerous time, numerous visits to vets who prescribed anti biotics and steroids etc but its even worse now.

Does anyone know any vets in Dublin preferably or Leinster that specialise in skin conditions?

Please don't just post your local vet because you recommend him, the dog has been to 3 separate vets who cannot help and it is costing us a fortune, anyone know any vets that specialise in skin condition?

Thanks

Get your vet whoever you choose to check out seasonal allopicea, my dog is a GSD and he was fine until the hot weather 2 yrs ago when i moved to the country started of like a red raw spot and his skin went black really slowly. (starting out with grey then black spots then getting bigger until all his skin was black/grey)

Nothing dangerous it can just happen in certain breeds like the GM.

Also my dogs lovely shiny coat went very dull brittle and dry he also shedded fur heavily. I got some cod liver oil and oily fish for him seemed to help but make sure that's ok by your vet first.

Also switching diet if suddenly or a lot might also be an issue my GM has a sensitivity to certain foods he has been on Burns sensitivity since and hes nearly back to perfect. (Still sheds heavily but coat is lush and shiny)

Satori Rae

Also seasonal allopicea can happen in staffys and boxers. (Just seen your other post saying he was staffy cross possibly) hope this helps.

tk123

boomerang wrote: »

But you're presuming the issue is dietary. That's not for you or I to say. Rory Breathnach is the top veterinary dermatologist in the country. I'd be asking for a UCD referral, personally.

Yes - I am assuming it could be dietary (along with the other posters on this thread who replied before me suggesting the same thing) from reading tons of threads here and elsewhere of issues exactly like this that were solved by changing food. I also have first hand experience of the difference a change in diet can make to a dog's skin and coat.

I'm also assuming that any vet the OP goes to might want to try and find out among other things if the cause is dietary or environmental so changing to a good quality food now may help speed up the process.

DerTierarzt

shaymus27 wrote: »

I found vets not to be great with allergies. Not saying it is an allergy.

In what regard? Do you feel their training is substandard on the topic? Or is it a combination of client frustration at the temporal and fiscal demands dermatological conditions harbour?

You could grasp at straws and send a better pic with history by email to the irish supervet in England from channel 4 and ask him for an opinion.

You are suggesting asking your veterinarian to refer a dog with a dermatological problem to a board certified orthopaedic surgeon with no dermatological training?

DerTierarzt

fiounnalbe wrote: »

Treating allergies is a very long process. A lot of people seem to think that a vet should have a diagnosis and cure for them on their first visit. I know personally I suffer from allergies and still the doctors sometimes struggle to control it. I would pick a good vet and stick with them through all the trials etc until you find something that works. Every time you move vet it's probably starting from scratch again...

Couldn't agree with this post more, whereas with other problems a lot can be determined from diagnostics such as a blood sample or radiographs, dermatological conditions require often a lengthy work-up.

Sometimes veterinarians will notice a pathognomic lesion distribution, aiding in the diagnosis, but often times a rule-out diagnosis is required.

If say for argument's sake the issue is an immune-mediated condition, e.g.: an allergy against storage mites, the work-up may include assessing any environmental changes, ectoparasite control, dietary variation, in-contact lesions etc., once the normal has been ruled out (often by way of skin scrapes, Sellotape tests, impression smears, trichograms etc.) then the owner may be advised to consider either:

1) a trial period of anti-pruritic medications as for an allergy alongside a hydrolysed protein diet

2) or to be more aggressive with their investigations by doing an intradermal skin test or serology for allergens

Keep in mind the veterinarian knows all this, but is invariably working with you the client to try and stay within budget and improve the quality of life for your animal most importantly.

Scientifically veterinarians would be justified in ordering all these tests in the first instance but this would involve astronomical cost (up to €1000 for the first visit alone) to try and come to an "immediate diagnosis" without being practical and ruling out the common first. Never mind the invariable accusations of "being in it for the money" etc.

shaymus27

DerTierarzt wrote: »

In what regard? Do you feel their training is substandard on the topic? Or is it a combination of client frustration at the temporal and fiscal demands dermatological conditions harbour?



You are suggesting asking your veterinarian to refer a dog with a dermatological problem to a board certified orthopaedic surgeon with no dermatological training?

I have personal experience of differing vets not being very with the allergies my dog had. It had nothing to do with frustration or demands of any type.

One vet put my dog on steroids and another vet in the same clinic told me he shouldn't be on steroids as it was harmful. I told her the other vet reassured me about this and that it was a low dosage and so was safe yet she kept insisting my dog shouldn't be on steroids - conflicting advice from two vets in the same practice.

One vet said the blood test showed up an allergy but it wasn't worth doing any more analysis as it would show up many types of allergies of varying degree while another said that further type of analysis should be done to pinpoint the actual analysis. Again, two conflicting opinons.

I discovered my dog was reacting to hills scientific (<snip>) even though my vet told me hills were hypoallergenic which was not true of all hills stuff - not the one my dog was on. It was a throw away comment on his part which was inaccurate.

I could go on but why should I? If someone makes a statement they have found through personal experience <snip>

As far as sending an email to the supervet - did he not qualify as a vet same as any vet the OP has gone to or will go to but simply specialised in one aspect of vet medicine? Why wouldn't he be able to have an opinion? I believe that guy has great instincts and would probably be good anyway. Also he might know someone in Dublin who was good for what the OP wants. Really - your point was already made previously and I think I even thanked the contributor so why be so negative? <snip>

<snip>







I have been told that vets don't get a huge amount of training on food.

DBB

Okay folks,
That's more than enough of that.
It is not permitted to address other posters disrespectfully.
It is also not permitted to attempt to dictate who posts what and where... That's back seat moderating. If you have a problem with a post, report it.
Thanks,
DBB

DerTierarzt

shaymus27 wrote: »

One vet put my dog on steroids

This is often done as either a trial period or as a treatment option for allergies in general (usually environmental).

One vet said the blood test showed up an allergy but it wasn't worth doing any more analysis as it would show up many types of allergies of varying degree while another said that further type of analysis should be done to pinpoint the actual analysis. Again, two conflicting opinons.

Not two conflicting opinions, rather two different ways of approaching the problem. The first (anti-pruritic or "itch" drugs such as but not limited to steroids) involves managing the allergy, the second (if followed through in full) would likely result in the formulation of an autogenous vaccine (i.e.: a vaccine formulated for your pet's specific allergies) in the hope that this alone would control the clinical signs, desensitising your pet in effect. Incidentally, do you happen to know what panels were positive or borderline positive please?

I discovered my dog was reacting to hills scientific (<snip>) even though my vet told me hills were hypoallergenic which was not true of all hills stuff - not the one my dog was on. It was a throw away comment on his part which was inaccurate.

Hill's produce many diets, some over the counter, other ones are prescription only. One of which used to be called "Hypoallergenic" (they still market their treats as such), but most veterinarians will consider a hydrolysed protein diet (the proteins are broken down to such a small size your pet's immune system does not mount an inappropriate allergic response) such as Hill's z/d.

As far as sending an email to the supervet - did he not qualify as a vet same as any vet the OP has gone to or will go to but simply specialised in one aspect of vet medicine? Why wouldn't he be able to have an opinion?

Well for one he's not licenced to practice in the Republic of Ireland.

tk123

DerTierarzt wrote: »

Well for one he's not licenced to practice in the Republic of Ireland.

Well I sent my dog's blood work to Jean Dodd's lab in the US for analysis and took her over the advise the lab my vet uses ..who are in the UK btw.. Neither of which are technically licensed to practice here but what difference does it make?!

OP if you do suspect a thyroid issue I'd recommend contacting Hemopet.com and getting analysis done. They work off breed specific values rather than a generic list of values. The cost of the analysis is around €50 and that goes back into their blood bank and greyhound rescue.

DerTierarzt

tk123 wrote: »

Well I sent my dog's blood work to Jean Dodd's lab in the US for analysis and took her over the advise the lab my vet uses ..who are in the UK btw.. Neither of which are technically licensed to practice here but what difference does it make?!

Couldn't agree more, you've paid for the following:

1) your veterinarian (time, skill, consumables involved in blood sampling)
2) postage and packaging (usually a courier)
3) the laboratory fee (either in the UK or US)
4) +/- interpretation (usually an additional fee for this, if not requested then your veterinarian interprets)

Regardless of which interpretation you follow (and support you in this, informed owners are the best owners), any pursuant treatment of your animal here in Ireland is done through your veterinarian.

I wonder if the original poster took the advice of others and sought the advice of Noel Fitzpatrick, would they:

a) be happy to pay a 2nd opinion fee
b) be happy to return to their original veterinarian (or simply a veterinarian licenced to practice in Ireland) for commencement of the recommended treatment/investigations?