Please Help Roxy

[Catherine Cunningham]

Roxy is my roommates dog and she has had a skin condition since he got her. He has now decided to give her away because he can't do anything else for her. I love her so much but I cant afford to take on the responsibility of taking her to the vet because it is so expensive. She has been before and she has been tested for mange-negative, I took her to the groomers and they gave me a non allergy food which helped some but she still doesn't have fur on her stomach. Does anyone know what I can do for Roxy?

[katherine symonds]

they have blood tests that will tell you exactly what she is allergic to. Spectrum group have a Regional Panel which allso tests for inhalent allergens. It is a little costly, prob about $200, but we did it on a frenchie at my work and she was allergic to a lot of things, but as soon as the owner changed foods and got rid of some plants in her house and back yard, the dog did great. She grew all hair back and no longer had red itchy skin.

[Brenda Belanger]

checkout a website called nzymes.com I bought some nzyme granules for my rottweiler in the past for his skin problems he had and it cleared it up. shows alot of before and after pics, guaranteed to work. It's worth looking into. :o)

[Forest, Mr. Nubbins, Ms. Wiggles]

Hello, I can reaffirm Tatiana's comments. I posted this similar response to Nick just a few minutes ago...

http://frenchiefriends.ning.com/profiles/blogs/allergies-1

[Tatiana]

Allergies are a lot like having a dog with a compromised immunity - as in the HIV-virus... Allergies are usually heritable and passed on from either the parents or grand-parents, etc... But allergies can also manifest themselves because dogs born and raised in one part of the country are transported to an entirely different part of the country with flora and fauna that is totally distinct...

All that said, it's important to understand that there are no cures for allergies... Allergies are a life-long problem that need to be dealt with and combated to try and make the dog as comfortable as possible... It requires a lot of trial and error, a lot of patience, and learning what does and doesn't work for the dog... You can join a Yahoo group such as "ALLERDOG" where members discuss treatments, homeopathy, vaccinations, and prescriptive medications, + healthier diets...

Things that you can do to make the dog more comfortable: CLEAN THE HOUSE! Many dogs are allergic to dust-mites... Wall-to-wall carpeting can pose a problem, so vacuum every day... Bathe the dog in a soothing all-natural and anti-bacterial shampoo with (maybe) an oatmeal conditioner... Dry the dog very, very thoroughly... Wipe the dogs' paws upon coming indoors so that they don't scratch residue from outdoors all over themselves... Don't let the dog sniff grass, trees, shrubs, etc. too intently... If you use plastic or ceramic feeding / water bowls, change them to stainless steel and clean them at least twice a day (bacteria can be ingested and can cause secondary infections)... Check 5 or 6-star (preferably) foods at http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com and make sure that the dog has a corn-free, grain-free diet, preferably eating a more exotic or gamier protein (i.e. salmon instead of chicken or lamb)... If your friend is serious about "giving the dog away", please ask him to consider surrendering the dog to a rescue organization... Both the French Bulldog Village and the French Bulldog Rescue Network have willing and able volunteers that are usually good at discerning the problems and finding suitable forever homes for the dogs... Good luck in your endeavors.