# Coppers sudden itchy face!



## VizslaMama (Feb 15, 2012)

Copper is a short haired Vizsla. Has never has symptoms like this progressing over the past week or so:
- rubbing his face on the floor, furniture., us.
- a couple days of dark yucky eye discharge after waking up. 
- this morning his eyes were crusty, and even when I got home from work they were a tiny bit yucky.
- he shakes his head.
- his eyes just seem different to me, more watery.

I clean his ears often, and they seem to look OK. I've been wiping his eyes and ears with the same wipes I have always used. 

He is on a raw diet, and we just recently switched to buying from a local wholesaler for our food. Prior to this he was getting frozen pre-made raw and was always from the same place and brands. Same proteins but from different sources. Could this cause an allergy? 

We have recently let him sleep on our bed at nights, not every night but most. Maybe it is the detergent on our bedding? I did wash his bedding in his crate with this detergent, so I am going to take it out, and put his mat in there for now, it hasn't been washed with it. We won't let him on our bed.

I am just not sure where to start eliminating to see what the matter is.

Is the mean time, I feel like he should see the vet anyway. Maybe these are symptoms of a canine virus? 

Let me know if you have experienced this. He has no other symptoms. Energy level is same, eats, drinks, poops, pees.


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## ShanniBella (Jul 1, 2011)

Sounds like my girl but she isn't just rubbing her face but her body as well but my girl has allergies. However, it could be a contact allergy on your boy and any detergents or household chemicals could cause that type of reaction. You can give him benadryl for the itching it would be 25 mg per every 25 pounds so basically a 50 pound dog would get two. I would also becareful about what you use around the house and wash his bedding in a scent free detergent like dreft which is used for babies. How old is he anyways? Has he ever experienced anything like this before? Unfortunately allergies can come on at any age.


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## Donna Little (May 31, 2011)

Definitely sounds like an allergy. But I would think if it was your detergent he'd be breaking out on his belly from laying on the bed. Do you have anything blooming where you live that he may be having a reaction to? I'm in Ga and we're having spring like weather off and on and my allergies are already starting.


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## Kat (Jul 12, 2011)

If it is the detergent, what I do with Rubys bedding is wash it in the tiniest amount of detergent, and then for the fabric softener area use white vinegar instead. It rinses the detergent completely, and then I let her beds air dry. I find she gets itchy when she jumps in my bed when I freshly wash the blankets so I prefer to use as little as possible on her things. Good luck!


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## VizslaMama (Feb 15, 2012)

ShanniBella said:


> Sounds like my girl but she isn't just rubbing her face but her body as well but my girl has allergies. However, it could be a contact allergy on your boy and any detergents or household chemicals could cause that type of reaction. You can give him benadryl for the itching it would be 25 mg per every 25 pounds so basically a 50 pound dog would get two. I would also becareful about what you use around the house and wash his bedding in a scent free detergent like dreft which is used for babies. How old is he anyways? Has he ever experienced anything like this before? Unfortunately allergies can come on at any age.


He is almost 11 mths. He has never had this issue before. Always clean, tear free, never crusty even when he wakes up. I took away the blanket he had in there in case it was what was causing it and gave him his roll up mat to lay on for now that hasn't been washed. Checked on him this morning and his eyes were crusty and goopy. It inside his eyes, when I wipe them more comes out. Poor guy! I have used the same degergent, but planned on going to a scent free kind anyway.


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## VizslaMama (Feb 15, 2012)

Donna Little said:


> Definitely sounds like an allergy. But I would think if it was your detergent he'd be breaking out on his belly from laying on the bed. Do you have anything blooming where you live that he may be having a reaction to? I'm in Ga and we're having spring like weather off and on and my allergies are already starting.


I live in Southern Canada, and our weather is certainly feeling like spring lately. I was wondering if it is possible he has seaonal allergies. I figured if it was detergent he's be itchy all over and he isn't, just the face. I am still going to take precautions to wash his stuff in scent free. Just to sure. 

He was born in April and we didn't get him until June. He's never experienced spring weather, so perhaps it is a seasonal allergy. I also don't remember him getting like this in the fall though. 

Just feel bad for the guy.


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## VizslaMama (Feb 15, 2012)

Kat said:


> If it is the detergent, what I do with Rubys bedding is wash it in the tiniest amount of detergent, and then for the fabric softener area use white vinegar instead. It rinses the detergent completely, and then I let her beds air dry. I find she gets itchy when she jumps in my bed when I freshly wash the blankets so I prefer to use as little as possible on her things. Good luck!


White vinegar. Good idea! My mom uses that, I just never did.


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## VizslaMama (Feb 15, 2012)

ShanniBella said:


> Sounds like my girl but she isn't just rubbing her face but her body as well but my girl has allergies. However, it could be a contact allergy on your boy and any detergents or household chemicals could cause that type of reaction. You can give him benadryl for the itching it would be 25 mg per every 25 pounds so basically a 50 pound dog would get two. I would also becareful about what you use around the house and wash his bedding in a scent free detergent like dreft which is used for babies. How old is he anyways? Has he ever experienced anything like this before? Unfortunately allergies can come on at any age.


Sorry forgot to thank you for the Benadryl idea. I will talk to my vet about it when I call then at lunch.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

When you changed food suppliers what exactly are you feeding him? Are you feeding chicken? Are you sure the chicken is not enhanced?


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## VizslaMama (Feb 15, 2012)

whiteleo said:


> When you changed food suppliers what exactly are you feeding him? Are you feeding chicken? Are you sure the chicken is not enhanced?


Yes we are feeding chicken, but just came back from the vet, and pretty sure we found the culprit. When we got to the vet this morning he had a fever of 103, so he is fighting an infection. Vet took a look at his eyes. They were red and puffy. When he took his temp he also said his anal glands are swollen, probably has an infection from this. I felt awful, I had no idea to look at his bottom. Other than rubbing his face and his yucky eyes he was acting normal. So we got some eye drops to sooth his eyes, and antibiotics to help fight the infection and hope that brings down his fever. Will be monitoring it closely now. 

I do have one question, not sure if I should make this a separate thread but the vet mentioned adding fibre to his diet, like bran to help with larger poops. This vet knows I feed raw, and he is OK with it, but he said dogs on raw tend to have smaller firmer poops which is some dogs causes a problem with their glands not releaseing naturally and properly when they do their business outside. This is clearly an issue for my dog since it led to a build up. I still feel horrible I didn't notice the problem sooner. "SIGH" but any thoughts on adding bran daily? Or another natural aid to help with anal gland releasing naturally with his bowel movements?

If I should move this question and make a new thread, let me know.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

I don't find the correlation between the temp. and the swollen itchy eyes? The temp. could be from the impacted glands yes, but are you sure the chicken is not enhanced, meaning added sodium content which for some dogs it can cause horrible reactions


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## VizslaMama (Feb 15, 2012)

whiteleo said:


> I don't find the correlation between the temp. and the swollen itchy eyes? The temp. could be from the impacted glands yes, but are you sure the chicken is not enhanced, meaning added sodium content which for some dogs it can cause horrible reactions


Either did I, but the vet was really concerned about the fever, so he gave us drops to use for a week for the eyes to see if that helps. He seemed to think the red, blood shot eyes were from the fever/infection. Maybe even an eye infection and perhaps the glands were just full and needed emptying. Really won't know how this all goes down until his antibitotics kick in, aND the fever reduces. 

The chicken shouldn't have anything added. Comes frozen in cubes, just chicken, nothing else. Plain old ground up chicken with bone, and some without. We did buy new treats that have mussels in them. Just thought of that this morning. They are called ZiwiPeak Venision and Mussels. He has had the venison and fish before so the only change would be the mussel ingredients added. I am going to not feed him them for now, just in case. Oh and his ears were clear so it is just his eyes.

Other than that, all of our new food is just plain old fresh raw, as is. Nothing prepared, bulk and whole. The beef and pork is done at their facility, their chicken is done off site. Maybe stay clear of the chicken for now? We do have a few turkey necks, and pork cheek meat, and beef hearts I can use in leu of the chicken.


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