# Tess: Skin and other issues.



## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

Tess is a maltese shih tzu and she just turned 8 this year. 

About 8ish months ago we changed her food from Iams weight management to Orijen.
The switch went fine, her fur is softer than its ever been. 
Now we just switched her to EVO, because we were going to start a rotational diet.

It just occurred to me that since the switch to Orijen she has had some odd issues that she never had before.
Around June she started to get ear infections. They have been on and off since.

Now she cannot stop itching. I *think* what I am seeing is flea dirt, but it may just be something she got into, regardless she's getting a bath (with dawn dish soap) today. What can I do for fleas that not meds? The last time she was on flea meds she had a very adverse reaction, so I am hesitant to use them again.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Chronic ear infections are usually due to fungal infection of yeast. Yeast thrives off of sugars, and even high quality kibbles are packed with sugar. If you cut the sugar out of her diet (meaning NO carb diet) then her ear infections most likely will go away entirely. My oldest dog would get chronic ear infections, I switched her to raw three years ago and have yet to see one since. 

She very well could have fleas, do you have a flea comb you can use?


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

A flea comb is what I use on Mollie and Windy as well. I don't ever want to use flea meds again if I can absolutely help it, so if one of them starts scratching, out comes the fleacomb and they get a thorough going over. We don't appear to have a flea problem here (yet), as I've only ever caught one flea, but as long as you watch carefully, the combs definitely do work.


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## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

There is no convincing my parents to switch her to raw. If I could I totally would. Are their good quailty kibbles that are low in sugar?

She did have at least one flea, we gave her a bath, but I am not sure what else I should do.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Unfortunately just a bath isn't going to get rid of fleas. If it were my dog I would treat her for fleas.


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## Khan (Jan 17, 2010)

DaneMama said:


> Chronic ear infections are usually due to fungal infection of yeast. Yeast thrives off of sugars, and even high quality kibbles are packed with sugar. If you cut the sugar out of her diet (meaning NO carb diet) then her ear infections most likely will go away entirely. My oldest dog would get chronic ear infections, I switched her to raw three years ago and have yet to see one since.


Ditto from our house. Once the kibble/carbs were completely gone from Khan's diet, he no longer has any black gunk in his ears, and no more itchy skin!!

I will add one more thing to keep in mind. Because Khan has environmental allergies, as well as other food related allergies besides carbs. I check his ears ALL the time. They seem to be the tell tale sign of him having trouble. If I see at any time his ears starting to get a little blotchy or red, I will give him benedryl and within a few days (depending on how advanced his symptoms are) I will start to see improvement. 
If I were you I would take a look at ALL 3 of the foods and compare what is in the Iams that may or may not be in the Orijen, and then do that with the Evo. What you may find is those ingredient that differ may be a cause. After you get done with the food, also take a look at what's in her treats.
If you can't switch her to raw, you can at least check out the kibble for any adverse ingredients.

Good Luck!


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## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

DaneMama said:


> Unfortunately just a bath isn't going to get rid of fleas. If it were my dog I would treat her for fleas.


The last time we used flea meds she got really sick, she had to be brought back to the vet and put on meds for two weeks (I don't remember what they said it was), but they were convinced it was unrelated to the flea meds. I am just afriad to put them on her again. Perhaps if we try a different brand?


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Find out what brand it was and go with another...


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

You might have to treat the house too, if the pup has fleas chances are they'll be in the carpet so it becomes a viscous circle.


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