Tiny bumps under my coat


  • Hello everyone,

    My name is Hotep and I am a 2 1/2 year old Basenji. Over the past four months, I have been getting these bumps under my coat that are very annoying and cause me to itch. I have gone to the vet, but they can't tell me what the cause is. They have prescribed Hydoxyzine and it takes the bumps and itching away, but every two days they reappear. I can’t’ live on these pills and was wondering has anyone else had this same problem?
    ps.
    I have had my thyroid checked, urinalysis and blood work, but no one has been able to help me


  • What has changed in the last 4 months? Bumps under coat sounds like another thread on the forum recently, but that was determined to be caused by an insect bite and this sounds like something daily/consistent/lifestyle/environment related….I feel like a lot of times people on the forum ask about food first in this kind of situation but I don't know if that's at all related here or if food allergies manifest like that. But it is a common issue with basenjis. What are you feeding? Just in case...

    Edit: found the other thread

    http://basenjiforums.com/showthread.php?t=4487

    does that look familiar?

    Edit#2: Check out Snorky's post on that thread. Is your girl intact? The only thing is being 2.5 she would have been in season before so why is it only happening now…


  • Sounds to me like food allergies… does it contain corn and/or wheat? Those are the two biggest causes of allergies in dogs...

    Since this has been going on for 4 months, I would not think insect bites...

    Have you talked to the breeder? And also you might want to ask your Vet for a referral to a specialist (Dermatologist) or seach the web for one in your area.


  • Just another thought if it is not a food related allergy.

    Have you had your carpets cleaned recently, or do you use powder or spray type fresheners? I had a bulldog that was allergic to all that type of stuff. (Lawn sprays as well)


  • Hotep,

    Our Butter has had these off and on for the past month – some kind of allergy or allergies. We've nailed down one source -- brewer's yeast and fungi (tons of mushrooms in our fields this year after an unusually wet summer).

    What we've learned so far is that sometimes there is cross-reactivity between environmental triggers and foods. Below are two links which might help you in narrowing down the source of the problem if the bumps are allergy-related:

    http://www.squidoo.com/food-allergies-cross-reactivity

    http://www.achooallergy.com/mold-faqs.asp


  • I would also check and see where he is laying during the day, i.e a pile of leaves. I had a simillar problem with my dobie and discovered it was the peper tree leaves that fell in the kids dog run. Just a thought


  • We've finally had some success with Butter's allergies – wiping his face, belly, legs, pads & between his toes after he goes for a walk in the field. It's been a long haul and he'd been reacting to fungi and plants in the aster family (ragweed, etc...). Because he'd eat grass, sniff it, and walk through it, he'd have terrible reactions and the "little" bumps under his coat started turning into bigger bumps.

    All set for now. If an elimination diet hasn't helped with the bumps, it could be an allergy to something in the environment -- try wiping Hotep down after she's been out and see if it helps.

Suggested Topics

  • Coat Dandruff or Something Else??

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    12
    1 Votes
    12 Posts
    5k Views
    D
    I couldn't find your picture so I'm literally speculating, but it could be dermatitis mange. This mange is caused by mites, which all dogs get from their mothers. Not infectious to other dogs or humans. You can see the mites under a microscope. If it is dermatitis mange, I'd ignore it unless it starts getting out of control since it's not harmful. I don't think you'd need a groomer unless your baby is seriously resistant to nail trimming. As others have mentioned, they shed a couple of times a year. Usually not a big deal.
  • brrr... coat suggestions?

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    12
    0 Votes
    12 Posts
    5k Views
    wizardW
    I made fleece coats for my two - but really they don't go outside except to potty when it gets real cold (this winter we often had days below 0). They never wear booties - don't stay on long enough - by the time I got the last two on, the first two would be pulled off !
  • Coat color Inheritance

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    2
    0 Votes
    2 Posts
    4k Views
    eeeefarmE
    I haven't studied coat colour inheritance in dogs, but from what I know of it in horses, you can tell quite a lot by looking at sire and dam and grandparents. Sometimes you can rule certain colours in or out, and determine probabilities of the colours you will get in a mating. Someone who knows more about dog colour genetics will be of more help. If an animal is homozygous for a trait, or heterozygous can sometimes be determined by knowing the colour of the parents…..
  • Need Help on coats…

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    17
    0 Votes
    17 Posts
    6k Views
    paneaneP
    Patty, I can't see why not. It shouldn't be given every day, but now and then. And it should NOT be replaced with their regular food. Eggs have lots of good protein, and it's also a good source for riboflavin, B12 and phosphorus, and even selenium. I've seen only a few dog food brands with riboflavin in it, and I believe it's an important deal for dogs, as well for us humans.
  • Bump on the head?

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    9
    0 Votes
    9 Posts
    3k Views
    TuckerVAT
    It's settled then. I'm gonna pop it. :) I mess with it sometimes as well. Tucker just wants to sniff and lick my fingers after I'm done scratching at it…then he'll let me go back to work on it. As long as I let him sniff and lick my fingers as I'm messing with it, he'll let me continue and we'll eventually both bore of it and move on...
  • Mystery bumps

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    9
    0 Votes
    9 Posts
    3k Views
    nala121498N
    I don't know if they are in your area, (I doubt it) but Nala had bites on her from black flies that were red and itchy and more of a ringed look to them. I took her to the vet immediately, only to be told what they were! Boy did I feel silly…I'm sure you'll get to the bottom of it...