Added Second Homeopathic Treatment

Ziggy had some improvement on the first homeopathic remedy and the nzymes product but I decided to add the next set of remedies provided by Dr Loops (Graph LM/3 and Calc-C 30C).  I started them on Saturday Dec 3rd.  I've noticed some yeasty stuff in one ear so I've had to clean that more.  Also the bleeding foot has returned.  The bleeding foot started when we were in Virginia and the doctor there did surgery and removed two cysts from his foot but stated that it would probably return since it's related to his allergies.  It did return within a few months but then stopped when we were in Florida for 7 months.  It has returned after 2 months in Pennsylvania.

I don't know if this indicates the cysts are returning or if it's the homepathic remedies helping to push the toxins out of his body.  I'm going to wait another week and make a second appt at the VCA Animal Healing Center for a follow-up visit.

Improvement with New Homeopathic Remedy

Dr Loops sent two remedies: Graph LM/3 and Calc-C 30C.  Before receiving them, I had to quickly find a local vet to replace Banfield and found the VCA Animal Healing Center.  Dr Gabriel is recommending a full thyroid panel but also prepared a homeopathic remedy consisting of galium-heel/lamioflur/hespar/traumeel.  I'm giving Ziggy 5 drops 3 times per day.  Started that on Monday evening. Today is Saturday and he is doing much better.  The skin seems to be healing and drying out.  The ears are clear.  He sleeps through the night better without the breathing problems.  Dr Gabriel also recommended an enzyme kit from Nzymes.com which I just received and will be starting Ziggy on it this weekend.

I feel that I should wait and not give Dr Loops remedies just yet.  Otherwise, I won't know which remedies are having which effects.  Dr Gabriel is also interested in knowing what Dr Loops is sending so I want to go by her recommendation as well.

The Nzymes website has a list of foods that yeasty dogs can eat.  I'm considering trying out one of the dog foods they are recommending but I think I will ask Dr Gabriel about that as well and maybe it's better if I wait for this skin issue to finish clearing up before changing his diet.

Skin Issues that Will Not Heal

This latest round of skin breakouts are not healing up even though he is on medication.  I have to wash his skin every morning with the Malapet/Malaseb shampoo and everyday by mid-afternoon he's breaking out and smelling yeasty again.  It's ongoing and I don't know what to do to resolve it.  This infection is on both back legs and under the front left armpit.  Here are latest pics.

Pennsylvania Allergies

We're in Yardley, PA now and Ziggy's allergies have gone crazy again.  We have Banfield here so I was able to get him right in to a vet who had instant access to his medical records.  She's very nice and I like her a lot.  She put him on Ketoconazole but that wasn't enough to solve the problem so I had to go back and get him on an antibiotic.  I hate doing that but it's the only thing I can do to get this under control.  He was itching and biting and licking all thru the night and totally miserable.  I may have to reconnect with Dr Loops and try the homeopathic option again.

Doing Better on Prednisone

Ziggy's skin and ear issues have greatly improved by staying on a low dose of prednisone.  He takes a small 5 mg tablet every other day with lunch.  I really prefer natural remedies as opposed to pharmaceuticals but in this case, it keeps him stable, more happy and keeps my vet bills down.  So I will continue that for now and post more updates later.

Eye Issue

The grooming shop where I take Ziggy for grooming damaged his cornea with a flea treatment (that I'm not entirely sure he needed) so had to put him on a few eye ointments and some meds to clear that up.  He's doing much better now and the eye is healed up.

Latest Health Update

The doctor at Banfield put Ziggy on fluconazole for the skin infections.  It helps a lot but after it's done, the infections usually come back. 

He got an eye infection this past week (the blue eye) and the brown eye is not making enough tears.  So we're doing artificial tears in the brown eye and some ointment in the blue eye - Neomycin and Polymyxin B Sulfates and Dexamethasone Ophthalmic Ointment USP (I swear that's the name of it!).

I decided to remove the corn from his diet because it's a grain and also any corn that is not organic is GMO which can aggravate (and cause) allergies so we don't need any of that.  I've also switched from turkey back to chicken and added some new veggies (see the new chicken diet page).