hair loss

Question
QUESTION: Our seven year old boxer(Marshall) has had severe food allergies since he was a year old. His feet split open between his toes and the pads of his feet are very tender and bleed. The vet did a biopsy and said it was a food allergies. We have had him on a grain free good quality food ever since. His feet still flare up quite often and they take a long time to heal. Now for the last year he has been losing his hair by the handfuls even after he has been brushed but there are not signs of balding. We have moved twice in the last year and he had a brother that is no longer with us. Could his hair loss be caused by stress or more food allergies.

ANSWER: 7 years old is getting fairly old for a Boxer, and health issues will arise...

Since he is one of the unlucky ones to have food allergies (like my own), he might possibly have other types of allergies: plastic (don;t use plastic dishes- use stainless steel ones), and nylon (use leather collars and leashes), maybe even materials in a doggie bed, and of course, environmental allergies.

If you vet scraped his skin and tested for mange (there any many types of mange) and checked for flea allergy (fleas are year round and just because you don't see one, doesn't mean does not have some)... and hopefully checked for ticks because of the health issues and damage they can cause....

Bathe him in a nice oatmeal bath-- Aveeno Oatmeal Bath (for people) is nice... This helps any itching that he might have with the hair loss.

Check his skin to see if it is excessively dry. If so, try a nice skin softener (made for dogs)...
(ask your vet)

Grains are the main cause of allergies, corn and all glutens.

What has the vet said about his feet? I would put socks or booties on him when he goes out to pee and poop... to protect his feet while he is doing his business, then remove them...

If possible, put olive oil on his feet and then socks to cover them for the night- or awhile as you supervise him (like watching tv or something) so he won't take the socks off...

You'll need to soften his pads and the olive oil is a great way to add moisture back without chapping...

Ask your vet what it could be causing that as I don't think food allergies are doing it- but possibly something he is walking on, Either outside, or inside: maybe the products you mop with, and don't use any carpet freshener to vacuum- that is an irritant too.


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: We have moved a few times and each house has had different flooring. Could the carpet itself be the problem? Would it be okay to put socks on him all day and take them off at night to let his feet breath? A few years ago his feet would get better for awhile but this last year they haven't gotten better at all, do you think his age has anything to do with this? Thank you for all your advise.

Answer
If he has had feet problems for years at each different house, then it is not the floor. No dog would be allergic to every type of floor.

Please ask your vet to help with this and get to the bottom of it. The olive oil and socks will soften them and re-moisturize them. Maybe the vet has an antibiotic cream for skin that will help heal. It needs healing