Dog Skin

Why is my dogs skin so sensitive?
I adopted a dog about 2 months ago. He is a lab mix and about 3 years old. The person I got him from told me he has sensitive skin and sometimes he gets a rash behind his knees. Well since I had him he has been miserble. His skin is all red and rashey, now just behind his knees, but all over his belly and legs too. He bites and scratches it constantly. I dont have a vet yet cuz I just moved to a new town. Is there anything I can do for him? I havent changed his diet or anything. Advice would be much appreciated. Thanks!!

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What do you think about this....?
Since the term "Back Yard Breeder" is thrown at people on a daily basis around here, i decided to do some research on "show quality" dogs. And i have to say some of the things i heard and read left me speechless. Like, for example, breeding practices to get "perfect" Rhodesian Ridgebacks. I for one didn't know that the distinctive ridge is actually created by a mild form of Spina Bifida. Now it seems to me that it could never be a good thing to MAKE SURE that this trait is passed on, litter after litter. And those that don't have the ridge are culled. The HEALTHIER dogs are culled. The "ridged" examples of the breed are also the ones to suffer from a condition called Dermoid sinus. For those of you that don't know, it's a condition indicated by a pin pricked sized hole on the dogs skin. They often burrow right up to the spinal cord or brain, a lethal open channel for infection. This can be life threatening and it ONLY occurs in ridged dogs. Roughly 10% of them. But it's the un-ridged ones that are killed. That makes no sense to me whatsoever. That's just one thing. Everyone has seen the show ring GSD's that look like they need a disability badge. And what about the Pug, with their trademark flat faces and "corkscrew" tails. Tails which, i also didn't know, cause increased spinal problems. Yet it is mandatory. Then there's the breeders themselves, and it is their attitude which is the most shocking. Going on the ones i saw, the look of their dogs is absolutely top priority and they seem to have no concern whatsoever for the problems the unnatural, distorted physiques of their dogs seems to cause. Now, i'm just going on a handful that i found. But i don't understand how that is any better than people, the "BYB", breeding with no thought whatsoever for the consequences regarding health. The show quality breeders are going out of their way to do it on purpose. How is that any better? I'm beginning to see why people say mutts are healthier. And while that is a sweeping generalisation, i can see where it comes from. If the health IS so important to these breeders, then why does a minor offence such as the wrong colouring immediately warrant a death sentence? So which is more important, health, or looks? Thanks Koda. My brain stops working after 9pm! Not generalising, like i said i am going on the ones I've just seen. That's all Dog Section Regular, here's where i found this information http://youtu.be/jBantKp9xfw Skip to 1:20. That was my source And even if the statements i found about DS isn't totally accurate, what about the rest of it? But thanks for pointing that out

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How do you remove a 'BOTFLY LARVA' from my dogs skin?
Hi Guys and Gals, Me and my biology teacher have been trolling the internet to findout how we remove a botfly larva safely with out help of a vet. However we have recently seen a post on pets health website saying 'you shouldn't remove a botfly yourself as if it splits the fluid inside can be harmful to your pet'. We understand that this dosent always occour in animals, but we are worried for the poor dog as we don't know if they are fatal. Please HELP on this situation. Also how do you tell if you my pet has a botfly under the skin, the dog had a scab which when picked is red underneath but leaving a lump beneth that and leaving therefore concern if it is a botfly. Regards, chocohol13.

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Small thing growing out of my dogs skin, second one I've seen :(?
I noticed a lump on my dogs skin. When I looked closer it looked like a small stick like thing that was black on the top. It was attached firmly to her skin but i pulled it out and the base that was stuck in her skin was white and gel like. I found another one that is similar growing out of another spot close by that one and it's white at the top now but looks like its developing the same. I am calling the vet in the morning to get her in ASAP but I am freaking out a little. Wondering if anyone has had a simlar type of thing happen to their dog and what the outcome was. I did see another post on here from three years ago that was similar but there weren't any responses that seemed to explain what it was. My dog is a labradoodle and she's 6 years old, it also doesn't seem to be an ingrown hair, she's had those before as well and they didn't look like this. Its also not a tick This seems to be growing out of her skin. Anyone with a similar type of experience it would be great to know.

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I Think My Dog is Dying and it's Only 7?
My dogs skin is dry, and it can't even walk correctly. When it walks, it's back lags usually drag behind him. He can't walk up the stairs anymore and it has lots of open sores on it's back due to dry skin. It also has a lump on it's neck. My parents won't take it to the vet because we can't afford it due to a bad hit we took. What can I do? Don't have a gun, what kind of things will make it's death painless? The dog I haves average life is 13.4 years. I am not making up stories, you foolish idiot. I will post pictures of the dog soon.

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