Dog Itching Eyes and Muzzle - HELP!

[Eye Slayer]

We have a 5 year old yellow lab who has recently taken to vigorously scratching at her eyes and muzzle. The symptoms started showing up back in December when she starting rubbing the side of her face (and particularly her right eye) on pant legs, couches, walls, corners or anything that provided relief. The result of the itch has been mild irritation around her right eye (though not her left eye - she leaves that alone) and around both sides of her muzzle. Some fur loss is present depending on how much she is allowed to itch.

We have taken her to our vet and they orginally prescribed an anti-itch medication and then later added an allergy medication to the mix. The anti-itch seemed to work somewhat, but not completely, and the allergy meds didn't work at all. A month or so ago, we took her back in and they prescribed some eye drops to see if it was some sort of internal eye issue (despite the eye looking normal). That didn't seem to work either.

Since none of the medications were working, we thought perhaps it was her diet so we weened her off of the Eukanuba she has been on since she was about a year old, and put her on a homemade diet of brown rice, boiled chicken, ground beef, and some light veggies. This hasn't helped at all either.

So, I am looking to see if anyone else has been through this - I can't believe that we would be the first. If so, were you able to get it under control and if so HOW? I feel so bad for her because she seems miserable!

Any help you can offer is greatly appreciated! Thanks!!!

[Ralph Wiggum]

I'm assuming they checked her for mites (demodex, etc)?

[Harmonica Bear]

Thats what I was thinking, you would have assumed they would have checked for that.

Here's the wikipedia on that

Also called demodicosis or Red Mange, demodectic mange in dogs is caused by a sensitivity to and overpopulation of Demodex canis as the animal's immune system is unable to keep the mites in check. This is a mite that occurs naturally in the hair follicles of most dogs in low numbers around the face and other areas of the body. In most dogs, these mites never cause problems. However, in certain situations, such as an under-developed or impaired immune system, intense stress, or malnutrition, the mites can reproduce rapidly, causing symptoms in sensitive dogs that range from mild irritation and hair loss on a small patch of skin to severe and widespread inflammation, secondary infection, and—in rare cases—a life-threatening condition. Small patches of demodicosis often correct themselves over time as the dog's immune system matures, although treatment is usually recommended.

Minor cases of demodectic mange usually do not cause much itching but might cause pustules on the dog's skin, redness, scaling, hair loss, or any combination of these. It most commonly appears first on the face, around the eyes, or at the corners of the mouth, and on the forelimbs and paws.

A dog with skin irritation and hair loss on its front leg caused by mangeIn the more severe form, hair loss can occur in patches all over the body and might be accompanied by crusting, pain, enlarged lymph nodes, and deep skin infections.

Demodectic mange is not generally contagious to people, other animals, or even other dogs (except from mother to pup). However, the mite is zoonotic, and, upon infesting a human, will generally live in the hair follicles of the eyelashes and eyebrows. These mites thrive only on very specific hosts (dogs) and transmission usually occurs only from the mother to nursing puppies during the first few days after birth. The transmission of these mites from mother to pup is normal (which is why the mites are normal inhabitants of the dog's skin), but some individuals are sensitive to the mites, which can lead to the development of demodectic mange.

[Eye Slayer]

As far as I know, they did not examine her for this specifically, although they did say that if it wasn't food allergies, then perhaps it might be mites... That was as far as they took it though.

However, looking at some pictures of it online, it looks like that could very well be the case.

THANK YOU BOTH for your insight - it gives us something else to try with her (and she thanks you too)!

[Ralph Wiggum]

Weird that that's the first thing that popped into my head but your vet didn't test for it. I actually know several dogs that have demodex, so that's why it was in my head. Hope you get it cleared up. I know it can be a PITA to get rid of.