Dog Licking Genitals and Groin Area--Response to Question

Q: I have never seen anything like this before!!! My female dog has what looks like welts on her vagina and urethra . They are not filled with puss or fluid at least they don't look like they are. She is constantly licking it. I have put neosporin on it but I am really worried.Does anybody know what it could be??

A: Dr. Gordon and I reviewed your question and wanted to advise you to please take your dog ASAP to the veterinarian. It could be caused by a number of different issues and most likely is a sign of infection and inflammation. Your dog is licking it because she is experiencing pain and discomfort. We all try to avoid having to run to the veterinarian for every little thing but this is an instance where a veterinary visit is warranted. A veterinarian will examine your pet's area and speak to you in depth to determine if your pet has had contact with certain substances, medical history, etc. While we wish it could be, email is just not a good substitute for seeing and examining the patient.

Once you have a definitive diagnoses, we will be happy to provide you with some suggestions on what you can do from a holistic standpoint. Supplements such as Notatum and Power Probiotic can be found on www.AskAriel.com will help.

Dog Has Gas and Bloating

Q: My dog Lilly has gas and bloating. I can hear her tummy rumbling at night after she eats. Her stomach makes all kinds of noises and her tummy bloats up like a balloon. She is such a cute dog but can clear the room with her gas. I have tried switching her food and am using a food for sensitive stomach but it doesn't seem to help. Is there anything I can try? Liz in Wisconsin

A: Absolutely. When pets have rumbling noises in their tummy and gas and bloating, it is an indication of poor digestion. They can have digestive upset for a variety of reasons:
food allergies, being older in age and having less enzymes available to digest the food, food intolerance, poor quality of food. Since there are so many factors involved, it is optimal to speak with a veterinary professional. At AskAriel.com we do offer telephone consultations to help pet owners develop a custom diet that will work for Lilly. Each pet is different so there isn't a magic formula that works for everyone. Chicken is often a culprit for many pets however. Also, grains such as wheat, corn and barley can cause allergic reactions including inflammation in your dog's intestinal tract. For starters, you need to get Lilly on a hypoallergenic diet. Also, supplements such as Soothing Digestive Relief and Probiotic + Pet Colostrum will help greatly too.

Chronic UTIs and Dogs Licking Genital Area

Thank you so much for submitting a question to our blog. We welcome questions and are happy to help you.

Q: My female dog also licks her vaginal area a lot and barks likes she's in pain. I've taken her to the vet several times and they just tell me she has mild bladder infection. They give me an antibiotic and send me on my way. It might clear up for a little while but then it comes right back. These trips and medication get expensive. Any suggestions to clear this up? Types of dog food? I've heard of apple cider vinegar? Thanks in advance. -Joy
September 2, 2009 3:34 PM

Response: This is a common problem. When female dogs are licking at their genital area chronically, it is typically because they either have yeast overgrowth (just like human women!) or a urinary tract infection (UTI). Your veterinarian will give you antibiotics but many times, the infection just comes right back. This is because the bad bacteria grows back faster than the good bacteria. The good bacteria helps your pet's immune system to fight off infection. What can you do to improve your pet's immune system and get the infection under control?
1) Change diets--use a low carbohydrate diet such as a raw food diet
2) Use supplements to help rebalance the flora: Our Pet UTI Prevention Package includes a full spectrum of supplements to help your dog ward off UTIs for good including Pet UTI Prevention Formula (herbs to fight off UTIs), Power Probiotic, Notatum (boosts immune function and fights infection) and Amazing Omegas (reduces inflammation)
3) Reduce inflammation which is causing the infection to recur in the first place by avoiding key allergens such as wheat (found in dog biscuits) and peanut butter.

We have helped hundreds of pet owners get rid of UTIs for good! It is natural to feel discouraged but until you have tried the full low carbohydrate, hypoallergenic diet program along with the supplements, you won't see the results you are hoping for.

Daisy the Rescue Dog Loses 31 lbs! Amazing Dog Weight Loss Success!

This is an amazing dog weight loss success story. Pictured above are before and after pictures of Daisy, the Ariel Rescue wonder dog who has now gone from 118 pounds to 87 pounds! Look at the difference in coat quality and body frame. Karen, head Ariel Rescue volunteer is doing a terrific job helping her to get to her ideal weight of 80 pounds. In the top picture, Daisy is wearing her backpack which helps her lose weight on her twice-daily walks. Below is Daisy's original photo. Daisy was so obese she could hardly walk. She could hardly get up. Her coat was dull and she could hardly wear a collar because it would fall off her head--her neck was so big the collar would just fall right off. Her owners dumped her at the shelter after they fed her nonstop. Her nipples were hanging down practically to the ground because they bred her in this awful condition!

Now, Daisy has a sleek gorgeous coat using our Amazing Omegas fish oil and is able to walk for miles. Every day, Karen and Daisy walk first thing in the morning and at night. Karen has kept her on a strict diet and given her plenty of green vegetables to fill her up. Daisy is full of energy and happy to be alive. She will soon be at her ideal weight and will find a forever home who will love and cherish her.

Dog With Chronic UTIs--Response To Roxy's Mom

Anonymous said...
I found this blog really interesting. My dog Roxy has suffered chronic uti's for many years. I bring her to the vet and they just give me the same old antibiotics. I feed her Nutro Max dog food and Costco dog biscuits. Do u have any suggestions?-Roxy's MOm in Washington State.

Susan Blake Davis, CCN Response to Roxy's Mom:

Thanks so much for following the Holistic Vet and Pet Nutrition Journal. We really appreciate it and are hoping to get more followers. There is a lot you can do to help Roxy. Unfortunately, there are many people just like you who care so much about their pets and are discouraged to see their pets suffer with these painful urinary tract infections.

First, it is important to know how much diet affects chronic UTIs. Many times both dogs and cats suffer with urinary tract infections primarily as a result of the food they are eating. There are two major contributing factors: food allergies (e.g. grains, corn, milk products, chicken, etc) and also too many carbohydrates. Many pet owners don't realize that giving their dogs biscuits can contribute to allergies (itching, scratching, skin problems) as well as to chronic UTIs. And... many dog foods (such as the one you are using) contain grains, corn or wheat gluten all of which can be potential allergens. The allergic food creates a lot of inflammation and creates an environment where yeast and bacteria can overgrow. Carbohydrates feed yeast and bad bacteria.

Then, as you give your dog antibiotics, the problem clears up for a short while only to return again. So....the food is one culprit but also you need to replenish the dog and cat's immune system with good bacteria that were killed by the antibiotics. Antibiotics kill both the bad bacteria but also the good bacteria enabling yeast to overgrow. This is a viscious cycle and is often seen frequently in many women as well. To combat this, we need to get our pets (and ourselves) on a reduced carbohydrate diet free of high allergen foods and use supplements to help rebuild and repair.

The products that will really help Roxy with her condition are PET UTI Prevention Formula, Probiotic and Notatum for starters and then if the problem persists, it would be best to schedule a consultation. Please be sure to change her diet---you might want to consider changing her diet to a hypoallergenic canned or raw food diet. Avoid biscuits and other treats that contain grains and use Wildside Salmon treats or vegetables such as baby carrots in their place.

Dogs and Cats with Anxiety and Emotional Issues

Sometimes dogs and cats can have physical health issues that are rooted in emotional issues and anxiety. For example, cats can get urinary tract infections from stress. They can act nervous around strangers, jumpy from different sounds, show fear of unusual things (e.g. slippery floors, elevators), chew obsessively on the same spot, urinate outside of the litter box or act aggressively. Sometimes there may be a physical cause for this such as a a thyroid imbalance or rash or infection. But, sometimes it is just emotional anxiety. If it is just an occassional issue such as going to the veterinarian's office, then you can try Rescue Remedy which is available at most stores. But, if you have a pet with a chronic history of showing these behaviors OR a rescue pet whose background where you have limited information, the first step is to take them to your veterinarian. Be sure you have ruled out any possible health issues. For example, one client recently told me about how her dog stood right in front of her and urinated on the floor. She interpreted this to mean some type of behavioral issue as the dog was young and going through training. But, I urged her to take her to the veterinarian and sure enough, she had a raging urinary tract infection. So....it is always best to check with your veterinarian first.


Once you have ruled out a health issue, you might want to try Psystabil. Psystabil (available on http://www.askariel.com/ helps to rebalance your pet's emotional state and can really, really help over time. It is not like giving your pet a valium where it works instantly. Over time though, you will see your pet show an inclination to doing some of the things they were previously anxious about and just seem more content. For example, we had a rescue dog Tessie who had been cruelly locked in her cage as a breeding dog for most of her life. She was terrified of most people and refused to go into fun places like pet stores. I started giving her Psystabil and after 1 bottle, she was going more places and just seemed so much happier. It is certainly worth a try!

Giardia--Diarrhea, Caring for A Dog with Giardia and Preventing Reinfection

Sydney, the rescue dog, is making tremendous progress. She was rescued from South Central Shelter and weighed under 40 lbs. Her normal weight should be 55 lbs. She was completely infested with parasites (including Giardia) and worms which were eating all of her food. She was eating huge amounts of food but no weight gain and constant diarrhea. It is now over 3 weeks since she has been rescued and while we have made terrific progress, we still have a long way to go. Sydney had a bad case of kennel cough, skin infections, vaginal infections, parasites, worms and was emaciated. She has gained weight and today we received notification that she is now free of all parasites and worms!!!! This is cause for celebration but was no easy task. And, there is a high likelihood of reoccurence so it is important that I explain all that needs to be done to prevent reoccurence.

Giardia is not just found in rescue dogs.....Many of our clients who have purchased their dogs from the very best breeders have dogs that have been effected. I have treated MANY Yorkies and Maltese for example, that have had repeat infestations. Follow up care using diet and special supplements such as Power Probiotic and Colostrum for Pets will greatly help.

Giardia is very common and can easily be transmitted to humans, particularly children. It is not unusual to hear of entire schools being effected. Giardia is a protozoal infection of the intestines that is transmitted by water or fecal ingestion. Giardia causes intermittent diarrhea and/or vomiting  However, SOME PETS MAY HAVE NO SYMPTOMS!!!!! It is very important to get your dog a fecal smear annually to doublecheck. I know the doggie day care where I take Bleu has always required it. Why? Because it spreads like wildfire and is very, very difficult to control.

I am happy to report that because of tremendous effort, Sydney is now free of Giardia, although one follow up precautionary treatment for both the worms and the parasites is still due. One rule of thumb when it comes to parasites: Cleanliness is next to Godliness! Do not just rely on the medication from your veterinarian. You must actively treat the dog's environment to ensure that you not only rid your pet of parasites but that they do not reoccur.

1) Wash your pet and your pet's bedding several times during the first 2 weeks of the treatment period. Your veterinarian will most likely prescribe Flagyl + Panacur. Even though the Panacur is only for a few days, the Flagyl most likely will be for 7-10 days.

2) Use a baby wipe or wet paper towel and gloves to wipe your dog's rear end after your dog defecates.

3) Keep your dog separated in an isolated area. I know this is a very big challenge for people with multiple pets. You may want to ask your veterinarian about proactively treating other pets although the medications can be harsh and cause other problems. However, this parasite is so contagious, you have to think about what is good for you and your family and your other pets in the long run. Be sure your infected pet only urinates and defecates in an isolated area away from where other pets may go. My recommendation would be to have them go in a garage or side area so that you can easily pick up the stool.

4) ALWAYS wear gloves when picking up stool infested with giardia or parasites/worms and then throw the baggie into another baggie with a tie on top. Immediately pick up the stool if possible. Giardia can set into the ground, worms can can into the soil.....I just cannot say enough about how clean you need to be!

5) After you clean up the area, please use Bleach or a cleaning product containing bleach. I went through 24 rolls of paper towels in a 10 day period and several bottles of cleanser. I washed my shoes after walking on the infected area as cleaning up diarrhea is not easy and it is easy to step on it (ick!).

6) Keep children, workmen, pets and housekeepers away from the trash. I put a big note on my trash barrel making sure the gardener knew to use an alternate bin.

Additionally, it is important to know that pets affected with giardia will need a great deal of after-care. Many pets can develop inflammatory bowel disease because the inflammation in the bowel has not been addressed. Read more about IBD in dogs and how to treat it.