Treat Border Collie Skin Scratching Solutions

The Old Trainer: An apple cider a day keeps the vet away

DEAR OLD TRAINER: You have written about skin problems your dogs have had. I have a 4-year-old Sheltie named Lucy. Patches of skin on her belly and chest turn bright red. She can't quit scratching and is in pain. Is this the same thing that your dogs get, and if so, how do you treat it?

-- ERIN, LIVINGSTON

A: Rowdy, my lead border collie, had the same symptoms every summer for at least five years, Erin.

The first thing I did was switch her from a flea product applied directly to the skin to one taken orally. That helped but did not cure the problem.

My vet suggested that I apply hydrocortisone cream on the red spots. That helped. The skin returned to its normal color and the itching stopped for a few days, then would return.

This summer I discovered the best remedy yet, courtesy of Natural Wonder Pets.com. I applied a solution of equal parts apple cider vinegar and water to the affected spots. Within 24 hours the redness disappeared, and has not returned. I reapply about once a week just to make sure.

Apple cider vinegar will cure almost every ailment in humans and dogs, if you listen to the old wives' tales. In this instance they were right. When it worked on Rowdy, I suggested it to a fellow basketball player who had a persistent athlete's foot rash. The apple cider vinegar/water remedy cured it in one day.

Bob Dylan said in "Just Like A Woman" that "nobody feels any pain." Rowdy agrees with that, and so will Lucy after you try this solution.

DEAR OLD TRAINER: I have decided to get a golden retriever for my kids. You always recommend people get dogs from shelters instead of breeders. I understand the rationale, but what if you want a purebred dog?

-- COLEMAN,

PALO ALTO

A: The best place to get a purebred dog, any breed, is the shelter, Coleman. If they don't have it, they will put you in touch with one of the many rescue groups that specialize in the various breeds.

The shelters are filled with purebred dogs, including golden retrievers. Check the number of golden retriever rescue groups on the Internet and you will see what I mean.

A good portion of the hundreds of thousands of purebred dogs that the breeders produce each year end up in shelters. Many of them are euthanized. Breeders know this, of course, but they don't care.

The only people who care are the shelter workers and the rescue groups who spend their time trying to place as many of them as they can.

Allergic dog dilemma! What to do? | Lamb Dog Food

It could be food, or it could be environmental allergies – and yes, allergies can get that bad that quick.

If this were my dog? I agree with the other poster – I would try a raw or BARF diet. That way, you have complete control over what the dog eats, and can rule out food allergies that way.

Please contact me if you want to learn more, as a raw diet is not something you should just start doing without some research and knowledge.

Good luck.

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