The Shar-Pei Forums-Health Behavior Diet & Rescue Info and Discussion Group

Hi all,
I'm new here, from the UK.
I recently bought a shar-pei puppy having researched the breed.
He is an absolute gem, beautiful black bear-fur who is and will continue to be a much loved family pet for me and my partner.
However at 4 months we are having a few problems. I have read up on the shar-pei and their ailments however I can't pin point his skin problem.
Both parents were pedigree as is Kong with no known problems from the breeder, and the problem has only just started.
He started scratching and biting his feet alot and I put that down to puppy-ness. However after we started walking out his hocks got swollen and very very itchy for him. As is his belly. He started going bald where presumably he was biting the fur. So after a trip to the vets they advised it was perhaps grass related allergies (we are coming up to spring perhaps pollen?). So he now has 2 Piriton (spelling?) a day. He is still very itchy and sometimes although not cut or abraised badly he has very small red dots on his legs. If it continues to worsen he will be going back to the vets for more advice. However wanted to give the piriton a chance to work so thought I'd pop on here to see what you guys thought?
Any help is MUCH appreciated. It upsets me to see him so irritated by something, cost is not the issue I just want him to be a happy healthy pup

Also did consider puppy mange until the other day, after cutting the grass and bounding around whilst I was doing so his eyes became swollen and red. Bathed him in just water incase it was pollen itching his face. It went down which is what makes me think it is perhaps pollen related?
you may tell me differently

thanks for any help!

Welcome to the forum!

Could be contact allergies or a combination of allergies and other issues. How familiar is your Vet with Pei? If they are not familiar with the breed we do have a list of Pei Experienced Vets here in our health section. There could be a few factors in play here besided allergy/sensitivity and probably hyaluronosis issues (amplified inflammation of the skin, etc due to Hereditary Cutaneous Mucinosis). You should check out Dr Tintle's info on some of the issues with hyaluronosis at the links below and pass this info there on to your Vet....it is the most recent info on breed specific health issues that can cause or exacerbate a number of health problems.

Also a bit more info on this may help us to better figure this out.
Can you post some photos of these irritated areas? Also what is his diet (including additives, treats, etc)? Any odor? Is he walking on grass alot? Any snow around and possible use of de-icer products he could be walking in? Any chemicals (fertilizers, herbicides, etc) used in areas he is walked?

http://www.wvc.vetsuite.com/Templates/C ... d69f436c5d

http://www.wvc.vetsuite.com/Templates/C ... 5a151004b1

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Blessing's CSP
http://blessingssharpei.com

Welcome ,I hope we can help your pup, Did the Vet do a Scrape? What vet are you using - Many UK's here and they know which vets are good pei vets.

I will try and post some pics later as on my blackberry right now and I am not the techiest person . He is fed on a hypoallergenic biscuit with no wheat/gluten in. However it is chicken flavour, that is the only one they do! I wasn't sure if it could be this as he was fed on a Pets at Home brand previosuly? Would you suggest swapping him back? His treats are also hypoallergenic and he gets no tip bits. He does go to pee on grass etc although since the itching I have attempted to prevent that although not totally as when walking etc he goes on grass. No snow thanks god the vets in my area appear to just assume its an allergy. I have researched a little on mucicin (spelling?) But it seems if it was this he wouldn't itch? :s Also there are no blistery bubbles that I can see around the area so I'm unsure as to if it is an allergy! I have also looked at homepathic remedies on here which you guys have looked and also the hy-vitality which is an option. I'm going to purchase some supplements to his food and see how we go on thos! Thanks so much for your response, I'll get some pictures up later and introduce Kong to the forum!

Ok so I think I have sorted some pics after a struggle with a wriggly playful pup!


Left hock

Inside left hock

Front of belly and front 'armpits' (looks a bad picture )
He has always been bald here with no fur as he has also around his genital area.

Another left hock shot.



And a cute one just for good measure!

As you can see it isnt red, up close (my camera isn't good so couldn't take up close) It is slightly dotty in places and some parts look very very slighty scabby. He is itchy alot of the time, i have only bathed him once with shampoo which is specifically for sensitive pups. He is fed as said, on dry biscuits chicken flavour of a hypoallergenic nature. He has no tip bits just hypoallergenic treats.

He is fine in himself just very very itchy and scratchy alot of the time. Although when out walking he does not bother to scratch or itch...his eyes are a bit runny but no discharge just watery. No sneezing just a white snot forms on his nose when out walking?
The vet is not a shar-pei specialist as I am aware but prescribed him with Piriton, she did not skin scrape but advised that if no better in a few days with the tablets them to take him back for a scrape. I orginally thought mange but when we cut the grass he later in the evening all of a sudden got a swollen eye lid and was scratching that area so we bathed him in water for relief.

Hope these pics are ok, as I said before any help is appreciated from me and Kong. I amm willing to try anything, homepathic or recommendations for feeding, bathing, prevention etc.
Thanks