Thanks for the information

Find out what dosage it is---that same vitamin is made for humans and is MUCH less expensive.

I have a friend with a dog that's scratching like crazy and was hoping this thread might hold the answer. However - a hairdresser with an MBA in Biolgy? Hmmmm....not thinking this is very reliable info.

Biotin is simply a b vitamin. Dogs who are fed commercial pet foods have nutritional deficiencies because the food is cooked to death and of course, the food consists of substandard grade food (certainly nothing like human grade food). So, it makes sense that a B vitamin deficiency could be resolved with a B vitamin.

However, I will guess that in time, this dog will start itching again because of other deficiencies. For example, zinc, Omega fatty acids, Vitamin E...all of these deficiencies will also produce itchy skin.

I use an overall whole food supplement for my dog, along with his meaty dog food (sometimes kibble, sometimes frozen) or his homemade diet (I can give you link to recipe). He no longer itches and no longer sheds! And, he's getting the vitamins and essential fatty acids, minerals, etc. that he needs for good health. He actually is super shiny now too.

Here's a link to the diet: http://bit.ly/m7i4Sv

And there's a link to the supplement there too. I like using food sources of things like biotin and other nutrients because it's more useable, absorbable and reliable as a nutrient source.

Here is a link that might be useful: Homemade Dog Diet

Hi there iv just read you post and my dog has this red big mark under his chin, i have had a few vets tell me its possibly a tumour or something but no one can give me a straight answer and hes just been given antibiotics and steriods but nothing works, my dog is suffering as he constantly tries to scratch at it but iv done my own research and it i dont think it is a tumour as iv seen pics similar to my dogs one and it might be classed as a chigger, but im trying everything to help my dog with this and i just wanted to ask what kind of biotin was it exactly that you gave your dog as there are so many out there i dont know what ones to get. What ones did you give your dog? Please respond as i need all the help i can get, thank you

flyte21, sounds like a hotspot, go get some witch hazel, apply every 4 hours with a cotton balls

Most itching issues are from allergies and it's either something in their food or from something outside like the grasses, mites or pollen. If you are feeding your dog a regular commercial kibble, read the ingredients and you will see it is filled with grains and preservatives which are common food allergens in dogs. Changing its diet to a grain free product can really help with that and it is better for their overall well being. If you want to do one better, there are several high quality kibbles that are locally sourced and made in the US or Canada that use natural preservatives. The one that works best for my Lab has been Holistic Select, Anchovies, Sardine and Salmon. After 3 months on this food, her coat is gorgeous and soft and she no longer has the itches. She ended up having an allergy to chicken. If your dog is licking their paws as well, that is a good sign that the problem is outdoor related. Something that can help with the outdoor allergies is a small dapple of local honey each day. Not too much because of the sugar, but the pollen from local bees helps build up the immune system. I know Vets are expensive, but because hotspots can be bacteria related, if your dog has a hotspot, you should take it to your Vet so it can be properly cared for.

liquid i the bottle

How much bigger is it now than before, like a week ago?

Awe, poor guy, it's hard to tell from the picture but could it be a ringworm fungus? sample is pictured below.

No its an ointment and I suspect that with dogs its a prescription but honestly, I've since read that ringworm is fairly uncommon in dogs; most likely its either a type of mange, an allergy or some type of bacterial infection. There are some sites on the web where you can consult with a vet online for a small fee. Maybe you should do some searches for dog skin conditions, look at pictures and see if you can't find a good matching example that provides the name of what it is. Then you can consult with a vet online, show him/her pics of your dogs chin and the information you have found to at least help you get an idea of what it is before you go in. That is what I do, I research the heck out of my dogs symptoms and challenge the vets diagnosis if it doesn't fit what I have read. Also, I realize a good vet is hard to find, but if you have no confidence in the vet(s) you have been using, its time to find a new.

Flyte,

sounds like it's time to find a new vet that is reputable and does not run up bills.....nowadays some corporations own vet practices and this is precisely what they do. Of course there are non-corp vets who do the same, and are not as above board as they should be. Find a good vet and it will make a big difference....Hope yr doggy is better soon. I'm going to try the biotin as my dogs seem to be itchy this winter for no apparent reason..whoops! I had not read yr last post. When u go to a new vet you should have records sent over and tell them what's already been done.

looks a LOT like a ringworm carrion on that nose- common location, too. But it sure could be a focal reaction of an insect bite/sting, or even some sort of tumor. Still, ringworm would be top of my list of possibilities. Does not look like an easy mass to biopsy, though if it's a mast cell tumor, a simple needle cytology could be diagnostic (and far less expensive). Topical antifungals may be useful and very unlikely to hurt.

As for the mass on the chin, which is an ulcerated, well defined dermal structure, I would recommend it be removed and biopsied, particularly if it is growing or changing rapidly (and find out what it is). Doubt messing with topical home products is going to give you the results you desire, but even strong medications with antibiotics and/or steroids in them are unlikely to make that thing go away… best to find out what it is and then you can have a better idea what to do about it.

Unsure why everyone is opposed to veterinarians charging for their services. Most veterinarians make less than plumbers, but few people complain that a plumber charge is a total rip off. There are no medical professionals that make less money than vets and yet they seem to be complained about more in terms of charging for what they do, than do dentists, doctors, chiropractors etc. Very hard to diagnose diseases accurately without doing a few tests and all tests cost money. … or you could have some vet mess around with a few possible treatments and waste a lot of time (and some money) and have poor results in the long run.

I seriously doubt you would be happy if you developed a weird mass on your skin and your doctor decided just to try some witch hazel or other cheap, over the counter product on it in order to save you money when it could very well be a tumor and the longer you mess around with it NOT knowing what it is, the more likely it will get out of control… possibly to the point it could affect the final outcome. Now THAT would be a bad doctor in my opinion.

palmbob,

Just to clarify, the beagle photo IS a sample of ringworm for comparison.

Now, in response to your comment about vets and all the opposition. I don't have a problem with the profession per say, the problem is finding one who is on top of their game, truly engaged and good at diagnosing. For example, since July of last year, our 3 year old Lab has had lots of issues with gas and tummy pain. Gastritis was an obvious diagnosis, but once she was diagnosed, she immediately was put on some CRAPPY and expensive Royal Canine for gas dog food, reglan, and allergy medications; there was zero interest about her current diet or what may have actually been causing the issue. Neither the change in food or the drugs helped her feel better and shortly afterwards, she also started having issues with incontinence, so back we went. This time we were told it must be the spay, common problem, happens all the time. Again, with just an assumption and no real worry about the cause, the vet put our girl on a pretty potent drug to help control urine leaks. She was just 3, the whole thing made no sense to me and regretfully I went along with it. Now she's gassy, vomiting, unable to control her urine and not one of the medications or that crappy food were working. We were at the vets all the time for months with the same problems and an expense in the thousands, but our dog was getting sicker, not better. Obviously something wasn't right so I started doing my own research. With in a pretty short time, I came to understand that the original problem, gastritis was actually just the result of the beans added as a protein booster in her high quality Acana dog food. The vomiting and sick tummy was due to her eating too fast and air from drinking a lot of water. And I found lots of feedback from other owners who's dogs had also experienced incontinence after their dogs were put on the Royal Canine prescription food; which by the way has nothing in it to require that it be a prescription, its just a way to charge more for the food since it is sold via the vet. Don't believe me? Research it yourself, IT IS A COMPLETE SCAM! While you're at it, read what is in it and where it is sourced from. It is questionable that Vets even agree to sell it or Hills, both of which are very low quality foods.

Without a moments hesitation, I immediately took our girl off every freaking pill they had ever put her on and changed her food to Holistic Select. It's the only Grain Free food (without beans) available that is also made in the USA and locally sourced. I also raised her water dish and bought a slow go food dish to keep her from eating too fast. The difference in her health was almost immediate and its now been 2.5 months without one problem! The food is amazing and with no thanks to any of the vets she saw, she is happy, healthy and has the softest shiniest coat I have ever seen on a lab. No more gas, no more sick stomach, no more incontinence. Why couldn't the Vet have initially just asked about her diet is beyond me (cha-ching!) but it really irks me. We trusted them with a beloved member of our family and paid thousands for one misdiagnosis after another.

At least when that plumber comes to fix a broken pipe, I know when he is done, the pipe will be fixed and I didn't waste my money.

Since these days most of the kibble foods now have beans in them as a cheaper protein source, I just wonder how many other dogs are experiencing similar issues with gas and are also misdiagnosed. Shame on the Vets who say they are not nutritionists and therefore only treat the symptoms as opposed to actually trying to figure out the cause!

This is the bowl I use now, its a bit more pricy but worth every penny because it works!

Can you please tell me what brand and dose ..thanks for the