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+--- Thread: Dogs and Stinging nettle caterpillars (/showthread.php?tid=2763)
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Dogs and Stinging nettle caterpillars - YurtGirl - 10-06-2008
About a month after I moved to a house in Hawaiian Acres my dog started having skin problems. We went to the vet, they couldn't figure it out (though when they wouldn't even do a skin test to check out under the scope I realized that many vets here are equivalent to many of the doctors here). I tried sprays, lotions, shampoos, tea tree oil, fungicides, etc, etc. I was at my wits end. His coat was falling out in circles all down his back and sides, he was itching all the time, he was miserable. And he STANK. I'd have to bathe him once or twice a week. This went on for over a year and a half. We recently moved from there to Fern Forest and his coat has been rapidly improving, problem solved.
I believe now that the problem must have been the stinging nettle catterpillars. They are spiny, wretched things, very hard to see, but they have a mean sting if you even brush against them, and then the sting turns itchy for 1 - 3 weeks. They were all over the place at that property. Max has short hair, the neighbor dogs and my other dog and cat never had the issue, but their hair is thicker. Anyone else had similar issues?
RE: Dogs and Stinging nettle caterpillars - Mitzi M - 10-06-2008
Hi Yurt girl,
Poor poochie - sounds more to me like ringworm - a fungus that itches like the devil and can spread to people - that or else fur mites. Here's a way to tell if it's ringworm or other fungus. If you put a black light up to it in the dark the fungus will glow noticeably - kinda cool.
If that's the case you can try iodine - some say tea tree but I dunno - or the old standby, burnt motor oil. That's right, some grimey black from the last oil change will do it. Just keep the affected skin coated as best you can for a few days until it looks better. Hopefully the new environment will solve most of the problem.
I've never heard of dogs getting stung by the nettle caterpillar before. I would think the spines wouldn't make it past the fur right away - but I guess it's possible.
RE: Dogs and Stinging nettle caterpillars - kani-lehua - 10-06-2008
yurtgirl, please check your email and see if you received one from me. thank you.
just checked, it was not delivered and failed. i sent you another one.
"chaos reigns within.
reflect, repent and reboot.
order shall return."
microsoft error message with haiku poetry
RE: Dogs and Stinging nettle caterpillars - YurtGirl - 10-07-2008
quote:
Originally posted by Mitzi M
Hi Yurt girl,
Poor poochie - sounds more to me like ringworm - a fungus that itches like the devil and can spread to people - that or else fur mites. Here's a way to tell if it's ringworm or other fungus. If you put a black light up to it in the dark the fungus will glow noticeably - kinda cool.
If that's the case you can try iodine - some say tea tree but I dunno - or the old standby, burnt motor oil. That's right, some grimey black from the last oil change will do it. Just keep the affected skin coated as best you can for a few days until it looks better. Hopefully the new environment will solve most of the problem.
I've never heard of dogs getting stung by the nettle caterpillar before. I would think the spines wouldn't make it past the fur right away - but I guess it's possible.
Hi Mitzi,
My first thought was ringworm too, but it wasn't that, though he did get treated for it for about 3 months and other fungus' as well. [V] The other animals never got it, neither of us humans ever got it... His coat is very short and those spines could have easily gotten through. Also, with a fungus it wouldn't have gone away so quickly even after the move. I'm fairly certain it was the caterpillars, it's the leading (almost only) variable. Other than no Coqui's here yet(keeping fingers crossed), the fact that it's a little cooler here and there's way less guaivi and palms.
RE: Dogs and Stinging nettle caterpillars - rasman - 10-07-2008
Aloha,
I too doubt if your dog was stung by caterpillars. True, the nettles most likely would not penetrate the fur. I have been stung numerous times and a little baking soda mixed with apple cider (or other) vinegar and mixed to a pasty consistency works like a charm. I would not use toxic motor oil on your dog if he/she does in fact have ringworm. Better to use a little Noni and Neem powder in your dogs food for about a week or two while applying Tea tree oil topically to any infected area. Careful though, if it is ringworm it is highly transferable to humans, so protect yourself when you are in contact with your doggy. Aloha
RE: Dogs and Stinging nettle caterpillars - kani-lehua - 10-07-2008
we've used noni when/if the dogs get "hot spots" and it works really well. also tried it on a minor puncture wound and it worked just as well.
"chaos reigns within.
reflect, repent and reboot.
order shall return."
microsoft error message with haiku poetry
RE: Dogs and Stinging nettle caterpillars - Devany - 10-08-2008
Great advice about the Noni, I think it is an amazing local plant. What is Neem powder? Kani, were you talking about applying the Noni topically or as rasman suggested adding it to the dog's food?
Yurt Girl, the good thing is that your dog is back to normal. I don't think I would apply dirty motor oil to any living being in any circumstance.
Mahalo.
Aloha au i Hawai`i,
devany
Devany Vickery-Davidson
East Bay Potters
www.eastbaypotters.com
RE: Dogs and Stinging nettle caterpillars - Bullwinkle - 10-08-2008
The golden that allows me to live with him. Is reactive to foods... feed him the "wrong" brand and hot spots show up in a week or two, and he begins to smell bad. My daughter (in the dog business) swears 90 percent of smell and hot spot issues are food related. The other ten percent being smelly ears ... ear wash fixes that
RE: Dogs and Stinging nettle caterpillars - kani-lehua - 10-08-2008
i'm not exactly sure how "hot spots" happen, but was told by our vet (not her regular vet) that our chow mix is sensitive to metal brushes. how true that is i don't know. ever tried brushing out the under coat? what a nightmare. she had it twice and it went away using the noni topically, devaney. we bought the noni from down to earth, a health store over here on o'ahu. a couple of health stores on the big island should have it as well.
i always comment that our dogs don't smell especially the chow mix. she and her one son, have a pleasant odor. i love to smell their heads. the other son, loves to rub up on plants/bushes that have just been peed on. why? i don't know. he gets a bath way more often then the others. our littlest dog doesn't smell either except when she steps in some poop--she's almost completely blind now.
"chaos reigns within.
reflect, repent and reboot.
order shall return."
microsoft error message with haiku poetry
RE: Dogs and Stinging nettle caterpillars - Mitzi M - 10-08-2008
Yes - I realized the motor oil cure would horrify many. I myself do not generally think petroleum products are great for skin but it was recommended to me by a vet. I had tried everything from aloe to prescription stuff for ringworm on a very sick cat I adopted, nothing worked and the cat was getting worse and worse.
The motor oil cleared it up in about 3 days.