# zinc deficiency?



## Dreammom (Jan 14, 2009)

Does anyone have any experience with this. I am having a heck of a time here. Hurley my Sibe has been on phenobarbitol since the beginning of October. Two to four weeks after starting, he developed a dry itchy patch of skin inside his ear. We fought it for a couple of months with stuff from the pet store, bacitracin etc. Finally took him to the Vet and were given Genesis spray (worked great for a week) diagnosis was allergic dermatitis (wow that helps LOL). Now he has dry scaly skin around his eyes, they gave me drops for that, and a scaly patch on his snout developed last week. I am convinced it either has something to do with the pheno., or it is zinc deficiency. Vet says zinc deficiency would be both ears, both eyes, etc.

I am going to take him back this week, if I get no results, I will take him to a specialist. Just wondering if anyone has any experience with this type of thing. My poor guy is miserable.

thanks in advance,

Julie


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## marshab1 (Aug 28, 2006)

bumping up...


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

I am not familiar with that and my Beau is on pheno. I think I might take him to a dermatologist just to get a second opinion. Good luck and hope they can find the cause. I did find this and it talks about huskys hope it helps http://siberianhuskyhealthfoundation.org/health_zincdeficiency.asp


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## Dreammom (Jan 14, 2009)

Thank you... I had read that. I was hoping to find more info. and possibly photos so I could compare what he has going on. I am taking him back to our Vet this afternoon... the poor guy is really not feeling well. If I get no results I am thinking of taking him to a holistic Vet in our area. 
From what I have read about zinc deficiency it could be what was causing his seizures too. If it is not zinc deficiency, then the phenobarbitol could be causing an auto immune response and you know how much that frightens me after losing two dogs to AIHA. 

I swear you give them something to cure one thing and it brings on something else, etc. ****** if you do ****** if you don't.


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## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

Dreammom said:


> Thank you... I had read that. I was hoping to find more info. and possibly photos so I could compare what he has going on. I am taking him back to our Vet this afternoon... the poor guy is really not feeling well. If I get no results I am thinking of taking him to a holistic Vet in our area.
> From what I have read about zinc deficiency it could be what was causing his seizures too. If it is not zinc deficiency, then the phenobarbitol could be causing an auto immune response and you know how much that frightens me after losing two dogs to AIHA.
> 
> I swear you give them something to cure one thing and it brings on something else, etc. ****** if you do ****** if you don't.


This is a fairly good article on zinc requirements in dogs http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+1659+1662&aid=718

One other thought about zinc and AIHA...... Zinc toxicity ( like from ingesting pennies) can lead to AIHA. Having a survivor of that ****** disease, I only hope people become more aware.


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## coppers-mom (Jan 9, 2009)

I don't know about the zinc deficiency, but my GoldenX gets contact dermititis and the vet prescribed gentamed (I think) spray. That helped a lot with the itching. I can check and see what exactly the spray is when I get home. Of course, with it being on Hurley's ear and eye it doesn't seem as much like contact dermatitis. copper gets it on his abdomen and chest (makes a little more sense I think).
I hope you find something to help him!


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## Dreammom (Jan 14, 2009)

ok.. just got back from the Vet. For now they are treating it as zinc deficiency. Hurley got a shot of vetalog, is on prednisone and a multivitamin zinc supplement. If it does not clear up in a few weeks to a month, he will need a skin biopsy and blood work done.. My poor baby.


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