[czmaggie]

I'm concerned about the rough looking patches of skin on my dog's elbows and butt. I'm hoping they are just callouses but I'm really not sure. I asked the vet about it once when I took her for her shots but they didn't seem too concerned.

She's a mutt and unfortunately I have no idea what breeds she came from (probably more mutts as most of the dogs here seem to be). She's not a large dog... she's 3 years old and weighs less than 30 lbs.

I have 3 dogs in total and they all stay outdoors and sleep and lie in the same areas. They have a wooden house but none of them go inside... they just lie around on the concrete or tiles, however Sheila is the only one that has these rough patches of skin.

Sole is new and about 8 months old now but JB is just 2 months younger than Sheila and just a little bigger than her (still under 30 lbs). JB has been with us for pretty much as long as Sheila has, but she doesn't have any of these rough patches like Sheila does.

I live in the islands so it is hot most of the time and sometimes the dogs will actually lay out in the sun... I don't understand it. In fact, JB actually lays out in the sun more often than Sheila does so I'm wondering if it really is something caused by heat.

Sheila also scratches a lot... all the time in fact and everywhere. In almost every picture I have of her she is scratching. The vet once recommended I put some cornstarch powder on her underside to help with the scratching she was having there but she really scratches everywhere and everything all the time. Even after a bath she scratches. I've also noticed she has a stronger body odor than the other dogs... but perhaps this is just something to do with her breed.

They all eat the same thing... pedigree dry dog food and occasionally some people food so I'm not sure what is causing Sheila to itch like she does and to have the callouses.

Could it be that she just has extra sensitive skin and is there anything I can do to help her?

She is really terrible with the scratching... she will scratch until she is red and gives herself scabs sometimes and she is relentless... even when she is scratching her face! Sometimes I wonder how she hasn't scratched out an eye.

I know we do have a problem with ticks and mosquitoes, but all the dogs are exposed to them and she is the only one that tears up her skin so badly. Even when she is on the pesticide (the vet gave me Revolution to use for them) she still scratches the same way.

Is there some cause for the scratching that I just have thought about? Is there anything I can do that can at least alleviate the scratching so that she does not end up getting a really bad infection?

Thank you all so much for your help.

The link below is an album that has pictures of her calluses and also of her and the other 2 dogs

Need advice for any dog lovers out there | Facebook

[De Maria]

I've seen calluses on the elbow but not calluses on the butt. If you're dog is itching and losing patches of hair, then it could be fleas. Have you had her dipped?

[czmaggie]

Thanks for your reply.

No, she hasn't been dipped... I actually don't even know what you mean but will look it up when I finish here. The only thing I've done for her and the other dogs in terms of pest control is that I use a shampoo that claims its suppose to get rid of ticks and fleas when I give her a bath (which is not too often) and I've used Revolution which is one of those types of pesticides that you put at the base of the neck.

I don't understand though why if it is fleas it would affect her and not the others since their living conditions are exactly the same.

Were you able to look at the pictures? Do they indeed look like callouses?

[Sariss]

Revolution would have taken care of the fleas.
While the elbow patches look like callouses, they seem pretty bad. It looks like your dog is suffering from something like environmental allergies, or demodex. Also I'd get those ears swabbed..

[Sariss]

Yeast infection in the skin comes to mind too. You need to take her back to the vet and get further testing done.

[czmaggie]

Thank you so much Sariss. I will take her to the vet again and ask them if they think any of those reasons could be the cause. I hope they do not get offended. I'm just worried about her. I think perhaps I need to be more insistent with them about them actually testing her because they never did before. I have been out of work and although I've recently regained employment I won't be paid until the mid of this month so can't take her to the vet prior to then... is there anything I can do for her in the mean time with products I might have at home?

[shazamataz]

My parents Great Dane gets callouses on his elbows even though he sleeps inside on a soft bed.
Some dogs just can't handle the weight on their elbows and callouses form.
Have you thought about getting some hammock beds for them outside? They are good for outside dogs because they dry quickly and they keepthe dog raised off hard surfaces.
Here's a picture:


As for the ones on his rear, are you sure those are callouses and not marks from him chewing?
Might be him telling you it's time to empty his anal glands.

[Sariss]

Thank you so much Sariss. I will take her to the vet again and ask them if they think any of those reasons could be the cause. I hope they do not get offended. I'm just worried about her. I think perhaps I need to be more insistent with them about them actually testing her because they never did before. I have been out of work and although I've recently regained employment I wont be paid until the mid of this month so can't take her to the vet prior to then...is there anything I can do for her in the mean time with products I might have at home?

Call your vet. If you have established a previous relationship with them and they trust you, chances are they will work out a payment plan.

[czmaggie]

Thank you shazamataz.

I will try to get a hammock bed made for her and see if she will use it. She seems to like to lie on the ground. Even when we lock her in the back yard where her house is, she often goes and lies on the concrete floor of the pump room instead of sleeping in the house. I will try to empty her glands as well but I know she doesn't like me to mess around her rear end so I don't know how successful I will be.
Ultimately, I will take her to the vet and have them examine her but will definitely try what you have suggested.
I'm feeling a little better about the ones on her elbows being nothing more than callouses but have increasing concern about the ones on her butt.

Thanks for all of the suggestions and I will let everyone know what the vet has to say when she is examined. A friend told me her dog who had similar skin defects was diagnosed with cancer but she couldn't say for certain that the skin defects were linked to the cancer. Still, it is a scary though.