For years, my French Bulldog suffered from folliculitis, which would result in horrible, small red bumps on his back that caused him incredible itching and pain. I had been stressed for so long trying to help relieve his discomfort with medication, various diets and gentle shampoos.That's when I decided to go the more natural route and try to treat his condition using only the most basic, natural products of baking soda and apple cider vinegar, and it worked!
It took some time before I saw concrete results, but I stuck with this regimen once a week, and was amazed at how much my dog's skin improved. By the second month he was completely free of painful red bumps and itching. I suspect his previous condition was due to clogged hair follicles caused by allergies or sensitivities to even the gentlest of dog shampoos. But the baking soda cleared that right up and even neutralized any unpleasant doggy smells, and the apple cider vinegar restored the pH balance of his skin. Speaking of which, apple cider vinegar and white vinegar are also great natural deterrents against fleas and ticks.
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You'll Need:
- baking soda
- apple cider vinegar
- warm water
1. Pour a solution of baking soda and water over your dog's entire body. Add about 1 tablespoon of baking soda in every 1.5 cups of warm water you use.2. Let it soak into its fur for about a minute, during which I like to run a rubber brush through my dog's fur to remove dead skin and hair.
3. Thoroughly rinse out the baking soda solution.
4. Follow up with a rinse of diluted apple cider vinegar (1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar per cup of warm water).
5. Let that sit for 1-2 minutes. My dog finds this extremely unpleasant since he isn't a fan of the smell.
6. Rinse out your dog's coat thoroughly, then dry him off completely, preferably with a hair dryer.
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Make sure that if you choose to bathe your dog this way to keep the solutions away from its face. Both baking soda and apple cider vinegar are extremely painful if they get into a dog's eyes or nose. Also, be gentle if your dog has any skin conditions, as there may be a stinging sensation if any open wounds come in contact with the apple cider vinegar.
I highly recommend this method to anyone with a dog who may be suffering from the same condition. I was so glad to have thought of it for my dog, and he's been a much happier and more comfortable canine ever since.
thank you so much for your help!..my dog has this condition and i cant wait to take her to the vet this tym..i need this pre medication in natural way...
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! I hope this is helpful to you. Feel free to comment again on whether this ends up working for your dog. I'd like to know if other dog owners have as much success with it as I do!
DeleteWow, I am amazed and happy and so is my dog. I have a mini aussie,4 yrs old who has been struggling with skin conditions for past three years. Been to vet many times. So I tried this yesterday. It works. Her coat and skin sores almost dissappear same day. Just use and do as stated. Only the mix is kinda small ,hard to scale up, but the results very good. Thanks for great info.
DeleteThanks so much! Nothing has worked on my dog and in desperation I googled and found this, after a few washes it's finally atarting to improve!!
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy to hear that! I hope your dog continues to feel better!
DeleteHow often do you bath your puppy? I just did the first one this evening and want to know how often. I have used antibacterial shampoo and antibiotics but nothing has worked. I sure hope this has a positive effect because it is tearing me apart. Ya, this coming from a Marine :(
DeleteI bathed my dog once a week using this method when I first started. I noticed less itching and discomfort after the first couple of washes, with his condition gradually improving over the course of two months, until there weren't any bumps at all.
DeleteI give my dog less frequent washes now, but still only using this method. I never use soap on his body anymore, and I think this has helped keep the folliculitis and other skin allergies at bay.
This does take a lot of persistence before you see a marked improvement, so please be patient!
I really hope this works for your puppy too.
Just googled folliculitus and found your blog. I will definitely be trying this on my Black and Tan Coonhound this weekend. He has been suffering for some time on and off with itchy skin and we were thinking it was allergies. Have been having disappointing results with different diets and different treatments and potions including shampoos and the evil but necessary prednisone. I hate having to medicate him but there are times when its just got to be done for his comfort and health. Would much rather natural remedies that aren't hard on him so will certainly be keen to try this and see if it helps.
ReplyDeleteI have been where you are and completely understand how frustrating it is. Even with this natural remedy, my dog still suffers from some other allergies and skin conditions. But folliculitis? It has never returned. I sincerely hope this works for your dog. Remember, be gentle with the vinegar, it'll sting!
DeleteI have a walker hound and see these bumps and constant paw licking. I am going to try this also. IMO, it gets worse in the summer, so I am thinking it is heat/moisture related.
DeleteThank you so much for posting this!!! We adopted a pup a week ago, he smells terrible after 3 baths and a trip to the vet. I have a sensitive nose so we were looking to play him in a loving home, but finding your blog gave me hope, will definitely try this:)
ReplyDeleteWhat do I do if the problem is on his face? I have a 1.5 year old bullmastiff and his face bleeds and break out so bad. Help
ReplyDeleteI'm hesitant to try this method on a dog's face, as it may irritate his eyes and nose, causing him to scratch and make the problem worse.
DeleteHowever, my dog has had a similar issue on his face and it turned out to be a bacterial infection. In this case, my vet was very helpful in prescribing an anti-bacterial face wash solution and medication specifically tailored to his size and weight so he would not be overmedicated.
I know how helpless it feels to see your dog in so much pain and discomfort, but I'm afraid in this case the best advice I can give is to seek out a vet that will take time to figure out what the best course of medication is for your dog. Some vets will prescribe an average amount of generic medication that may not be the best solution to your dog's specific problem. But if you can find a veterinarian that will take time to create a medication cocktail that is best suited for your pet, then that would be best.
I wish I could be of more help. I sincerely your pup feels better soon!
Feeding my dog a bit of coconut oil and applying a bit to her body has helped so much. I apply to her face last and comb her through after.
DeleteLooking forward to trying your method. My golden retriever seems to suffer with allergies in the summer and she gets lots of little red bumps on her body and I have tried everything. I changed her food, wash her with shampoos. I don't want to resort to the vets medication unless it gets really bad. Will let you know how it goes in a couple of weeks. Thanks
ReplyDeleteHow often do you bathe the dog with this method? My Golden is really bad right now and has already been on prednisone, antibiotics, medicated bath solution, benadryl, and now the vet wants to put him back on prednisone. This is getting insane expensive and I need to find something else.
ReplyDeleteOnce a week. However, when I first started using this method it took a great amount of patience because I didn't see any obvious results until about a month into it, and my dog didn't fully recover until after two months.
DeleteThat said, this as a method that helped tremendously with my dog's folliculitis, but I cannot say whether it would work with all dogs - I can only hope.
I should also mention that bathing my dog his way has helped keep folliculitis at bay, but he still has other conditions such as hotspots and suffers from allergies, which I'm using other natural methods to try to remedy.
Thank you for your site - I am convinced from photos that I have seen that my dog has folliculitis as well as other skin conditions and allergies. I feel so horrible for his suffering, and have tried everything under the sun! I will try this, but I am curious, his skin (and he has lost so much hair there is much skin that is showing)that he is pinkish/red on his skin, as if irritated all of the time and his body is "hot" to the touch. I don't want to dry out his skin any further. Any ideas?
ReplyDeleteFirst I just want to be clear that this bathing method specifically helped my dog's folliculitis, not his other allergies. If you'd like to try this and are concerned about irritating his skin, I would suggest diluting the solutions even further during the wash. Especially the vinegar, as that would most definitely sting when poured over an open wound.
DeleteAs for the other allergies, I battle these issues in my own dog by giving him virgin coconut oil both topically and internally. I've written a post about it here: http://tinyurl.com/kfxmc47
I've also recently been incorporating virgin coconut oil into his weekly bathing routine, which seems to have helped a bit. I'm going to observe a bit longer to see if it helps in the long term, and write a post on it.
That reminds me, as it's the summer and my dog's seasonal allergies have returned in full force, I've also gotten into the habit of completely washing down his entire body with cool water after every walk while also thoroughly wiping down his face with a clean, damp towel. It's a hassle every day, but I think it helps him cool down much faster, and washes away any outdoor lingering bacteria, germs and pollen on his coat that could cause an outbreak later.
Good luck!
I am at my wits end to see my dog suffer ! she has been to the vet off and on now for over a year ! I tried comparing pictures to her skin and this one seems to be the closest . She has these little sores and a yellowish puss comes out then they scab over ,she is very itchy and seems painful if you touch her . she has been on antibiotics and steroids and meds for itchiness but as soon as I start weening her off its back ,it now covers her whole body and the vet says put her down I am not ready to give up We just started a shampoo from the vet ,it is for fungus at first it seemed to help,I call and ask my vet could it be this or this and I get I have been a vet for so many years yada yada .I tried apple cider before but her skin was on fire from it ! could just the baking soda be used or do you think it alone won't work .my dog is my child she is a chow/Australian shepherd and 11 yrs old we have had her since she was 10 months adopted from the pound signed not ready to let go
ReplyDeleteI am truly sorry to hear that your dog is in so much pain.
DeleteThe reason why I follow up the baking soda wash with a diluted vinegar rinse is to restore the pH balance of my dog's skin (and it doubles as a conditioner for his coat). However, if your dog experiences extreme discomfort, and her "skin was on fire," as you say, I would be hesitant to continue using vinegar. However, if vinegar is omitted from the wash, I would then worry that the baking soda solution would cause the dog's skin to remain too alkaline, which would make it harder for her to fight off fungal infections.
I know how you feel, so I know how badly you would like this to work. But as I am no expert, I personally would feel awful about encouraging you to continue with this method if it is only causing your dog more discomfort. Just because it has worked for my dog, doesn't mean it will for others. Only you can decide what is best for your pet, and I genuinely hope a solution comes to you soon.
However, you did mention that your dog is 11 years old, but that she had only been to the vet off and on in the past year for this condition. If she has only been suffering from this condition in the past year, perhaps something in her life has changed? Has her diet changed? Is there something in the environment that previously wasn't that would trigger this reaction?
Trying this as we speak. My frenchie has every kind of allergy and nothing else has seemed to work. She scratches and scratches and scratches and it breaks my heart to see her in so much pain and licking her paws, etc. I am hoping this works as the vet here in Japan doesn't seem to know how to fix it. Her main thing is that she is allergic to house dust. My wife is a crazy cleaner but yet nothing changes.. Will keep you updated on how my little one does.
ReplyDeleteBest of luck to you! I have a Frenchie as well, and I've found that between baths, rinsing his entire body off with just water after walking outside has seemed to reduce some of his skin allergies. Perhaps it's something you can try as well, especially in this hot summer weather!
DeleteI was so relieved to find this blog! I also have a French Bulldog who is 2 years old and has been suffering from what I am convinced is Folliculitis. After many trips to the vet with little to no relief ... we have tried oral antibiotics, prednisone, special shampoo's, ointments, OTC allergy medications and still she is itchy and sore. I even paid a few hundred dollars for special allergy testing which came back with no findings. It has been frustrating but with your blog I feel hopeful. I will definitely be trying this out right away. I feel so bad for her having these sore, red and infected bumps. I will let you know what kind of relief we get! Thanks again !
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you and your Frenchie ...
DeleteAm reading all the comments. My dog has a rash on his chin and as I am reading this I am noticing that most of you have tried antibiotics etc. my dig was just on antibiotics because he had a tooth removed. I think antibiotics makes it worst as it suppresses the immune system, thus probably why my dog got a rash. I myself have suffered from dermatitis and know that it was caused by me being allergic to gluten and not knowing. This has created havoc with my health also with my skin but no creams or pills made it better just avoiding gluten and cross contamination and switching all my beauty product to all natural one. I will try the same for my dog and see if that works. Maybe probiotics to restore good bacteria and supplement to strengthened his immune system. I'll let you know how that works.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on always trying to go the natural route first before trying anything else. However, keep in mind that the dog's natural body process is very different from people, so what may work for our diets may not work for his (and may even be toxic to him!).
DeleteBut I applaud you on living as naturally as possible. I'm all about using natural bath products, myself. :)
We are starting this today. Our dog has been miserable for 9 months being misdiagnosed by 4 different vets. They all said allergies when we knew it was mange. I am diagnosing this one myself. Thanks for the info.
ReplyDeleteWe have a Boston Terrier and like many of the others on this blog, we have tried everything. We are reluctantly giving him antibiotics now. He got a sterrhoid (SP?) shot yesterday and is still itching. He has had skin infections off and on for 4 of his 6.5 years. Like many of the other commenters, I have tried everything, including crying. :( Every time we THINK we got rid of it, it's back. Last time he was w/out bumps for two months. I was SO HAPPY about that. But alas, it's here again. I know it's Folliculitis because our vet said it was. He's been a vet for a hundred years. I am so glad I found this blog. I'm going to try it. I hope and pray it works. He is broken out now, so I'll have to make sure it's diluted quite a bit. One question I have is, you said you bathed your Frenchie once a week. I wonder if I could do it twice a week? I'm guessing since it's all natural, that it wouldn't hurt. What do you think? Also, can white vinegar be used? Or does it have to be apple cider vinegar? Thank you so much for taking the time to help dog owners with this problem. I'll let you know how it works. I'm excited. Thanks again.
ReplyDeleteI think twice a week should be fine. And white vinegar would work as well, but your dog may not like how strong it smells. Perhaps dilute it even more and give him a few more rinses. But to clarify, I'm not a canine health expert. If his condition appears to be getting worse with this method, or hasn't improved after a few months, perhaps it isn't for him.
DeleteTo completely keep my dog free of any allergens that may trigger his condition, I also give his paws and body a thorough rinse every single time we come home from a walk, and completely wipe down his face and body. It's a huge hassle, but I rather do that than risk anything triggering another skin infection.
I know exactly how hopeless you feel. And having been the owner of a Boston Terrier myself, I know how gentle they are and what it's like to look into their big googly eyes. I really, really do hope this works for your pup like it's worked for mine. Good luck. Keep us posted if you see any improvement! I hope you do.
do you shampoo you dog first? then do the baking soda rinse filled up with the apple cider vinegar?
DeleteOK... just wondering why not put both baking soda and vinegar together? Rather than one and then the other? :)
ReplyDeleteThe reason why I don't mix the two is because the purpose of the baking soda is to fully exfoliate, clean and deodorize the dog's skin and fur. Afterward, the vinegar is to help bring his skin back to a a normal pH balance. When you mix vinegar and baking soda together, a chemical reaction occurs that makes the mixture a fizzy and foamy concoction that doesn't quite work as well, in my opinion. It also smells extremely unpleasant and makes the dog hate the bath even more!
DeleteI am trying to post this for the 3rd time. Sorry. I was saying I gave my dog this bath earlier today and he already seems calmer. Maybe coincidence? But I washed off several fleas and he has never had fleas to my knowledge and he's 6.5 years old. So I was Googling flea control (natural, of course) and found this. I didn't know if you'd seen it and thought you might find it interesting. I know you can also use vinegar; however, this method says it KILLS the fleas. Sorry the link is so long.
ReplyDeletehttp://frugalliving.about.com/od/pestcontrol/qt/Flea_Bath.htm?utm_term=Natural%20Flea%20Control%20Recipes&utm_content=p1-main-2-title&utm_medium=sem-rel&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=adid-b2d0077b-41ec-40f6-be54-4f4997491b34-0-ab_gsb_ocode-5999&ad=semD&an=google_s&am=broad&q=Natural%20Flea%20Control%20Recipes&dqi=&o=5999&l=sem&qsrc=6&askid=b2d0077b-41ec-40f6-be54-4f4997491b34-0-ab_gsb
Thanks for sharing, Bonnie! I'm so glad your dog is already feeling better. I hope this method continues to work.
DeleteI do know about the wonders of vinegar! I make brief mention in the post above that yes, it does help deter against flea and ticks, making them easy to remove and wash out. However, I'm hesitant to leap to the conclusion that vinegar can actually kill fleas. When I wash a few out during my dog's bath, they may be dead because I've simply drowned them and the vinegar help dislodge them from his fur ...
No, the link I shared talks about steeping lemon in water overnight and putting it in a spray bottle and spraying it on your pet. It says it kills them. I don't know tho. I did still find some fleas on my dog after his bath today. I may not have left the vinegar on long enough. I got in a hurry b/c my back was hurting. His coat is definitely smooth and I don't think he had many fleas on him afterward... at least I hope not. I had never seen any fleas on him until a few days ago so the whole thing is freaking me out. :) I'm going to vacuum more regularly and I've watched to see if there are any in our bed, and there aren't, thank goodness. He sleeps on our bed in the mornings after my husband goes to work. I really don't want fleas hopping on me when he's sleeping there. Ick. Anyway, thanks for answering me.
ReplyDeleteNo problem! Best of luck to you.
DeleteCan you fill the tub with water, and put the whole box of baking soda in and mix it up? I have a shepherd / chow MUX and he is so furry with a suoer thick undercoat that it is difficult to thoroughly wet him down. I can dilute the vinegar and pour over him by the glass full, but to get him thoroughly coated and wet down at first, this seems to be the only logical way! Is this O.K. to do?
ReplyDeleteSure, I don't see why not!
DeleteI find this very interesting. I will try this on my Doberman Pinscher...
ReplyDeleteI just don't know why no one will come back and write another review proclaiming if the experience has worked or not on their dogs.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteMy dog has a lot of problems with her skin. She had a couple of hot spots which we were able to treat by cleaning with hydrogen peroxide and gold bond to stop the itch. However, she has pyoderma ( lots of red dots and scabs) and she chews on it and rips out the scabs and it bleeds... I am not sure if this is the same as folliculitis? I am guessing it is. The hydrogen peroxide and gold bond doesn't seem to help as much for this. I am at the end of the rope trying to help her. SHe just got off antibiotics/steroids 1 month ago and she really can't keep on taking those forever to compromise her already bad immune system. I would really love to try this on her but would like to confirm if pyoderma and folliculitis is the same. THanks!
-Evelyn
Hi Evelyn! I believe folliculitis is a form of pyoderma, but again, I'm not a vet! This is just something that's worked for my dog and I wanted to share it in the hopes it would help others as well. To be sure, I recommend you ask your dog's doctor. I hope your pup feels better soon ...
DeleteHi there,
ReplyDeleteCould you advice me if baking soda and bicarbonate soda are the same thing or totally different stuff? I did google it and some pages said it's the same while others said the ingredients vary? Also some said the reason why some dogs do get recurring folliculitis or even acne was due to their hormone system like suffering from hypothyroidism. I like to hear what is your take on that too? My lab girl who is 2 years and 9 months old is definitely suffering from folliculitis while my 3 years 1 month old golden boy is suffering from canine acne. I've just started using povidone iodine and chlorhexdine on them after their walks after failing almost everything else. Also I've to give my lab girl cephalexin as her folliculitis was real bad. Looks like the povidone iodine and chlorhexdine is working on them. They seems to scratch less for the past week now.
Baking soda is generally the common name for sodium bicarbonate, or bicarbonate soda. So in my opinion, they are the same thing. But not having seen what you are referring to or how it is labeled I'm hesitant to tell you that what you have is, in fact, baking soda.
DeleteAs for hypothyroidism. Yes, I do believe some forms of skin problems can be caused by hypo- or hyperthyroidism. But as I'm not a vet myself, I can't give you informed advice on it.
I do wish you the best of luck though and hope your pups feel better soon!
Good day.
ReplyDeleteI have a chow and he has the same skin condition as this one. We already tried antibiotics but only worked for a few days. Anyway, my question is that should i cut all of his hair to make the treatment easier or just the parts that are affected? Thanks.
I suppose removing the hair would make the treatment a bit easier. But please be careful about shaving or cutting near the affected areas, as it may irritate your pup's condition. I would also be concerned about ingrown hairs. Perhaps simply cutting the hair shorter on affected areas would help.
DeleteMy Cocker Spaniel has had a skin condition for over 2years now. He gets dandruff -like patches that scab and when picked bleed. The patches never seem to occur in the same place and started on his back. He never scratched or seemed bothered by them. The patches also smelled. One vet called it pyoderma another called it folliculitis. I've spent lots of money on vet visits and antibiotics. I've changed his food 3times. The only things that cleared it were an expensive, Medicares shampoo and oral antibiotics. But shortly after that it would return in a different place. I recently food a dog shampoo made w something from the Dead Sea. I thought that had cured it but he now has several patches on his belly and one leg. How can I get the vinegar on his belly? And is it folliculitis if it never occurs in the same spot twice and doesn't seem to cause itching?
ReplyDeleteIf you wash your dog per my instructions above you should be able to cover your pup's entire body with diluted vinegar, no problem.
DeleteI'm sorry as I'm not an expert I cannot speak to exactly what condition your dog is suffering from.
Good luck!
Thanks for your post! I have to see if this helps him out, he's been biting his itchy, flaky skin and I keep bathing him once a week in shampoo from the vet. I also heard giving him a table of olive oil a week would work, but I am going to give this a try! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHi, can any vinegar be sub for thr apple cider vinegar?
ReplyDeleteSure! I often substitute ACV with white vinegar or rice vinegar.
Deletei am so thankful to have found this blog! i was about to take my beastie to the vet tomorrow morning..for like 5th time this summer for the same thing. ive tried shampoos, diets, grooming' nothing is helping! his itching and scratching keeps me up at night..so tonight after work i am going to swing by walmart and pick up these ingredients and give this a go! i will keep everyone posted how it works out. thanks again!
ReplyDeleteI recently adopted a pit from a friend. I noticed he had some redness/bumps and bare spots. Friend said took him to vet n was given all clear. It got progressively worse having now affecting 1/2 of his body. (Hind quarters) in doing my own research came to realize he had foliculitis. Today I gave him a bath and scrubbed off as much dead skin that I could remove using a brush. After a quick towel dry, I used a home made balm of olive oil infused with marijuana. The olive oil acts as a moisturizer and the marijuana has antibiotic properties. The next bath however will be done your way. Depending on how he responds to the balm will determine if its continued. So far so good. No dryness less redness and FAR less scratching.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I am a naturalist more than anything. And after reading all the comments I am even MORE sure this is the route I want to go. Seems a lot of the vets are just guessing and prescribing pharmaceuticals willy nilly. I my self was diagnosed with rosacea and after 4 months of antibiotics n tropicals I experienced little to no relief. I then made my mari j balm n the rosacea is now completely GONE. Thus prompting me to try the same for my Mattis. I will let u know how this turns out. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteafter you rinse the apple cider vinegar off your dog, will he/she smell strongly of vinegar? that is the only thing keeping me from trying this. thanks
ReplyDeleteNot if you rinse your dog out thoroughly. Any remaining smell should also dissipate fairly quickly after he's/she's dried off.
DeleteI wish I could download pictures cuz the difference is amazing!! Finally !!! A dog not chewing and scratching constantly!! His bare patches are growing back in.... Not sure who is loving this more.....him or me.******* in the above post meant to say topicals not tropicals******** also on that note I'm thinking the MJ balm is providing the quickest relief and speedier recovery. I'm also thinking the cooler climate also has a hand in this...
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad to hear that! I hope his condition continues to improve.
DeleteIs sugar cane vinegar , red wine vinegar and white vinegar can be use as a replacement for acv?
ReplyDeleteI have used white vinegar instead of ACV and that works fine. I have never tried sugar cane vinegar or red wine vinegar, but I imagine those would be just fine as well.
DeleteCan I do this with my puppy 2 times in 1 week?
ReplyDeleteThis is very mild and it should be fine. However, why do you need to bathe your pet more than once a week? Overwashing your pet might not be the greatest idea since it strips their skin and fur from their natural oils, which helps protect them -- especially puppies.
DeleteI recently bought a grey pitbull puppy from very reputable breeder after doing months of research. He is know 5 months old and since he was 3 months has had a issue with scratching and biting. I have had three vet visits in one month for the same issue. A scrapping will be done this week just to make sure it's not mange but the breeder has assured me her pups never had it and I believe her. She has been wonderful and very responsible breeder to say the least and no other pup from the litter is having any issues. Not sure if he contracted this from the grass or something. I live in a apt complex in NY and they so happen do not put chemicals in the grass which your damned if you do and damned if you don't. There are a lot of raccoons and wildlife that run through the grass so he might have got whatever skin issue bc of this just my theory. Chemicals put on grass can also harm your pet so it's like you can't win sometimes. Folliculitus was my guess because of the picture comparison and research I've done. He scratches his chest under arms side stomach. He can really do some damage with his nails so I'm stopping him every 1/2 hr from scratching and butting. What ever it is I don't think it's allergies but a bacterial infection. It has been extremely frustrating putting my finger on it but I'm determined to stop it before it remains long term. The vet gave me antibiotics and shampoo worked for a week and came back. I am a very responsible dog owner and he will go to vet if need be but don't wanna throw away money if the vet is not gonna help the situation. I tried this method today and will definitely write back. I also heard good things about vetericyn as well but want to try this before using chemicals. I hope this works as I can relate to everyones frustration. If you have any insight on my situation please by all means let me know your thoughts!
ReplyDeleteFINALLY tried this for the first time tonight... My poor girl Lila, also a pittie, has struggled with this for over a year, it comes and goes but as the weather gets cooler it is coming back pretty bad :( (Does weather affect folliculitus?) Vet has had her on antibiotics, but I'm not a huge fan of that. I'm thankful for you and the people who've come back with updates, fingers & paws crossed this is her cure!!
ReplyDeleteIt's early days yet but in the couple of weeks I've been washing her twice a week I'm already noticing some subtle differences but after the road my frenchie has been on this is a massive step. For two years now I've battled with her skin. 3 different vets all with different diagnoses, from demodectic mange, sarcoptic mange and general allergies. Treated with various methods...antibiotics, medicated shampoos, more extreme insectisidal washes and even steroids, which within a few minutes of reading should be avoided unless absolutely necessary for dogs with immune/skin problems. Her skin got considerably worse after a round of steroids. She is now on apoquel which really does work but from a bit a reading it can potentially promote demodex, which she will end up in a viscous cycle never being able to come off them. Like they say pharmaceutical company's don't create cures they create customers! I've tried various commercial remedies with good reviews but none of them have ever had an impact, I take reviews of products with a pinch of salt these days but I was keen to try this because it was natural and if it doesnt work it won't have harmed her. So glad I did and I'm looking forward to seeing further improvements I will update in another few weeks hopefully with good news. I dont usually write reviews on the net but I have in an attempt to inspire other people to give it a try. Vets don't have all of the answers!
ReplyDeleteHi, my name is Candice. We just got our frenchie 2 months ago and are having skin problems already.. im kind of freaking out becuase i have two toddlers and now a dog who has skin problems.. I am so relieved to have found you! i do not have time or endless money to be taking him to the vet so i am hoping your site will help. i think he may have this! i will be trying this out. he was just on antibiotics as the vet said it was a bacterial infection (swabbed and found bacteria)..i have started giving him kefir (probiotics) as i read thats also good for skin conditions. I hope this guys not too much for us to handle (allergies, skin infections..) are frenchie known for this? but once again i am so glad i found you
ReplyDeleteHi. My vet told me my dog has folliculitis but she doesnt have any red bumps as you have described. Its like her hair has shed in patches on her back and neck. Anyhow, the shampoos arent working and in fact her skin is all flaky now. Im going to try your remedy. Just wanted to check though whether your dog also shed hair in circular patches?
ReplyDeleteMy dog has shed hair in circular patches, although I am unsure whether it was related to folliculitis. That issue seemed to disappear around the same time his folliculitis cleared up, so hopefully this remedy was the reason why!
DeleteThank you so much for this remedy, we tried this on our lab, she was losing hair after an allergic reaction and had awful spots everywhere. We followed your advice, we did it every other night for 2 weeks and decreased every week after. She atopped scratching after the first time. 4 weeks down the line she has a glossy coat and the last of her scabs are flaking away. We saved hundreds at the vets because of you, thank you :)
ReplyDeleteI can't tell you how genuinely happy I am to hear that. I am so glad that your lab is feeling better, and that your stress level has hopefully also decreased! Thank you so much for posting and letting me know that this remedy has helped you and your dog. It has made my day.
DeleteI have a 6 month old cream colored frenchie and we have been having this issue since she was about 4 months. Like a lot of the pet parents on here, I too have been to the vet and given the steroid/benadryl solution but it never lasts. The bumps keep coming back. I am so excited to try this tonight. I have always been told not to bathe your frenchie too frequently. What bathing schedule do you think I should start with?
ReplyDeleteStart with a mild solution once every week -- I'd say the ratios that I've listed in the instructions above should be fine. If it works and your dog's condition begins to improve, you can try bathing her with stronger solutions. Please do comment again to let us all know if it's working! Good luck.
Deleteyour article helped me with my dog.she had been over dosed by steroids.long term steroid shots from the vet. her former owner tried to help by using a shampoo with cortisone,not realizing this was the same thing.they could not cope with the allergies and skin condition.after months of having this poor dog and using many dog shampoos I too thought this dog is allergic to all dog shampoo.i used your method,rapid improvement.there still was a cheesy odor tho.i finally thought of vegetable based soap.i got grandpas pinetar soap after reading about all the pregnant ladies using it for their pupps rash.it worked in one bath at least for my dog.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad to hear your dog is feeling better. I hope she continues to improve!
DeleteToday is my 3rd week of bathing my Boston Terrier this way!(I do it every Monday) He has been super itchy and balding on his back for quite a while now. Today I noticed his fur seems to be growing back! I don't notice him itching as much! I hope this is the answer! I'll post again in a couple weeks with his progress!
ReplyDeleteI"m so glad there's been progress! Do let us know if his condition continues to improve.
DeleteDoes anyone have before and after pics they can send me? Forgive me if their there and I'm not seeing. I don't see how to upload either.
ReplyDeleteHi, many thanks for your post. As per your instructions above, how much water does a cup hold e.g. 250 ml?
ReplyDeleteYes, that's about right.
DeleteI have a German Shepherd that developed a skin allergy from shampoo, which brought on folliculitis. She finished her antibiotic over a week ago and will soon be done with her prednisone. Sadly, the folliculitis is coming back. Question, has this treatment continued to be successful for your dog? I will be giving it a later today. Thanks! Debbie
ReplyDeleteYep, he continues to be itch-free!
DeleteGREAT !! I hope it works as well for my girl. She hasn't started itching yet, but has the rash. Before I started your mixture, I did salt water baths. Maybe the prevented the itching. Did your bath Monday and will be doing it again today. Then I'll wait a few more days before I do it again. I'm really hoping and praying this works! Thanks! Debbie
ReplyDeleteWhat invaluable information! I have nine year old Westie that always had beautiful skin like a baby's with soft, silky coat. three months ago she had flea infestation which left sore patches. I used a medicated shampoo thinking it might help the healing. Yesterday, at the groomer's, we found polka dots across her back. An online search showed it looks like folliculitis. I am great believer in natural remedies and am delighted - and relieved - to come across your sensible method. Can't wait to get cracking with it. Also the coconut oil. Well done! and thank you, thank you!!
DeleteThank you so much for this remedy. My poodle mix reacted well almost immediately. Her skin feels so much better.😁
ReplyDeleteHi I’m struggling to find ACV as I live in Kenya. Will it work with just the baking soda? Is there an alternative to ACV? Maybe white vinegar?
ReplyDeleteWhite vinegar should be just fine!
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