# K-9 Bedding



## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

What type of mites could be found in hay/straw bedding? Is it possible to have them in cedar or pine chips?


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## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

I use straw and wood chips and have never had any issues with mites....or fleas for that matter......never heard of it.


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Carol I have too but two of my dogs got hair loss issues and the only thing I could think of was bedding. Both are on a sulfer wash...it smells so bad!


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## Terry Fisk (Jul 26, 2007)

Howard Gaines III said:


> Carol I have too but two of my dogs got hair loss issues and the only thing I could think of was bedding. Both are on a sulfer wash...it smells so bad!


Did you have a skin scraping done for mites? Maybe the hair loss is a contact or inhalant allergy instead. I hate Lime Sulfa dip... PU!


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## David Scholes (Jul 12, 2008)

I'm using shredded paper from my business, instead of sending it for recycle.


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## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

Howard Gaines III said:


> Carol I have too but two of my dogs got hair loss issues and the only thing I could think of was bedding. Both are on a sulfer wash...it smells so bad!


Hmmm...might be the bedding....I buy my bedding from a local rancher. If you are buying straw from a feed store or something like that, there may very well be some creepy crawlies in it from all the other stuff they carry (like the feed...grain and what not)

Never thought of that. My straw goes from the field to my shed....and the shavings are bought at the hardware store in the blocks. 

You have not recently changed foods/diet have you? Do you have issues with mange in your area?


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## Lynn Cheffins (Jul 11, 2006)

Damp hay itch maybe? Also check for dog lice as lice like damp, cold conditions and this winter has provided lots of that.


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Terry Fisk said:


> Did you have a skin scraping done for mites? Maybe the hair loss is a contact or inhalant allergy instead. I hate Lime Sulfa dip... PU!


 
Terry I haven't because I screwed up my lower back hauling lime from our Lowe's store....trying to will it to make spring! If the dogs get a case of the a$$ and don't self load, I have to toss them up. The lower back will not allow it, the pain is unreal. Now I can deal with pain you understand, look at my mug shot! Connie also threw that to me a few days ago.

First the Border Collie had it, then my female Bouvier. The others don't have any signs...guess the first two are retards or illness freaks or something!


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Lynn Cheffins said:


> Damp hay itch maybe? Also check for dog lice as lice like damp, cold conditions and this winter has provided lots of that.


Lynn tell me more as it was a mix of hay/straw and chips. But the same mix was used for all dogs...I hate to share my bed with these things!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Terry Fisk (Jul 26, 2007)

Howard Gaines III said:


> The lower back will not allow it, the pain is unreal.


Howard; as one with many degenerative disks from cervical to lumbar spine I can relate to back pain. I hope you and the dogs recover quickly.


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## Jennifer Coulter (Sep 18, 2007)

Lynn Cheffins said:


> Damp hay itch maybe? Also check for dog lice as lice like damp, cold conditions and this winter has provided lots of that.


My dog has had dog lice before...easy to get rid of compared to fleas...you just have to know the dog has it. By the time the dog was loosing fur, you should be able to see some if you look.

On the damp hay itch...what is this? Is it just from being damp a lot, or is it from a mould? My dog is beded at work in hay. He obvoiously drags snow in there every time he is kenneled, difficult to tell if it is damp. I think he does seem a bit itchy sometimes...no real redness, no fur loss...positive he doesn't have bugs at present. 

Lynn, how often do you change the hey in your sled dog's kennels?


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## Jennifer Coulter (Sep 18, 2007)

Jennifer Coulter said:


> I think he does seem *a bit itchy *sometimes...


Sometimes he seems a bit bitchy too.. but that is another story :lol:


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## Mo Earle (Mar 1, 2008)

_"My dog has had dog lice before...easy to get rid of compared to fleas"

_Jennifer, I haven't had this problem, but curious what do you prefer to use to treat for lice?


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## Jennifer Coulter (Sep 18, 2007)

Mo Earle said:


> _"My dog has had dog lice before...easy to get rid of compared to fleas"
> 
> _Jennifer, I haven't had this problem, but curious what do you prefer to use to treat for lice?



One fall we treated all the dogs at my work. I used the topical Revolution and the rest of the crew used a shot of Ivermectin. I haven't had my dog tested for the mdr1-1 gene (or whatever it is called), but because my breed has collie in it's heritage and a problem he had when he was young, I haven't used Ivermectin on the vet's advice.

Both meds cured it. Lice can't live off of the dog so it is much easier to treat.


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## Mo Earle (Mar 1, 2008)

thanks Jennifer, as I said that is one problem I haven't had yet:-#...maybe because I do routinely treat my guys with Ivomec and frontline.

Also, Howard I also used straw/and cedar-but not hay when we were in Va., we didn't have any problems-hope you figure out what is bugging your dogs- hope your back is feeling better soon.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

I use what the feed store calls prarie grass for bedding. It has no seed or chaff in it and doesn't break down as fast as straw. I've not had a flea or pest problem but I also use Frontline +.


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## Jennifer Coulter (Sep 18, 2007)

Crap...it is straw that we use for bedding...not hay](*,) 

Being blond is difficult some times:???:


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Jennifer Coulter said:


> Crap...it is straw that we use for bedding...not hay](*,)
> 
> Being blond is difficult some times:???:


 
No need to explain. Your about the age of my daughters and one is blonde. :roll: :lol: :wink:


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## Lynn Cheffins (Jul 11, 2006)

Damp hay itch usually is associated with hay cut off of swales or areas that have been lowlying or wet. I think it is some kind of mite. Sometimes if you have a problem maybe associated with bedding you can change the type of straw (oat straw instead of wheat) and it might work. 
If you see hair chewing on a dog I generally am suspicious of lice as they don't move around on the dog fast like a flea. Check around the topline of the dog and you might fiind a small flattened crablike little critter usually a whitish colour - that's a louse.
You can use the treatments Jennifer said but also anything that knocks out fleas like Rotenone or pyrethrin will knock out lice and as stated they are pretty easy to kill.


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Jennifer Coulter said:


> Crap...it is straw that we use for bedding...not hay](*,)
> 
> Being blond is difficult some times:???:


HAY get it straight!


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