Hi, i'm new here and have a foster collie (Marley) who isn't in the best shape.

He seems very itchy at the base of his tail and left shoulder blade and has what could be hotspots under his arms and inside his back legs. I suspect that the sand from the beach he plays on every day is irritating him and despite washing it off, he's not getting completely dry.

I am getting him slowly used to the hairdryer (which he hates) and he can now be in the same room as me when i use it, but until he's happy to be closer to it has anyone got any tips on drying him more thoroughly?

He is up to date with flea, tick and worm treatment but we're waiting on vaccination records.

Any advice or similar experiences would be appreciated!

May be a simple solution,how about not taking him to the beach for a few days and see if he still itches then.process of elimination if you like.

^if this is the beautiful Marley i think it is he has a very beach orientated life working with tourists and boats.

i really dont know what to suggest rachel as my answer would have been similar to skids.

i think that if i were in your position i would look at food - has it been changed recently? what are you feeding him? and then look at solutions - treat the hotspots and then after that protect sensitive areas with vaseline every morning before work to stop the water affecting him as much?
making a bloody good brush every evening part of his routine to get the sand out?

it may be of help to you i dont know but when i go to the beach with the dogs i set up their paddling pool before we leave. when we come home i send them crashing through it to get some more of the salt water off them - before they get in the car to come home they get fresh water poured over them.

of course this will not help his skin fron drying out. i dont know what to suggest for an every day measure. just dont forget to suncream his little nose :wub:

lol, yes i think it is the Marley you think it is!

he has been kept off the beach the past few days, is still itchy but sores seem to be healing slowly but well. trouble is the ground is fairly sodden in places here and it's almost never a totally dry walk for either of the dogs.

we've ordered some CSJ food as we can get that by post and ppl keep recommending it so hopefully that will help, if it's some additive in the current food (bakers) that's irritating him. I'm not sure what he was fed in kennels but i'm hoping that the food change will improve him.

luckily there is a hose with fresh water to use at the jetty so he's always washed off after a session on the beach to stop the sand drying and rubbing his skin.

does anybody think it could just be being damp that could be causing the itches? it seems like he should be itchy underneath not shoulderblades if that's the case...

have to see how we go! thank you for the advice!

oh god! get him off that crap!!!! i dont know how they are allowed to keep selling it i tell you :(

csj is good so fingers crossed to see a significant difference.

Have you had his anal glands checked?