Serious skin issues we need your help. Pictures *

Food, Fitness and how to keep them healthy.

Postby a-bull » May 7th, 2009, 10:07 am

If you try the Atopica, I'd be curious how it works out. It was recommended for my female, (also allergic), but because these types of issues can be the result of an already inferior immune system, I got nervous about using it. It apparently surpresses the dogs immune system to a degree in order to squelch the allergic cycle, but I wondered if it could have the opposite effect in an already immune deficient dog and aggravate the problem?? I just don't know, so I've been trying other avenues suggested above as well.

Do try that ear medication for those ears though~It's not expensive, works really well, and I know how miserable they can feel whe their ears get like that.

Good luck. :)
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Postby a-bull » May 7th, 2009, 10:52 am

Just found a GREAT article regarding skin issues!

Go to "The Pet Center" website, (great site if you're not already familiar with it), and there's a great article called "Itch-And-Scratch-Bite-And-Lick."
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Postby Malli » May 7th, 2009, 3:14 pm

The dog doesn't have mange, he has a FUNGAL infection on his skin.

I'm trying not to be harsh, but think of it this way : If anyone here would like to treat their own yeast infection with something that may or may not work and have to wait to see if it works, then please, let me know.

I'm all for trying alternative preventative treatments, but with the severity of the infection the dog has, now is NOT the time to start. It isn't fair to the dog at all.
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Postby mnp13 » May 7th, 2009, 3:19 pm

Malli wrote:The dog doesn't have mange, he has a FUNGAL infection on his skin.

How do you know that? He's had mange before, that could be the underlying cause of the problem again couldn't it? Connor had secondary infections when he got mange.

Riggs had a staff infection on his neck. that looked a lot like that

I'm trying not to be harsh, but think of it this way : If anyone here would like to treat their own yeast infection with something that may or may not work and have to wait to see if it works, then please, let me know.

I have before. Sometimes not loading up with chemicals but having to wait a little for relief is better for the body overall.

I'm all for trying alternative preventative treatments, but with the severity of the infection the dog has, now is NOT the time to start. It isn't fair to the dog at all.

There are also "alternative" treatments for the actual problem itself.
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Postby Malli » May 7th, 2009, 8:11 pm

I don't know that, but if he does have mange, he is that much less likely to be able to fight off secondary infections(suppressed immune response), so the medication he is on now will be that much more helpful.

serious skin infections can escalate into Sepsis, wich is often fatal.
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Postby mnp13 » May 7th, 2009, 10:36 pm

Malli wrote:I don't know that, but if he does have mange, he is that much less likely to be able to fight off secondary infections(suppressed immune response), so the medication he is on now will be that much more helpful.

gotcha.
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Postby a-bull » May 8th, 2009, 9:48 am

Oh absolutely don't use internet advice in lieu of vet care. Beyond that, I think people's suggestions in this thread are good things to consider between vistis, (like laundry detergent, etc.) because skin issues can be ongoing.

Good luck!
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Postby factoryphoto » May 10th, 2009, 1:04 pm

Well ive been mixing his food with ACV and plain yogurt..Also been spraying his neck with 50/50 water and white vinegar..
So far his smell has gona away and his neck is not wet and nasty anymore BUT for the past 2-3 days his mouth is very red almost purple and swolen..2 days ago he would not move he was miserable his mouth/lips looked burnt they were so red and swolen..I stayed up with him until 3am watching him after I gave him 75mg of benedryl..I called UC Davis hospital and they told me to keep an eye on him..Yesterday he was a bit more himself tail wagging and he was following me around the house.Looks like the swelling went down since last night.Ive made an appnt at ucdavis to have his blood work done and have him checked out.
So far ive washed his bed and blanket in hot water twice, cleaned his water bowl and food bowl every night and have massaged him and did the yogurt and vinegar thing and it seems like it is slowly helping..The yeast smell is gone I just wonder whats with his lips and snout being so puffy and red..ucdavis said obviously he allergic to something so im trying to weed out everything one at a time.
Ill keep u posted.
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Postby call2arms » May 10th, 2009, 2:00 pm

Dr Blaaabs! Where are you?? :)

I have no real advice to add though, but an allergy test would be a great investment... Hang on, and good luck.
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Postby Malli » May 10th, 2009, 2:02 pm

is he still taking the ketoconazole? Did you take him off it? Or had you given it to him in the past?
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Postby blabsforbullies » May 10th, 2009, 7:21 pm

call2arms wrote:Dr Blaaabs! Where are you?? :)

I have no real advice to add though, but an allergy test would be a great investment... Hang on, and good luck.



I'm here!!! :D I just don't know what else to add :neutral:... you guys have covered it nicely! 8) He sounds like a very allergic dog, to me, but I would need a skin scaping, and skin cytology to really know. Agreed on the allergy testing. Speaking to a veterinarian who is HIGHLY, HIGHLY allergic to animals :doh: , I can speak personally and professionally about the benefits of hyposensitization therapy (allergy shots). :wink:

I think having UC Davis check him out is a great idea. I feel for you :( .... skin is my medical nemisis :mad2: . Atopica is my new best skin friend, however. :dance:
We have a Mastiff... does that count??? :)
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Postby lellis34 » May 10th, 2009, 9:01 pm

GET TO AN ALLERGIST! Please let them know you need to get in ASAP. I spent many months and lots and lots of money before I got King to the allergist. He was there at least once a month and it was always close to $200 per visit. He was on Ivermectin several times, antibiotics, creams, you name it. A few bouts with demodectic mange - which I've been told in an allergic dog can actually become part of their allergy panel and recur. I finally I got him to the allergist. It cost me $500 for the consult, testing, and 6 months worth of allergy shots, as well as some antibiotics he needed at the time. It was well worth it. He was getting shots every 3 weeks - I do them at home, but he's been flaring up lately so now gets them every 2 weeks. About every 5 months I get more serum and it's about $125. It's well worth it. He still has a flare up every now and again if he eats something he shouldn't, or if new plants come into season, but generally he's under control.

Looking at his neck, if you're not doing so already, only collar him when you need to walk him. King has an allergy to the metal on the collar buckles now. If he wears for more than a day at a time he gets bloody little cysts on his neck something fierce.

I encourage you to get in ASAP. Kings puppy, Magnus, inherited his allergies and unfortunately didn't get proper treatment in time. His skin issues became so bad that the friday before his allergist appointment his sores on his neck opened up and they couldn't control the bleeding and was put down.
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Postby iluvk9 » May 11th, 2009, 5:44 am

lellis34 wrote: Kings puppy, Magnus, inherited his allergies and unfortunately didn't get proper treatment in time. His skin issues became so bad that the friday before his allergist appointment his sores on his neck opened up and they couldn't control the bleeding and was put down.


Oh, how sad!
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Postby lellis34 » May 11th, 2009, 9:24 am

iluvk9 wrote:
lellis34 wrote: Kings puppy, Magnus, inherited his allergies and unfortunately didn't get proper treatment in time. His skin issues became so bad that the friday before his allergist appointment his sores on his neck opened up and they couldn't control the bleeding and was put down.


Oh, how sad!


It really was, and is yet another reason why I tell people to avoid the Petsmart/Banfield vets like the plague. They kept telling his mom that to see their allergist was going to be like $1500 and she couldn't afford that so she kept putting it off and going to them and getting bandaid fixes for him. I saw him early in the week that he was put down and called my allergist for an emergency appt. They didn't have anything but put him at the top of the list and called me back to say they had cancellation and could see him on the following Monday. In the meantime his neck flared up so bad it looked like hamburger. It started bleeding so bad on Thursday night that he was going through wads of gauze every hour. On Friday morning she took him to Banfield :cuss: and they said he was loosing too much blood and they couldn't stop it. It just makes me so angry because they had to know there was an allergist not 5 miles from them. Granted, not THEIR allergist, but when an animal is suffering and is constantly in there you owe it to the animal to see that they get treatment somehow - make recommendations to other facilities. SOMETHING!! But all they saw was their profit margin as part of a big box pet store. *uckers!
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Postby hugapitbull » May 11th, 2009, 7:54 pm

lellis34 wrote:
iluvk9 wrote:
Oh, how sad!


It really was, and is yet another reason why I tell people to avoid the Petsmart/Banfield vets like the plague. They kept telling his mom that to see their allergist was going to be like $1500 and she couldn't afford that so she kept putting it off and going to them and getting bandaid fixes for him. I saw him early in the week that he was put down and called my allergist for an emergency appt. They didn't have anything but put him at the top of the list and called me back to say they had cancellation and could see him on the following Monday. In the meantime his neck flared up so bad it looked like hamburger. It started bleeding so bad on Thursday night that he was going through wads of gauze every hour. On Friday morning she took him to Banfield :cuss: and they said he was loosing too much blood and they couldn't stop it. It just makes me so angry because they had to know there was an allergist not 5 miles from them. Granted, not THEIR allergist, but when an animal is suffering and is constantly in there you owe it to the animal to see that they get treatment somehow - make recommendations to other facilities. SOMETHING!! But all they saw was their profit margin as part of a big box pet store. *uckers!


Not to argue any point made about poor pet care, I would like to add that the cost of an allergist must depend on where in the country you live and/or availability. We took Trouble to an allergist and spent $1500 up front on the first visit, not to mention the shampoos, conditioners, and other meds that were not included. We also spent another couple hundred for each additional visit, plus the serum. It worked well for her until they changed the serum, and we were never able to stabilize her again.

I would definitely try an allergist, particularly if I could find one to do the testing and initial check for $500, if not and the dog has not had tumors of any kind, try Atopica.
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Postby lellis34 » May 12th, 2009, 9:50 am

OMG :shock: I can't believe it!! That's outrageous. And I live in one of the most expensive areas of the country. HOLY MOLY. Maybe because we have a couple in our area (meaning the state of Maryland) they have to be competitive with each other.
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Postby hugapitbull » May 12th, 2009, 1:24 pm

lellis34 wrote:OMG :shock: I can't believe it!! That's outrageous. And I live in one of the most expensive areas of the country. HOLY MOLY. Maybe because we have a couple in our area (meaning the state of Maryland) they have to be competitive with each other.


We went to a specialty clinic in Houston. You would think in a city that size there would be enough competitiion to drive the prices into a reasonable range, but not so with these folks.

Yes, Trouble has been a pricey adventure from day one, and it looks like she will keep up the tradition until the day she's gone. :dance: But I wouldn't trade her for anything, which probably makes me :crazy2:
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Postby call2arms » May 12th, 2009, 7:59 pm

Whoaaa... Not an allergist, but the typical subdermal injections for allergy testing is 300$ + consult fees, at the referral center I'm doing my externship at.

1500$?? That's crazy, what exactly do they do for that price?
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Postby hugapitbull » May 12th, 2009, 8:25 pm

call2arms wrote:Whoaaa... Not an allergist, but the typical subdermal injections for allergy testing is 300$ + consult fees, at the referral center I'm doing my externship at.

1500$?? That's crazy, what exactly do they do for that price?


It has been several years, but it really wasn't that impressive for that amount of money. They did a physical, did some skin scrapings, gave her a fast acting anesthesia, shaved her side and did the test where there are bunches of little needle pricks. We have a full report of all her allergies. We had a full rundown of medications, shampoos, conditioners, what to keep her away from, and an in depth discussion of the found allergy triggers. They mixed her antigen and taught us to give injections, gave us instructions on keeping a detailed journal and after about 4 - 5 hours sent us on our way.
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Postby call2arms » May 12th, 2009, 11:07 pm

Huh, ok, sounds like the same as we do, except we only do sedation on aggressive dogs, surprisingly most seem to tolerate it very well.

But if it did include her injections (for how long??), then maybe that's why it was so pricey?
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