Bacca's skin funk is back! Really bad!

BarbV said:
I wondered about staph too, but I also know that chronic skin funk is classic with hypothyroid dogs, so was hoping that there was a classic treatment out there. It looks like Seborrhea by my untrained eye.
Click to expand...

I understand he has Thyroid issues and skin issues are a problem with that but with open sores, scratching, chewing etc. it can than become staph. If it has spread to his belly now too I would really have him checked Barb. It can get really expensive the longer you wait.

Wishing you and Bacca the best.

Just a side note Gypsy was diagnosed with Seborrhea before we had the skin scraped so there can look similar.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
dawns2shelties said:
BarbV said:
I wondered about staph too, but I also know that chronic skin funk is classic with hypothyroid dogs, so was hoping that there was a classic treatment out there. It looks like Seborrhea by my untrained eye.

I understand he has Thyroid issues and skin issues are a problem with that but with open sores, scratching, chewing etc. it can than become staph. If it has spread to his belly now too I would really have him checked Barb. It can get really expensive the longer you wait.

Wishing you and Bacca the best.

Just a side note Gypsy was diagnosed with Seborrhea before we had the skin scraped so there can look similar.
Click to expand...

Ok, got ya. It makes sense what you say. Back to the vet we go! I hope they are open this week, else, its emergency....gadzillion dollars!

Bacca....you know I love you, but you really are a pain in wallet and the backside!
Click to expand...
 
Looks like you have tried just about everything-I feel for you! I don't know if it would help, but several of my collies & shelties over the years would get "hot spots" occasionally. A vet recommended Diamond brand dog food and none of my dogs ever got another hot spot or skin problem. It is quite reasonably priced, I pick it up at the feed store where I get my horse feed. Even tho your dog's problem doesn't seem to be related to hot spots maybe a change in diet would be worth a try?
 
Chasin Ponies said:
Looks like you have tried just about everything-I feel for you! I don't know if it would help, but several of my collies & shelties over the years would get "hot spots" occasionally. A vet recommended Diamond brand dog food and none of my dogs ever got another hot spot or skin problem. It is quite reasonably priced, I pick it up at the feed store where I get my horse feed. Even tho your dog's problem doesn't seem to be related to hot spots maybe a change in diet would be worth a try?
Click to expand...

I thought about treating him temporarily with a hot spot treatment, but frankly I'm loathe to keep "trying" things out on him.

I'm convinced his coat condition is related to his hypo. The coal tar seems to be helping somewhat. But I guess the real answer is back to the vet when they open up to regular hours after Xmas. In the meantime, I'll just try to keep him comfortable as I can.
 
Please make sure they do a test for yeast. Phoebe was diagnosed with everything under the sun but no one did a yeast test until I took her to Dr. Jan Hall at Guelph. Thousands of dollars, many vets, a few years and more than one time thinking it was the end of the road for her I took the advice of a breeder friend and treated her for yeast. Presto, she has been totally normal for several years now. What all the drugs did in those early days - well who knows if that has contributed to her current issue. At one time she was on an human anti rejection drug that was super expensive if I got it from the regular vet but cheaper at the university because they get so much of it. She does lick her feet when they are wet but not to the point of causing dermatitis and limping and she goes out willingly when it is wet out there - a real issue before as it made her feet itch. She had little hair left on most of her body, red inflammed skin, plugged pores, chronic ear infections and lip fold dermatitis and when she wasn't scratching she was chewing at herself. BTW, her yeast test came back as having slightly more yeast than normal but not enough that they would consider her "yeasty". I use Plush Puppy shampoo for sensitive dogs on her which I get from the dog show vendor. You can PM me if you want to know what the course of action I took with her was. My vet now uses it on her hard to treat cases with good success.
 
BarbV said:
I wondered about staph too, but I also know that chronic skin funk is classic with hypothyroid dogs, so was hoping that there was a classic treatment out there. It looks like Seborrhea by my untrained eye.

@3Stars.....I would be very interested to find out what your diagnosis is. It sounds very similar. Also, you should inspect the groin as well. I didn't realize it until a few days ago that Bacca also has it there as well. And since he's been chewing at it, its gotten rather nasty.

Sigh! Love this dog....but man, its one thing after another! Next time I get a puppy, I'm getting Pet Health Insurance, for sure!
Click to expand...

Years ago, I had a bi-black sheltie named Tobey. He had the same issues that you speak of with Bacca and no matter what we tried, his itching, flaking, and sensitivity and funky smell prevailed.

Tobey started having bouts of diahrrea (sp?) and when we took him back to the vet they did not address the issue, they gave me aloe cream and told me to change his diet. I did both but it did not help. I got another vet who told me that Tobey's thyroid was totally out of whack and also that he had hemolytic anemia. I lost Tobey that day.

This is information that I wish that I had gotten in time. It probably is not applicable for Bacca but I felt I should put it out there since there is a commonality of symptoms.

Good luck, hope this helps in some way,

Hugs for you and Bacca,

Kate
 
My previous Sheltie had staph in his groin area.
The vet took a scrapping. The staph did have a very unique smell to it. I did have a med. to put on it and did help. Later in life, he did not have any trouble with it. Good luck.
 
Thanks everyone! Keep the info coming. We'll be going back to the vet once they get back to normal hours (i.e. non-emergency). But anything you have to offer in suggestions is greatly appreciated.


The fact is that vet's can't know it all. Hopefully, she will recognize this instantly. If not, then, I'll be using this thread to help her in the diagnosis.
 
Ok, back at the vet.

She said that normally she would treat with a topical shampoo only to start. But because he's a Sheltie, and she recognized how difficult it is to work through undercoat to get a treatment to the skin, she opted to put him on a dose of Claveseptin for 20 days! Along with a medicated Vet shampoo twice per week.

Even though it was -20C outside this evening, Bacca and I had a bath together. I had fed him and seemed to be settling down for the evening, but after the bath, he insisted on going outside - over and over and over! Wet fur and all! Seems the bath made him super playfull, and he had big zoomies! Silly dog!

Crossing fingers and paws that this will help his poor skin. The irony here is that when I brought him into the clinic, the vet tech looked at him and said "What a beautiful dog! What a gorgeous coat!" If she only knew! :sadsmile:
 
Hope this helps Bacca!
Funny he wanted to go out tonight it's so cold here!
I can hear the clatter of icicles :eek2:
Hopefully he'll settle in soon and feel more comfortable.
:fl
..and of course Treesa sends her love to her Dreamy eyed man! :hugs
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top