Question about a dog

[mamabear]

Hi everyone!! Gotta question...

I picked up ds13 today at a friends house I hadn't been to in years. Their dog "rocky" is 11 years old now. He's a beagle. I saw him and wanted to cry he looked horrible. I talked with the dad about the way he looked at dad assured me he is getting the best care.(i believe him too). He said that the dog has a thyroid issue and is on meds for it, it is compounded at the pharmacy and they give it as a liquid in a piece of food. He is on Pedigree which I personally dont like at all. Rocky's skin is spotty and itchy and very dry. Meds and thyroid are reaking havoc of this dogs skin the poor thing. His ears which he lovingly let me touch are red and inflamed, i spoke with him about that as well.

He said he had just bathed Rocky with a very expensive shampoo I looked at it and it was crap. Rocky would have been better off with the cheap stuff we get for ourselves that's how bad this other stuff was. THey said they had an ear product from the vet and I said to use it after I looked at it. I told the dad to make sure it's used though because the beagle can't clean his own ears and his ears don't get any ear thus infections.

He showed me another shampoo that was from Hartz I said throw it out that is also crap to me. He asked why because it's cheap? I said no there are some things that are cheap and work great but this is just crap.

what should he use on this dogs hair when they bath him?

Rocky is also being tested for what I assume and hope for is a UTI. Rocky is being and pooping in the house at night and then waking them up at 4:45am to go again outside. I pray it's only a UTI because that is treatable.

I've been very busy but wanted to say thank you Traci for the PM last time, it helped and things were cleared up with that situation.

As for this dog Rocky any suggestions on a shampoo would be helpful. I talked to the dad about getting the dog off of the pedigree stuff. He is on a beef one and that seems to not fair well with dogs that are sensitive or have thyroid issues at least in my opinion. I told him to stick with chicken and see what that does but to make sure he tells his vet when he sees her tomorrow for the results of the UTI testing and what ever else they did.

Rocky also has skin tags all over him too. Tiny little skin tags, the poor thing.

[Traci]

Well, his saying the dog is getting the best care, obviously is not true. Whether he is disregarding his vet's advice or not, you can't really know, but it's time he does follow the vet's advice. I can't imagine this dog being tested for thyroid levels every three months and the vet not addressing the skin and ear problems. If this is the case, your friend needs a new vet and NOW.

Do NOT use off-brand, store-brand, "natural" or citrus-based products and least of all, Hartz products! Many if not all contain harmful ingredients, botanicals, citrus extracts, unnecessary ingredients that do nothing but exacerbate the condition! Any of the above can also be toxic.

The vet should carry a suitable hypoallergenic dog shampoo, some are sulphur-based, some are keratolytic, some are malacetic, some are chlorhexidine-based. All are effective for a specific condition but the important thing is that the vet tests for bacteria, mites, flea allergy dermatitis, food allergy etc. BEFORE the use of a specific shampoo. A skin scrape and culture should be done. Assuming the thyroid levels are checked regularly, the vet may also need to check the dose of thyroid medication to ensure adjustments are or are not necessary.

Proper diet should also be discussed and the owner needs to follow recommendations carefuly. The ears need to be checked and cultured so that the most effective treatment is implemented. If yeast or other bacteria, this needs addressed/treated IMMEDIATELY, or it will persist to the point of failure in treatment. There are various ear cleaners, topicals and solutions the vet can prescribe per the condition, but the owner MUST be diligent and compliant with treatment because ear treatment consists of several steps every day or every couple days for sometimes weeks. Owner compliance is crucial! Again, culture first!

Having an ear cleaner from the vet is fine, but he obviously never used it, nor was compliant if the vet prescribed a treatment protocol. Also, the product could be expired and useless if it was prescribed some time ago.

To a lesser extent but of equal importance, if the dog is allergic to certain foods or ingredients, the type of food or treat the owner is using to admiinister meds in could also be culprit.

Also rule out pain or arthritis, this could be one reason the dog is not able to hold urine/feces and needs to go out more often. Feeding a better diet would also help with any UTI, but only the vet can determine that based on exam/urinalysis etc.

The entire family needs to be dedicated to the dog and his health and treatment. Oftentimes, the family gets too busy or a hectic schedule and the pet's treatment protocol is non-compliant. Followups with the vet are necessary!

[mamabear]

THank you. Will be speaking with the mom today. I know this family and I found out who their vet is. It is a vet I don't like. The dad did say the vet knew about the skin and didn't do a culture so it only adds fuel to me being angry and that the vet isn't doing her job. This is the same vet that my friend goes to because she makes house calls. In my opinion I wouldn't take my dog there if he were dying and she was the only vet open. My dog would have a better chance with me trying on my own to save that is how much I don't like this woman and her practice.

The dad admitted that he didn't do the ears often because the vet said only when it was needed, I told him the simple solution to that was check the ears at least once a week. I am sure this vet didnt do a culture either of those ears.

I'll talk to the mom today and see what I can do.

again thank you for the info.

[Traci]

The vet sounds like an idiot, that is, if the owner is being honest.

Not culturing and then prescribing an ear cleanser with instructions, only as needed, needs her head re-examined. NEGLIGENT! Tell the owner, his dog deserves better, a NEW VET! However, the OWNER must be compliant with treatment. You can't just use a solution whenever you feel like it or see something unusual, there are proper steps and protocol, it's messy and it's lengthy, but compliance usually resolves the problem. The dog deserves to get effective treatment, it sounds like he's miserable!

[mamabear]

Spoke with wife who takes dog and knows more info. Well I am saddened to say that the dog sounds like he has cushings disease.

I told her that even if he does have it and they are testing him for it there was no reason what so ever to NOT take a culture of his skin and in his ears to rule out other things. Just because he might have cushings disease doesn't mean his thyroid isn't making his skin gross and it doesn't mean he isn't allergic to stuff.

The vet is going to run an 8 hour test she is waiting to hear back from the vet as I am typing this. THe urine came back high and therefore the vet wants do to this test. She didn't say that the vet said it was a UTI though. I still do not like this vet at all and spoke my opinion to my friend. She is going to have the test run by them anyway because she wants to know right away. I understand that but I did tell her that the cultures are a must.

I did find out from her that they did have a medicated shampoo and he was doing well on it, they tried something else which he was doing great on but his skin is all icky again. I told her to stop with the holistic crap or pretend stuff and stick with the medicated stuff, no excuses. She felt bad because she feels like they did this to Rocky, she will getting what she needs from the vet as far as shampoo and talking to vet about food as well esspeically since Cushings might be an issue.

She asked me if the Vet says no to the cultures what she should do. I said say thank you and walk the heck out. You are the client and if you ask for it they should provide it and if they dont' go somewhere where they respect you. She agreed and I told her I'd be checking in with her and if she needed anything at all to call me with any questions. I told her if i didn't know the answers I will find them out or help her get to another vet. She was greatful.

Knowing she was screwing up and admitted it refreshing because usually I hear well I it's the vet or it's just a dog or something else. Hearing oh my God I can't believe we did this and we want to fix it is nice to hear every once in a while.

Traci thank you very much for the help.

[Traci]

Thanks for taking them on, LOL and for not giving up!

I hope she is true to her word. This poor dog needs a new vet. How does she know the vet won't screw up an ACTH test, let alone treatment!!

Hope you can keep up on it, they really do need a new vet and they really do need to buckle down and be compliant with treatment and appropriate diet. Inflammed, red, itchy or sore ears are painful, I don't need to tell you that, but maybe you can tell THEM that. Tell them it feels like constant burning and constant pain, which is the truth.

[mamabear]

Oh Traci, I explained to them that I have eczema in my ears and I know that burning feeling and the maddening itch as well. The pain in unbarable at times for me and I told them that as well. I said I can take a pill to stop the pain and hope and pray it helps. But dogs can't do that they depend on us humans to figure it out or find someone to figure it out. She was so upset and I truly believe her. They are a very old fashion family with strong values. She has two kids but Rocky is her 3rd and they have had him since puppyhood,11 years is a long time.

I am not sure how long he has had these symptoms as I haven't seen this dog in about 5 years. But the potbelly, skin, possible uti's doesn't look good for him. I told her to call me with anything. I'll keep you all posted.