Max's hair Update 1/26/14
A question on the raw diet - You didn't mention if you feed raw liver. Do you? The liver's job is to eliminate toxins, including some drugs, so these are often found in the liver. Some may be inactivated by cooking, and others aren't, but if you a feeding it raw, what you feed may contain toxins (including pesticides) the animal encountered during life, or drugs it was given, which might be a factor.
"A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself." ~ Josh Billings.
-
mamabear
- Formerly mamaof4soon
- Posts: 589
- Joined: Wed Apr 18, 2007 10:39 pm
- Location: The Garden State
Re: Question about Max's hair update w/bloodwork 9/19
max is going to vet tomorrow.
This deffinately looks like dander all over his fur. big flakes on the skin and tiny tiny dots on his entire hair shafts(root to tip).
the least they can do is put a hair under the microscope to see if its mites.
Once they do that and rule out mites I'll ask them to draw blood for more tests.
They never did a Thyroid test I dont think so I'll have them run one of those too.
max was put back on kibble. it is a kibble he has been on before with no issues so I know it is fine.
he doesn't get organ meats. once in a blue moon he has gotten them but he just eats raw chicken and the bones when he was on raw.
I had a stress test, I couldn't finish the test due to not being able to catch my breathe. We just couldn't figure it out. I am feeling better but seems that my allergies are pretty bad enough though I'm on medicine for it.
I am looking into beetles being in my home. I saw some signs and found out what they are and will be investigating a bit more nad cleaning house top to bottom.
Probably have to clean air ducts as well.
We have a great air filter system.
Will be checking for animals in the walls as well, I heard something last week and we have been known to house a mouse in the house walls when the cold weather comes. We live in the woods there are mice everywhere. There are outside cats that the neighbors have and the hawks that come down adn eat the mice but there are so many. And the snakes are hibernating for teh winter.
This deffinately looks like dander all over his fur. big flakes on the skin and tiny tiny dots on his entire hair shafts(root to tip).
the least they can do is put a hair under the microscope to see if its mites.
Once they do that and rule out mites I'll ask them to draw blood for more tests.
They never did a Thyroid test I dont think so I'll have them run one of those too.
max was put back on kibble. it is a kibble he has been on before with no issues so I know it is fine.
he doesn't get organ meats. once in a blue moon he has gotten them but he just eats raw chicken and the bones when he was on raw.
I had a stress test, I couldn't finish the test due to not being able to catch my breathe. We just couldn't figure it out. I am feeling better but seems that my allergies are pretty bad enough though I'm on medicine for it.
I am looking into beetles being in my home. I saw some signs and found out what they are and will be investigating a bit more nad cleaning house top to bottom.
Probably have to clean air ducts as well.
We have a great air filter system.
Will be checking for animals in the walls as well, I heard something last week and we have been known to house a mouse in the house walls when the cold weather comes. We live in the woods there are mice everywhere. There are outside cats that the neighbors have and the hawks that come down adn eat the mice but there are so many. And the snakes are hibernating for teh winter.
Almost 7 years in remission from Graves disease and no meds!
-
mamabear
- Formerly mamaof4soon
- Posts: 589
- Joined: Wed Apr 18, 2007 10:39 pm
- Location: The Garden State
Re: Question about Max's hair update w/bloodwork 9/19
I will have them run a hwt and lyme on his as well.
Many years ago he was lyme positive so want to make sure about that as well.
I really want them to do at least one hip xray but not sure they can do it without knocking him out and well I really don't want to do that. I have "ace" but don't want to do that either. I want them to see that he is acting just like his 11 year old puppyself. LOL
He jump all the way to my face the other day and kissed me! He is such a cool dog. I'll have to find a pic of him.
Many years ago he was lyme positive so want to make sure about that as well.
I really want them to do at least one hip xray but not sure they can do it without knocking him out and well I really don't want to do that. I have "ace" but don't want to do that either. I want them to see that he is acting just like his 11 year old puppyself. LOL
He jump all the way to my face the other day and kissed me! He is such a cool dog. I'll have to find a pic of him.
Almost 7 years in remission from Graves disease and no meds!
-
mamabear
- Formerly mamaof4soon
- Posts: 589
- Joined: Wed Apr 18, 2007 10:39 pm
- Location: The Garden State
Re: Max's hair Update 1/26/14
Well it's been another long while. Max turned 12 in Sept. 2013. His skin is still a battle. It's awful.
He went to vet several times last year, tested for mites and scabies, tested to see if there was yeast. Nothing!
The vet put him on a short course of antibiotics which was a very short course.
They say it's seborrhea.
It's still very oily and he's flaky. At this point he has so many scabs on him he needs to be shaved head to toe.
This is a German Shepherd that needs to be shaved in the dead of winter here. I do not want to do this, it will cause health issues I am sure but this dog is a walking mess with this skin. Naturally I would ask my groomer to do it if the vet said it had to be done. I wouldn't let teh vet ever go near him with clippers again. Shaved him right down to the bare skin for one hot spot last year. I really wanted him shaved then completely but he said no I'll just do this section. Omg What a mess.
He has always had one or two sebasious cysts, but now that is all he has.
His skin is so itchy. The vet has him on two zyrtec a day and still it's not doing anything so I just took him off yesterday.
TO further complicate things, Max's spine is in poor shape. His hind legs were dragging, vet says it's the spine and there is nothing I can do. Except give him pain meds if he gets bad.
Max does drag his back legs, they come out from under him all the time now. It doesn't stop him from playing though.
My problem is that his back paws are swollen and you can clearly see that the hair is coming off of his back paws. From the dragging maybe yes but his paws are red in between his toes as well.
His entire body from head to toe is one big red soar.
He drags his face on his cage just to scratch at his face.
He wont come in from being in the snow and stuffs his head in the snow and lays there.
He is uncomfortable.
I read about skin issues and wrote out the issues I see on him and clearly feel that this is Pyoderma right now.
I started him on antibiotics (cephelexin).
Tomorrow I will be calling different vets in the area and asking them if they are familiar with skin issues.
There is a Dermatologist that is near by but I want to speak to her first before taking him there.
This dr. is at an emergency clinic so I want to make sure they aren't going to charge me top price for seeing him for a regular office visit.
I want a dr. who will figure this is not just some seborrhea. This is a skin infection that hasn't been fixed with the correct amount of weeks on antibiotics.
If this were allergies, I would have seen improvement by now after all of these months.
He is also back on the raw meat, this has been for a months now so this isn't new and there isn't new raw meat introduced either.
I will speak to any many offices as I can tomorrow to try to find the right one.
I am really hoping the one that has the Dermatolgist will see him soon. I don't mind going to see a specialist as long as they figure it out.
Grrrrrrrr
He went to vet several times last year, tested for mites and scabies, tested to see if there was yeast. Nothing!
The vet put him on a short course of antibiotics which was a very short course.
They say it's seborrhea.
It's still very oily and he's flaky. At this point he has so many scabs on him he needs to be shaved head to toe.
This is a German Shepherd that needs to be shaved in the dead of winter here. I do not want to do this, it will cause health issues I am sure but this dog is a walking mess with this skin. Naturally I would ask my groomer to do it if the vet said it had to be done. I wouldn't let teh vet ever go near him with clippers again. Shaved him right down to the bare skin for one hot spot last year. I really wanted him shaved then completely but he said no I'll just do this section. Omg What a mess.
He has always had one or two sebasious cysts, but now that is all he has.
His skin is so itchy. The vet has him on two zyrtec a day and still it's not doing anything so I just took him off yesterday.
TO further complicate things, Max's spine is in poor shape. His hind legs were dragging, vet says it's the spine and there is nothing I can do. Except give him pain meds if he gets bad.
Max does drag his back legs, they come out from under him all the time now. It doesn't stop him from playing though.
My problem is that his back paws are swollen and you can clearly see that the hair is coming off of his back paws. From the dragging maybe yes but his paws are red in between his toes as well.
His entire body from head to toe is one big red soar.
He drags his face on his cage just to scratch at his face.
He wont come in from being in the snow and stuffs his head in the snow and lays there.
He is uncomfortable.
I read about skin issues and wrote out the issues I see on him and clearly feel that this is Pyoderma right now.
I started him on antibiotics (cephelexin).
Tomorrow I will be calling different vets in the area and asking them if they are familiar with skin issues.
There is a Dermatologist that is near by but I want to speak to her first before taking him there.
This dr. is at an emergency clinic so I want to make sure they aren't going to charge me top price for seeing him for a regular office visit.
I want a dr. who will figure this is not just some seborrhea. This is a skin infection that hasn't been fixed with the correct amount of weeks on antibiotics.
If this were allergies, I would have seen improvement by now after all of these months.
He is also back on the raw meat, this has been for a months now so this isn't new and there isn't new raw meat introduced either.
I will speak to any many offices as I can tomorrow to try to find the right one.
I am really hoping the one that has the Dermatolgist will see him soon. I don't mind going to see a specialist as long as they figure it out.
Grrrrrrrr
Almost 7 years in remission from Graves disease and no meds!
Re: Max's hair Update 1/26/14
I'd suggest the dermatologist and thoroughly discuss his diet, there could be a protein he is reacting to, or a deficiency that needs supplementation.
Next, rule out diabetes. Skin issues and neuropathy can develop with diabetes.
Next, thyroid and viral/fungal disease. The dermatologist is first a clinician, and specialty dermatologist, so all can be done with this vet. Depending on how severe the skin infections/areas are, this may require a full shaving, in order to get treatment directly to the area and prevent spreading to other nearby areas on the body (I'll defer to the vet on this). You would have to be diligent in limiting his time outside to prevent cold and frostbite on paws, eartips etc - and also diligent about possible environmental triggers in the home like contact dermatitis - go through all of this with the dermatologist thoroughly!
Here's hoping this can be resolved once and for all!
Next, rule out diabetes. Skin issues and neuropathy can develop with diabetes.
Next, thyroid and viral/fungal disease. The dermatologist is first a clinician, and specialty dermatologist, so all can be done with this vet. Depending on how severe the skin infections/areas are, this may require a full shaving, in order to get treatment directly to the area and prevent spreading to other nearby areas on the body (I'll defer to the vet on this). You would have to be diligent in limiting his time outside to prevent cold and frostbite on paws, eartips etc - and also diligent about possible environmental triggers in the home like contact dermatitis - go through all of this with the dermatologist thoroughly!
Here's hoping this can be resolved once and for all!
..........Traci
-
mamabear
- Formerly mamaof4soon
- Posts: 589
- Joined: Wed Apr 18, 2007 10:39 pm
- Location: The Garden State
Re: Max's hair Update 1/26/14
After speaking with different people I opted to see the vet that is down the road.
I heard she deals with skin issues very well but she is very aggressive with it.
The dermatologist wound up to be all about the money and if there were other issues then there would be more appt's and every thing that is done is at a cost.
I wouldn't mind paying but the two people I spoke to as a reference said they wound up going somewhere else.
The reviews weren't good either.
I went to vet's office today, took max and explained the situation. After all was said and done she looked me right in the face told me what she felt was wrong and how to deal with it and said but you already knew that.
I laughed and said yes this is what my conclusion has been and I am happy that someone believes me and is taking me seriously.
I appologized to her for not telling her what my thoughts were but that I was concerned she wouldn't beleive me. She said not to worry that everything I thought was correct and she will start treatment.
Atopica 100mg/daily for now then will drop to 50mg's
Termeril short term to gill the gap till the atopica starts to work.
Cephelexin 21 days
Lactobacillus daily
and vitamin supplements. I took those for now since they were cheaper than the over the counter stuff at the stores.
He has staph and yeast. SHe said his immune system is over reacting to everything at this point. A stronger allergy med is in order and that is the reason for the atopica.
For now I'll go with it and research myself to see if there is anything else. I'm just so happy she sat on the floor with him and touched him all over and looked at his skin head to toe.
She did see the scars from other staph infections. SHe said the blackening is what I will see.
Max LOVED her! She had cheese in her pocket!
She wants to keep him on his raw diet, said she loves it and will not stop it unless he winds up being allergic to chicken. If allergic then we will change protein. But for now keep it the same so there isn't a drastic change except the meds we are giving him.
I hope this works. I thanked her for everything and she asked me so what is all that on his skin called? I laughed and said what I read said Pyoderma. She laughed and handed me her paper that had exactly that word on it and said I should have stayed in the vet business.
either way, i'm happy he will hopefully be on the mend.
I heard she deals with skin issues very well but she is very aggressive with it.
The dermatologist wound up to be all about the money and if there were other issues then there would be more appt's and every thing that is done is at a cost.
I wouldn't mind paying but the two people I spoke to as a reference said they wound up going somewhere else.
The reviews weren't good either.
I went to vet's office today, took max and explained the situation. After all was said and done she looked me right in the face told me what she felt was wrong and how to deal with it and said but you already knew that.
I laughed and said yes this is what my conclusion has been and I am happy that someone believes me and is taking me seriously.
I appologized to her for not telling her what my thoughts were but that I was concerned she wouldn't beleive me. She said not to worry that everything I thought was correct and she will start treatment.
Atopica 100mg/daily for now then will drop to 50mg's
Termeril short term to gill the gap till the atopica starts to work.
Cephelexin 21 days
Lactobacillus daily
and vitamin supplements. I took those for now since they were cheaper than the over the counter stuff at the stores.
He has staph and yeast. SHe said his immune system is over reacting to everything at this point. A stronger allergy med is in order and that is the reason for the atopica.
For now I'll go with it and research myself to see if there is anything else. I'm just so happy she sat on the floor with him and touched him all over and looked at his skin head to toe.
She did see the scars from other staph infections. SHe said the blackening is what I will see.
Max LOVED her! She had cheese in her pocket!
She wants to keep him on his raw diet, said she loves it and will not stop it unless he winds up being allergic to chicken. If allergic then we will change protein. But for now keep it the same so there isn't a drastic change except the meds we are giving him.
I hope this works. I thanked her for everything and she asked me so what is all that on his skin called? I laughed and said what I read said Pyoderma. She laughed and handed me her paper that had exactly that word on it and said I should have stayed in the vet business.
either way, i'm happy he will hopefully be on the mend.
Almost 7 years in remission from Graves disease and no meds!
Re: Max's hair Update 1/26/14
I'm glad you now have a vet you're confident in, hope her Tx plan works, it looks sound at this point.
Please keep us updated on Max's progress, here's hoping for a quick resolve, even though these things can take time, let's hope you start seeing good progress quickly!
And here's some hugs for Max
((((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))
Please keep us updated on Max's progress, here's hoping for a quick resolve, even though these things can take time, let's hope you start seeing good progress quickly!
And here's some hugs for Max
((((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))..........Traci
-
mamabear
- Formerly mamaof4soon
- Posts: 589
- Joined: Wed Apr 18, 2007 10:39 pm
- Location: The Garden State
I emailed vet this morning about getting max tested for allergies. The atopica from what I am reading is a great drug compared to the corticosteroids out there but it's seems to be a bandaid.
I asked her about the testing because if I can get rid of the allergen then that would be more cost effective than the $60 per week I have to spend on giving him an allergy pill.
I don't mind giving him what he needs but my concern is finding the cause which would benefit him more than dosing him on meds he might not need.
Some of the pills he refuses to take but we are getting there. Thank GOd the rest of the pills are chewable.
I asked her about the testing because if I can get rid of the allergen then that would be more cost effective than the $60 per week I have to spend on giving him an allergy pill.
I don't mind giving him what he needs but my concern is finding the cause which would benefit him more than dosing him on meds he might not need.
Some of the pills he refuses to take but we are getting there. Thank GOd the rest of the pills are chewable.
Almost 7 years in remission from Graves disease and no meds!
-
mamabear
- Formerly mamaof4soon
- Posts: 589
- Joined: Wed Apr 18, 2007 10:39 pm
- Location: The Garden State
Re: Max's hair Update 1/26/14
Do vets still use PetTabs for dogs as a suppliment?
This vet gave me two meds for suppliments and one is very expensive the other is too but not as much as the first one.
Seems a good vitamin online doesn't need to cost an arm and a leg, any thoughts?
This vet gave me two meds for suppliments and one is very expensive the other is too but not as much as the first one.
Seems a good vitamin online doesn't need to cost an arm and a leg, any thoughts?
Almost 7 years in remission from Graves disease and no meds!
Re: Max's hair Update 1/26/14
What are the two supplements she prescribed?
Unfortunately, supplements are expensive, for human and pet alike. Humans really don't even need them except in cases of diagnosed deficiency - there is a bit more evidence that the same is likely for pets, as long as their diet is properly formulated. That said, the same is true for pets with diagnosed deficiencies, they can be useful in that regard.
Your vet is probably trying to be conservative at this point, because skin allergy testing can be expensive - and for what it's worth, skin allergy testing is the option you would choose, not blood testing for allergies. You can of course, discuss the option with your vet and get her professional opinion.
Unfortunately, supplements are expensive, for human and pet alike. Humans really don't even need them except in cases of diagnosed deficiency - there is a bit more evidence that the same is likely for pets, as long as their diet is properly formulated. That said, the same is true for pets with diagnosed deficiencies, they can be useful in that regard.
Your vet is probably trying to be conservative at this point, because skin allergy testing can be expensive - and for what it's worth, skin allergy testing is the option you would choose, not blood testing for allergies. You can of course, discuss the option with your vet and get her professional opinion.
..........Traci