Dog has red lumps all over chest, now spread to tummy

[spamgirl]

Hey Traci,

On June 13th the groomer noticed my dog (not the one with thyroid/bladder/skin issues) had a yeast infection in one ear, so on June 10th he began Surolan drops in both ears twice a day.

Last night he was barking all night. This morning I checked him and he had these lumps, about the size of half an olive, on his ribs. He didn't scratch them, but when I did his back legs went crazy. I took him to the vet and she said it didn't seem like an allergic reaction (which he's had randomly in the past, every time almost going into anaphalyctic shock), but she gave him a steroid/antihistamine to take. He's had 1/2 a Vanectyl-p tablet, but the spots are still spreading. He now has pimple-like spots on his tummy and groin, which he didn't have earlier. Of course, they all appeared after the vet closed. :/ I checked him from head to tail for fleas and found nothing - not a flea, not any flea dirt. If these spots were flea bites he'd have to be infested because 6 more just appeared on his tummy in an hour, and who knows how many on his back as I can't see through his fur.

He is in no discomfort and is sleeping normally. He hasn't scratched, even before he got the pill. He ate normally all day. The only weird behaviour is that normally when I take him for a walk he wheezes horribly and his eyes go bloodshot, but this time he neither wheezed nor got red eyes. I'm not sure if it's related.

Should I give him another half a tablet and take him in to the vet first thing? I'm worried about what will happen overnight. Do you think it's allergies? They mentioned that it might be lupus, but that we shouldn't check until we see if the pills work or not. I am totally out of money now, and the vet bills are putting me deeper into debt, which is why we're trying not to do things that cost a lot of money too quickly. The other dog had to have dental surgery last week, and it didn't go well, so we've already spent so much. If I hadn't lost my job in April, this wouldn't be an issue.

[spamgirl]

The skin on the side of both of his eyes are red at the outer corner where the lids meet. I'm worried his whole eye is going to go and then his throat. All of his other spots are growing. It has been 12 hours since he took the first 1/2 pill.

His eyes were swelling rapidly, so I've given him the other 1/2 pill. I'll wait and watch.

[Traci]

Since the reaction started before you gave the Vanectyl-p, the tablet is unlikely the cause.

Is he still on Surolan? If so, ask the vet to cease it (probably shouldn't have been used any longer than 7 days - it CAN cause topical sensitivity, but not sure if it is the cause, unless he has a sensitivity, was rubbing his ear after you applied it, and spread it across his body - contact allergy/dermatitis).

It actually does sound like a reaction to something, but other than the Surolan, I don't know what it would be. Environmental, perhaps, did anything else change? Was the groomer using something new? (shampoo, rinse, topical sprays, perfumes?)

As for wheezing and bloodshot eyes during a walk, not sure what's up with that, perhaps a known allergy to environmental pollens or something, or, an undiagnosed asthma/respiratory issue that perhaps actually responded favorably to the Vanectyl-p (since it's an antihistamine + prednisone, it stands to reason it would help slightly any respiratory issue).

The Vanectyl-p is on a tapering schedule, I presume, so ask your vet when you should expect it to be ceased.

I would guess the newly occuring welts are unrelated to meds, but rather environmental (something in the lawn, carpet, rugs, and rule out bed bugs!!), or, something the groomer used. You haven't changed his food have you?

[spamgirl]

I took him in yesterday and he got a Benadryl shot, and since no new lumps have appeared, but the old ones are still there (sort of, like flat, red spots on his tummy). They're not swollen or itchy, though.

Since the reaction started before you gave the Vanectyl-p, the tablet is unlikely the cause.

The Vanectyl-p was prescribed for the welts, so definitely didn't cause them. It will be done in 2 weeks.

Is he still on Surolan? If so, ask the vet to cease it (probably shouldn't have been used any longer than 7 days - it CAN cause topical sensitivity, but not sure if it is the cause, unless he has a sensitivity, was rubbing his ear after you applied it, and spread it across his body - contact allergy/dermatitis).

I'm stopping the Surolan today.

It actually does sound like a reaction to something, but other than the Surolan, I don't know what it would be. Environmental, perhaps, did anything else change? Was the groomer using something new? (shampoo, rinse, topical sprays, perfumes?)

He hasn't been to the groomer since the 13th, and he hadn't been outside of our house since the 17th (the other dog had his surgery, and due to heat/rain we didn't go out at all). No changes to his food or his water, no different laundry or dish soap. The last 2 weeks have been very, very the same around here since I've been bogged down with homework. I haven't even been going out really. :/ No one comes over here with shoes on, so I don't think it's something brought in either.

As for wheezing and bloodshot eyes during a walk, not sure what's up with that, perhaps a known allergy to environmental pollens or something, or, an undiagnosed asthma/respiratory issue that perhaps actually responded favorably to the Vanectyl-p (since it's an antihistamine + prednisone, it stands to reason it would help slightly any respiratory issue).

The wheezing actually stopped before the Vanectyl-p, and hasn't been back since (but it's only been 2 days).

The Vanectyl-p is on a tapering schedule, I presume, so ask your vet when you should expect it to be ceased.

It's 1x24hr for 3 days, 1x36 hours for 4 days, 1x48 hours for 9 days, I believe.

[qupte\I would guess the newly occuring welts are unrelated to meds, but rather environmental (something in the lawn, carpet, rugs, and rule out bed bugs!!), or, something the groomer used. You haven't changed his food have you?[/quote]

This is the third or fourth time that this same reaction has happened. One time I thought it was because I switched his vitamin E drops from sunflower oil to olive oil. Another seemed to relate to bringing in a plant to the house. The last time nothing had changed, and I searched my house from top to bottom for bedbugs (took me two days!) and I found nothing.

Thank you!

[Traci]

I bring up the bedbugs (as a last resort), because they are often not talked about, detected unless one's home is nearing full infestation and determined by an exterminator or fumigator), and because of how you described the welts and "pimple" appearance. That said, nearly any reaction can cause those appearances, which is why I wanted to rule out something new in the environment as well or any topical, such as the groomer's products.

Since there don't appear to be any new welts, I'm hoping the vanectyl-p is working as intended.

Since he's had reactions like this before, but doesn't seem like too frequent (?), I would guess it's something in the environment, or something he has eaten, had applied to his skin/fur, anything at all that is very rarely ever given him. Keep a record of every type of food/treats, medications, exposure to anything new in the home etc, so you can always look back on that to see if there are any connections.

[Traci]

P.S., just a rule-out, eosinophillic granuloma complex. Your vet should be able to get a feel for this just on appearance of the welts, duration between visible formation and reduction, and the obvious response to the vanectyl.

The lesser-form of EGC is usually related to dietary ingredient sensitivity, contact dermatitis, flea allergies, or lowered immune response.

[spamgirl]

I bring up the bedbugs (as a last resort), because they are often not talked about, detected unless one's home is nearing full infestation and determined by an exterminator or fumigator), and because of how you described the welts and "pimple" appearance. That said, nearly any reaction can cause those appearances, which is why I wanted to rule out something new in the environment as well or any topical, such as the groomer's products.

Since there don't appear to be any new welts, I'm hoping the vanectyl-p is working as intended.

Since he's had reactions like this before, but doesn't seem like too frequent (?), I would guess it's something in the environment, or something he has eaten, had applied to his skin/fur, anything at all that is very rarely ever given him. Keep a record of every type of food/treats, medications, exposure to anything new in the home etc, so you can always look back on that to see if there are any connections.

Since it's so infrequently (every 3 years or so), I'm not sure I can keep track of it all in such a way to ever really be able to figure it out :/ We must have come into contact with something and then brought it in with us on our clothes, absolutely nothing else in the house changed.

The bumps are all gone now, and he seems okay. Let's hope it stays that way!

Hmm, my cat had EGC... I'll mention it. TY!

[Traci]

Depending on how your vet invoices, those things should be itemized on your invoices. Save them in a file folder. One should always try to keep accurate vet records at home.

ECG, depending on the pet, the type, and whether it is exposure to something new or allergen, can have long periods between recurrences. It's just something to keep in mind.

Remember also, especially food - any pet can develop a new allergy or sensitivity to a food, no matter at what age.

[spamgirl]

Depending on how your vet invoices, those things should be itemized on your invoices. Save them in a file folder. One should always try to keep accurate vet records at home.

ECG, depending on the pet, the type, and whether it is exposure to something new or allergen, can have long periods between recurrences. It's just something to keep in mind.

Remember also, especially food - any pet can develop a new allergy or sensitivity to a food, no matter at what age.

I've actually digitized all the information from visits, tests and invoices so I can carry it with me to the emerg hospital. Experience made me do it :/

The spots are gone and he seems much better. Hopefully whatever it was won't reappear. He eats the same thing at every meal because we have to make their food for them, and they don't get treats, so if it was the food I'd expect the reaction to continue. I'll watch and see.

I have a question about the vanectyl-p - is the tapering off period in order to ensure the spots don't come back, or is it because of an issue with the drug that stopping it abruptly would cause problems?

[Traci]

Since it contains prednisone, that's why it should be tapered off.