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Rash on Maisie's Back


LindaMC

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Maisie has a terrible rash, mainly on her lower back.  It's hard for me to see the bumps due to her hair but I can certainly feel them.  She has an appointment to see her vet this evening at 6:15.  I took her into Petco around 2 weeks ago and it seemed to have started a few days after that.  They start out as small bumps that turn to scabs and flake off.  She also has about 3 of them on her groin area which appear to have dried up and are now falling off.  The ones on her groin area seem to itch her because she scoots her butt along the floor and even did that on one of our walks the other day. 

I'm wondering if she might be allergic to the prescription food she's on for her bladder stones. There is no nutritional value whatsoever in this food, it's crap, but unfortunately she has to be on it.  Anyone have any idea what this could be, are Cairns pron to skin problems?

 

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It was for grooming and I was thinking about the shampoo myself, also on whether or not she could have picked something up from another dog, if they hadn't cleaned out the holding crate appropriately.  I have looked for fleas and flea dirt using a flea comb but haven't seen any at all.   Her vet called to ask if I could bring her in tomorrow morning at 11:00 am instead of this evening, after asking if the bumps where oozing.  Not sure what difference that makes but tomorrow morning is fine.  There are no other symptoms other than the bumps, in fact, she's been a bundle of energy lately, full of the devil.

She loves to roll on her back when she's outside, whether it's grass, leaves, snow or ice, she's on her back rolling back and forth.  I try not to allow her to do this, especially now with her back so bad, but as soon as I turn my head and look the other way, she's flipped over and on the ground....:(

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The reason I asked is because Ziggy used to come home from the groomer with tiny bumps on his back just like you described.  The groomer began using a different shampoo - I believe it is oatmeal-based - and he no longer has this problem.  I have no idea if this is really what caused Maisie's problem but I thought I'd mention it.

Please let us know what the vet says.  Scritches to Maisie.:hug:

 

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Maisie has a staph infection and will be on antibiotics for 3 weeks.  Her doctor also took some blood to analyze for possible environmental allergies.  She believes it was some type of allergy or reaction that turned into a staph infection.  Will know more once the blood test results are in and then we'll go from there.  Poor little girl, her back is such a mess. 

It's amazing how quickly it spread from a couple of little tiny bumps.  :shock:  Thank you for your concern and scritches to Ziggy!

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Thanks for the update Linda.  Poor Maisie.  Did the vet prescribe any steroids for her?  Just curious.  They can really help clear up a rash - but then again I don't know if they're recommended for a staph infection.  

 

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A horse I had years ago had the same thing happen to him. It was the dead of winter and I noticed a patch of hair missing on his back, by the next day there was a strip with no hair on it, weeping and it had tripled in size. The Vet  straight away put him on 10 days of a huge dose of penicillin . He said that staph infections can get very nasty very quickly and you have to treat them aggressively and in my horses case he could have lost most of his hair (not good in an Alberta winter). He was fine and his hair grew back. Interestingly enough the vet thought that, as he was a bit overweight, the snow settled on the area where his spine was, his body heat would have melted the snow and stayed wet...an opportunity for a staph infection.

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Until one has loved an animal, a part of  one's soul remains unawakened.  - Anatole France

Adventures with Sam &Rosie

 

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On November 21, 2017 at 4:57 PM, LindaMC said:

She loves to roll on her back when she's outside, whether it's grass, leaves, snow or ice, she's on her back rolling back and forth.  I try not to allow her to do this, especially now with her back so bad, but as soon as I turn my head and look the other way, she's flipped over and on the ground....:(

Sorry to read of this. In case she continues to try to roll on her back outside, do you think she should wear a onesie or a coat when you walk her?

Get well soon, Maisie!

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FEAR THE CAIRN!

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No, she wasn't prescribed any steroids only the antibiotics for now - 250 mg of Cephalexin, twice a day.  I sincerely hope that it's not a food allergy due to the fact that she has to be on a prescription diet so she doesn't have another bought of bladder stones.  Trying to find a food that will support her urinary tract and also whatever she may be allergic to will be extremely hard.  I do not like the fact that she's on antibiotics once again, it worries me.  She was on Amoxicillin for half the summer..:(

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Can't really help with this alas Though I can say my terriers -jrt and cairn- have all been sensitive to certain shampoos.

Isle of Dogs shampoo worked for them. Very expensive but did do the job. Surprisingly oatmeal shampoo not so great. What cans one say? Just had to experiment.Gave fewer baths and that helped with skin and pocket book!

Sending scritches and good wishes to little Maisie

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Our older dog developed a series "growths" on her neck many years ago--both upper and lower neck area and down the back--they usually occur  no more than two or three at a time, look like moles, are black and palpable at first and then dry up and flake off in a scabby kind of way.  This has gone on for a number of years without any particular pain to the dog or any change in the condition--the number of these growths are always small and temporary in nature.  I seem to recall having the vet check it out and getting a noncommittal response the basis of which was "No big deal!"

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They appear to be clearing up but it's so hard to tell, there were so many of them.  Maisie doesn't appear to be in any discomfort from them, she's still a bundle of energy, eats and poops just fine.  I can only hope that if they can't find anything in the blood work, that it will be something to the effect of Idaho's dog's growth.....a "no big deal" scenario.  

As soon as I hear more I will let everyone know, thanks for all the support.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Our older Cairn had severe allergies. We had to take him to a Specialist which ended up putting him on shots. They started out twice a week but near the end it was every two weeks and the serum was very expensive. I pray your fur baby doesn’t have to go thru that. 

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Maisie's vet called me yesterday to say that the blood test results were back and that she is not allergic to anything environmental.  She asked how she was doing and I told her that they were just about gone.  She did suggest that if they came back, we might want to look into her food or even test her thyroid.  She said that chronic skin infections could be caused my hyperthyroidism.  This is the first time she has had any issues with her skin so I'm a bit leery about doing a thyroid test just yet,  plus she also has no other symptoms at all.  Other than the rash, she appears to be a pretty healthy 4 yr old.  

Anyone else's dog have Thyroid Disease?

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I haven’t but I was wondering if you have had her checked with an Allergy Specialist? I know it’s expensive but it could be the answer. Thanks for listening

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