Staph Infection? Nina

[JeanKBBMMMAAN]

Nina is my 10.5 yo black female GSD foster failure. Let me start by saying we are hoping Nina has a staph infection and I feel like maybe it really is that.

Nina has never been as healthy as the rest of the pack. She was a puppy maker and was with her breeder (grandma's her mom type pedigree) for 7 years, they were no good and then with the family that took her to the shelter-also obviously not good. I got her at 8 and have never felt she has achieved the health level that I see in the others. Today the vet said it even looked like she had a torn ACL way back that was never addressed and allowed to heal improperly. Jeesh.

She's got a good appetite, been as sweet as always (she is painfully sweet) but I noticed a sore on her leg Sunday and took her in to the vet today.

I thought it was possibly a lick thing, but it was open. And scary looking-she had gotten or all the hair had come off of it. And the smell was different.

She got her leg shaved-it's on her hock/ankle-dime sized maybe. She got her butt shaved to see if there was anything there (we had legs/hips and butt checked and even sniffed on 6/11). And she has what we really, really hope is a staph infection on that leg and along the bones that hurt when you ride a bike-if a dog rode a bike. And when I was waiting for him after the girls shaved her-I checked her out more and found some bumps on her lips.

I had her bloodwork run-the one machine is broken but the results they got back were good, so that's a plus and tomorrow or Wednesday I will get a blood count back.

She got 750 mg of cephalexin to take 2x/day (1500 mg/day). Recheck in two weeks. If not improved a culture or biopsy- can't remember what he said there. I feel SO bad for her. She must have been uncomfortable but she is stoic and sweet-so never a snap or a growl at me or any of the other dogs.

I am going to call and ask if she should have anything for comfort. She has a soft cone on and is doing well with it. Maybe not well though-okay-I may need to get a better collar for her-like the bite not.

So I am really hoping that it gets better fast. He said it seemed a little too patterned-more like staph.

Any thoughts? Thanks.

[butterfingers]

Sorry I don't have anything good to offer you other than I hope Nina gets better soon!

[JeanKBBMMMAAN]

Awwww, thank you.

She did pretty well last night. I am trying to keep the other dogs out of her business (so to speak) as much as possible. I am trying to think of some good things to get for her. She is the sweetest thing and was SUCH a good girl at the vet last night. She has the caution sticker but likes her vet (the tech girls she thought maybe she could let them have it?).

I took her to Wendy's with her vet buddy, Bruno (he goes with the nervous dogs because he looooooves to be at the vet office) after for a plain cheeseburger.

[angelaw]

I'm hoping that a staph infection is all it is and that she gets better!!

[elysianhunter]

My girls are twisted, and in a good way. All three LOVE the Vet's office. What's a little needle stick (and not even that every time) compared to a nice long car ride, dogs and people to meet, and all kinds of attention, and a bit of vanilla ice-cream for good girlies, when we get home? It's party time for my dogs! I was absolutely elated when Heidi enjoyed her first trip and was even compliant for a blood draw. I know now that Heidi's very laid back and just sort of goes with the flow. She's mellow no matter where I take her which is a beautiful quality. I only wish my cats were so easy.

I really hope that all you're dealing with here is staph- if that's what's going on cephalexin should clear that up in no time. Poor baby. Skin problems seem to be so frustrating!!!

[JeanKBBMMMAAN]

Thanks, Angela!

Tonya-Your dogs sound like Bruno-weeeee, vet office! The rest aren't quite so enthusiastic. I crack up at vet happy dogs though-it's so sweet.

My #^&!@ cell phone didn't ring and put my vet straight to voice mail tonight at 7:40 (and their phones are off there). Her bloodwork all came back normal? Her RBC was lower, but in the normal range.

[Tula]

hmmm... no high WBC? I would think that if it was a staph infection, the WBC would be high for sure. Unless staph works differently for some reason??

[JeanKBBMMMAAN]

That's what I would think-which scares me. My vet is at a different clinic today so I think I am going to make up a list of questions for him about Nina and Kramer and fax it over for when he gets back tomorrow.

[LisaT]

You know, Indy has had infection off and on over the last 8 years -- her last one resulted in a bone infection -- she has to go on abx for 6 months at a time when she does do abx, and her WBC sits at the bottom of the range. Max, who also has something that is helped by abx, has a WBC that has been decreasing over the last couple of years.

I would think for an acute infection, you would have an increased WBC, but apparently sometimes it doesn't work that way?

Lower RBC -- a bit anemic? If it's the percentages the vet was talking about, then there are more white blood cells now than red, which might indiciate something. If it's the absolute numbers on the CBC and not the percentage count, then it doesn't mean that. Did that make sense?

How do the gums and the tongue look? pale or nicely colored?

[JeanKBBMMMAAN]

I think it's the absolute numbers. I am glad to hear (well, not glad, but you know) that there can be cases of regular WBC and infection.

Anemia scares me with her right now-I really hope this is staph. The RBC is normal, just on the lower end of the range. Her tongue looks fine. Her gums are black-so hard to tell with her.