In Need of Help

[Moxy]

Ugh! So, Mox has been on the ear drops (ketoconazole and some other stuff....compounded by the vet), prednisone, and I was supposed to.shampoo her with this follicle-flushing shampoo. I never got around to the shampoo because it has been too cold to bathe her. After a week on the ear drops and pred every other day, her ear infection is gone, she no longer stinks, her hair has grown back, and the abundance of sticky oil on her skin is gone.

I am at a loss. One vet said food/flea allergies, but that's been ruled out. Found out she had erhlichia, but that's been treated, twice. The third vet said she had a genetic disorder that caused her to overproduce oil. So, what the heck is going on? I don't feel right using the shampoo, now. Her skin has completely cleared up, and she's back to normal.

We are so nervous. I am praying this is the end because we cannot afford anymore vet bills regarding this issue. She's on grain-free kibble, raw treats, and vitamin C. Her food is made with salmon instead of chicken. She gets raw beef ribs, chicken backs, organs, and chicken necks once a week. She's on flea/tick preventive and heartworm preventive.

What else could be going on? I feel like I'm going insane!

[msvette2u]

Use the shampoo. The idea is to get her off the prednisone, eventually, and sooner is better than later.
It's not going to hurt at all to use the shampoo.

[Moxy]

It's really chilly, and I can't bathe her inside. Plus, if her skin is fine, I don't want to use a harsh shampoo to dry her out if that's not the real issue...especially if its going to make her itchy and dandruffy.

I am taking her off the prednisone when she finishes the ear drops in a few days. She gets one tablet every other day. Probably will wean her to a half tab every other day for a week before stopping it. They gave me a 4 month supply.

I just don't know what else this could be...or if something as simple as an inner ear infection could have set this whole thing in motion. I really think she got it from our neighbor's yard when her ball went in the high grass. She got covered in grass seeds. She started flipping her head a few days later, then the skin stuff started a couple of weeks after that.

The conflicting diagnoses aren't helping. The only one I know for certain to be true is the erlichia.

[msvette2u]

Well then watch for relapse when the pred gets out of her system...I mean at the 1st sign of relapse, get her back in there.

[Moxy]

First sign of relapse, I'll use the shampoo. The one good thing about this vet, the prices are reasonable. So, that's good. Just praying I won't have to take her back until next year for her heartworm test.

By the way, do you know if erlichia will continue to show up on future snap tests if its been treated and she no longer has it?

[msvette2u]

I don't know...we don't have a lot of tick borne illnesses here, but a few of the mods know.

[Moxy]

I might message LisaT, but last time she told me she wasn't on much anymore.

Maybe someone else might have an answer...

[GatorBytes]

Originally Posted by Moxy

her hair has grown back, and the abundance of sticky oil on her skin is gone.

I am at a loss. One vet said food/flea allergies, but that's been ruled out. Found out she had erhlichia, but that's been treated, twice. The third vet said she had a genetic disorder that caused her to overproduce oil. So, what the heck is going on? I don't feel right using the shampoo, now. Her skin has completely cleared up, and she's back to normal.

We are so nervous. I am praying this is the end because we cannot afford anymore vet bills regarding this issue. She's on grain-free kibble, raw treats, and vitamin C. Her food is made with salmon instead of chicken. She gets raw beef ribs, chicken backs, organs, and chicken necks once a week. She's on flea/tick preventive and heartworm preventive.

What else could be going on? I feel like I'm going insane!

Processed food re: carbohydrates
Fleas and tick prevention
Thyroid "grey area" re: link provided on your last thread

[Moxy]

Originally Posted by GatorBytes

Processed food re: carbohydrates
Fleas and tick prevention
Thyroid "grey area" re: link provided on your last thread

Even on the BARF diet, she would get carbs. The ingredients listed on the package list the beets, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin as the Veggies in her food, which are healthy for sogs. Along with the salmon, the only other ingredients are vitamins like vitamin E and others that I can't recall off the top of my head. So, since I'm not going to switch to a raw diet, this is the best I can do as far as diet goes.

I have read articles about the correlation between flea and tick products and CML and other dog issues, and they show no significant problems, whereas other home products, like household bug killer is more often the culprit. Since I have kids in the house, I'd rather know the fleas and ticks are not around them.

As far SS the thyroid go, I will check with the vet. It could be the only other possibility. So thank you for answering my question.

[GatorBytes]

Originally Posted by Moxy

Even on the BARF diet, she would get carbs. The ingredients listed on the package list the beets, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin as the Veggies in her food, which are healthy for sogs. Along with the salmon, the only other ingredients are vitamins like vitamin E and others that I can't recall off the top of my head. So, since I'm not going to switch to a raw diet, this is the best I can do as far as diet goes.

I have read articles about the correlation between flea and tick products and CML and other dog issues, and they show no significant problems, whereas other home products, like household bug killer is more often the culprit. Since I have kids in the house, I'd rather know the fleas and ticks are not around them.

As far SS the thyroid go, I will check with the vet. It could be the only other possibility. So thank you for answering my question.

Hi there

Re: thyroid test, there are more then one, it's not just about T4...a link was provided by Onyx (I think) in your other thread that explains why, as well Jean Dodd's analysis is breed specific. You may want to familiarize yourself first before talking with the Vet, as some are reluctant to go outside the box.
Also there is the immune system itself, it has dealt with erlich. the meds to treat, and (Sorry) but the pesticides from flea and tick coursing through the blood and organs - liver is the filter....the issue here isn't just about allergy or oill production - there is also estrogen/testosterone imbalance - adrenals.

The steroids have supressed the immune system as a whole. Not just the immune response to skin condition - it is not selective.

The fleas and tick issue, there are natural solutions....not every dog is the same, and the ref's for no significant problems is "general" which means in a perfectly healthy dog - not a dog who's endocrine system is out of whack

There are only carbs in BARF if you choose carbs. That is why even a temp. strickly raw diet may help until balance is restored re: feeding yeasts...there is also natural yeast cleansing such as Bentonite clay, DDS probiotic.

Treat as a whole, if you get to the root cause you will have more success then cycling on meds and $$$ spent at the vet.

I will provide a couple links in a bit
Cheers