URGENT!!! Please Help!!! Skin issues are severe!!!

PaigeSnyder621

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Hi! My English Bulldog, Winston, is 2.5 years old. He has a tail pocket and severe allergies so he's spent most of his life on prednisone. Nearly a month ago, he started developing these rough, raised patches of skin on the back of his neck and shoulders. It started oozing a clear/yellow fluid. He started scratching and blood was everywhere. I have taken him to a bully vet multiple times and another. Most recently, he was given more steroids, antibiotics, a special shampoo and sedatives. We are going back tomorrow. The vet said these sores were due to allergy scratching yet now they are erupting everywhere. This is a picture (on the left) after a week of treatment and a current photo. Please help!!! All the vets are clueless!!!
 

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Vikinggirl

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Aww poor baby, I'm so sorry you're going through this with Winston. Most allergies come from food and the wrong protein source or grains and other fillers. Many bullies are allergic to chicken and salmon and are sensitive to grains, corn, potatoes and other fillers. Which brand of food are you currently feeding him? My female Blossom is allergic to chicken, salmon, and beef, we switched her food 4 times before we found one that she tolerated and didn't cause allergy symptoms. We are currently feeding Fromm's Lamb and Lentil to our guys with food results. It looks like the sores may be hot spots that keep spreading, it takes time, patience and consistentcy to treat these hot spots to clear them up. Using Prednisone and Antibiotics work short term, and only while they are on the mediation, it is not good to use these long term, as they cause more problems. The first step is to determine what the allergen is, food or environment, and try to avoid them. You can give Winston some supplements to boost his immune system as allergies are caused by an abnormal response of the immune system, so by boosting it, you help fight allergy symptoms, infections, and parasites. I give our guys 2 Tbsp of plain unsweetened yogurt on their morning kibble everyday, for the probiotics and the immune system, I also give them 1 Tbsp of apple cider vinegar in their drinking water everyday, there are many health benefits to ACV. It is a natural anti inflammatory as well as a natural anti bacterial and anti fungal. It kills the bad bacteria in the body, so boosts the immune system, I also give them 1Tbsp of Coconut Oil for the Omega Fatty Oils, which are beneficial for skin, coat, bones, joints and the brain. If trying or starting any of these supplements, try one at a time for a week before starting the next one, so you will know if he has a reaction to one of them, then you will know right away which one he doesn't tolerate. To great his skin, you may want to put him on antibiotics first, since it's quite sore and weepy looking, and it's best to shave the whole area where the hot spots are so they can be exposed to the air. They need to be kept clean and dry to heal. You can use some medicated shampoos ( ask your vet for some recommendations), and rinse him with equal parts of warm water and white vinegar, again this is a natural anti bacterial and will help heal his skin, you can also use Epsom salts and warm water as well. I hope you are able to clear his skin up, and he feels better soon. Please keep us posted on how he's doing.


Hot Spots on Dogs: Causes and Treatment



Hot spots are an irritating skin condition that affects countless dogs every year. Here, Dr. Henry Cerny, DVM, MS of Yankee Hill Veterinary Hospital, answers some common questions about hot spots.


What are hot spots on dogs and how can we detect them?


A hotspot (also known as pyotramatic or moist dermatitis) is a condition which involves an area of skin which has become inflamed and infected. The affected skin often appears as a moist, oozing, reddened area that is painful and very itchy to the dog. Hair loss may also be seen. Continued licking and chewing at the area by the dog worsens the condition dramatically.


What causes hot spots and can they be prevented?


Anything that causes itchiness of the skin can lead to the development of hot spots on dogs. Some common triggers are atopy (allergies to things in the environment such as grasses, trees, weeds, dust mites, etc), food allergies, fleas, mites, insect bites and skin wounds. A bacterial infection of the skin (typically caused by staph) develops by taking advantage of the damaged inflamed skin. The infection is often deep in the dog's skin and, in addition to the moist oozing appearance, an odor is often present.


How are hot spots treated?


The goal to treatment is to clear the bacterial infection, relieve the itching and pain, and identify and remove the underlying triggers if possible. The hair in and around the dog's hot spot is usually clipped to allow initial cleaning of the area and the application of topical medications. Topical treatment with sprays, creams or ointments to kill bacteria and help with pain and inflammation are often used. Oral antibiotics are usually prescribed for a course of three to four weeks and sometimes longer. Often a short course of corticosteroids (i.e. prednisone) is given to relieve the itching and pain due to the inflammation. Antihistamines may also be used to help with itchiness.


Would Vetericyn be helpful in the treatment of hot spots on dogs?


Yes. Vetericyn liquid or hydrogel can be applied topically to kill bacteria and help cleanse the wound and speed healing without depleting vital moisture from the skin. It has the additional benefits of being non-irritating, non-toxic and non-staining to your dog's skin or dog's haircoat.
 

Vikinggirl

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Natural Remedies for Hot Spots on Dogs



Dog hot spots are not nightclubs for canines; they're a lot less fun than they sound. You can identify a hot spot on your furry friend if he or she starts scratching or biting the same area repeatedly and you're sure that it's not a tick problem. You may also notice a red spot that may exude pus. While long-haired dogs are more susceptible to this type of bacterial infection, no dog is immune to them. Technically referred to as pyotraumatic dermatitis, the good news about dog hot spots treatment is that, if detected early, they can be treated with natural remedies.
What are Dog Hot Spots?


Hot spots may show up for a number of reasons. Some cases are allergy-based and therefore more frequent during the summer months. Others are caused by bacteria growing in large numbers under damp fur, causing these places to succumb to bacterial infection. The main cause of complications, however, is the fact that the dog keeps worrying the infected area, thereby breaking the skin and causing the infection to take root.
Why do Dog Hot Spots need to be Treated Immediately?


Hot spots can be very painful for your pet. The inflammation already indicates that the area is under attack by bacteria so the longer you wait, the longer your pet will have to suffer. In certain cases, the process is extremely quick and your dog could have a fully developed hot spot in a matter of hours. This makes it extremely crucial to start treating the problem as soon as it is identified.



How Should I Prepare the Area for Treatment at Home?


When you see your pet start to fuss over a small area of its body repeatedly - trying to scratch and bite it constantly - that's your red flag. Gently move the hair around the area out of the way and see if you can spot the source of the problem. If the area is red or has broken skin, it's time to act: first, get a pair of clippers and cut off all the fur around the infected area; next, wash the skin with soap and warm water - again gently, because the skin will be excessively sensitive at this point. Make sure you dry the area well - keeping it free from moisture can prevent the bacteria from multiplying further. After this, you can start one of the many home remedies available for dog hot spots treatment.
What are the Best Natural Remedies for Hot Spots?


There are several great home solutions for treating hot spots on dogs:


* Epsom salts are an ideal application for hot spots. Their efficacy in treating bacterial infection has been known for generations. If you have some at home, make a saturated solution (keep mixing in until no more will dissolve) and apply it to the affected area with a soft cloth. The relief from itching may often be immediate, and the healing process will begin as soon as the solution hits the bacteria.


* An oatmeal soak is another effective home remedy for the itching. Mix oatmeal (oatmeal baby food will work if you have it handy) with water and apply to the wound, leaving it in for about 10 minutes; then wash it off with warm water. Again, dry the area thoroughly to prevent bacteria from multiplying. After this, you can apply the epsom salt solution for the healing process to start.


* A green tea compress can also precede the epsom salts treatment. Green tea is a known anti-inflammatory agent because of the polyphenols it contains - it will help the itching and redness, and give some relief to your pet.


* Vinegar - diluted or concentrated - is a highly effective antiseptic agent. However, when using herbal vinegar, make sure your dog is not allergic to any of the ingredients. Dilute the vinegar depending on how bad the hot spot looks.


All of these home remedies are effective soothing or disinfecting agents, and will have your pet back in the pink of health in a matter of days. However, repeated instances could mean that a particular situation needs to be addressed. For example, long-haired dogs may need grooming more often because they tend to have tangling or moisture problems that cause hot spots and other skin conditions. In the case of allergies, it may be the food intake that needs monitoring or change. Every dog is different, so no blanket solution can be prescribed for all canines. One word of warning, though: if the condition is severe or recurrent then do take your pet to the veterinarian to avoid complications from the initial infection. Home remedies are certainly effective, but some types of conditions require a vet's professional advice and intervention. That being said, natural remedies are safe, effective and convenient solutions for dog hot spots treatment.
 

2BullyMama

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Oh my goodness, your poor baby! that is so painful..... you need to get him to a dermatologist, he most like is highly allergic to something in your home or the food you are feeding.
My boy would get these, not this severe, but would get them all the time and quite large till we had a full blood screen allergy test completed on him and found out he was highly allergic to rice..... once we changed his food these never showed up again nor did the cysts on his paws.

Clean the area and shave it if you can... then keep it dry so it can clear up.

Also get him on a high quality grain free food, avoid chicken too as a lot of bullies have issue with chicken
 

bullmama

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Omg- poor baby! The areas need to be shaved down to the skin as [MENTION=2894]2BullyMama[/MENTION] stated so the rash can be treated directly with cleanings and for that I would clean 3x a day with hybiclens and spray with steroid or coat with panalog ointment. Also since he's on antibiotic and steroid treatment it's important to replenish his diet with probiotics daily. What food do you feed him? Anything new that changed when it started? Laundry soap, chemicals, food?
 
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PaigeSnyder621

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He is eating Fromm, which has helped a lot with his itching and scratching. It's grain-free. Nothing has changed so I don't know why he has these areas showing up now. I have noticed that there are more areas showing up each day. We have never had allergy testing done. I'm certain it's environmental...which is tough because there doesn't seem to be much we can do that we haven't already done/tried. We have shaved as much as we could...he's become aggressive because he's hurting so much. We have seen two different vets and gotten two very different "opinions". It's very frustrating because the vet hasn't even tried to locate the cause. We are going back today to try to get more help for him...my poor guy is miserable and despite a round of antibiotics, he smells like a dead animal.
 

bullmama

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Fromm is a great food, so that's good, but maybe try a different protein from the line. We had a bad hotspot once and it was from the chicken a la veg flavor. It started as one tiny quarter size spot and was the size of a softball by the next day. Our vet shaved it and once shaved all the way to the end of the rash we found it was actually the size of an adult shoe! Not nearly as bad as your boys but it was the same location. We were also given genone steroid spray to put on it directly. Once we changed his food he was so energetic and never had another hotspot, we went with Fromm beef Fritatta, and he was a whole new bulldog. Let us know how his appointment goes today.
 

Manydogs

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This is an obvious question-but has the vet done a skin scraping? His skin looks severely infected-staph infection? I have read some good things about something called Yucca Intensive, though I have never used it.You may look it up. Your poor baby-I feel sick for him, seeing how miserable he must be. I would definitely give him either a pro-biotic supplement, or a least active culture plain yogurt every day, as it helps replace the good bacteria that is killed off by antibiotics.
I have also used a product that has been around for many,many years. It has never failed for me-on horses, dogs, goats,and more-even myself(though it is not adv. for human) It is called NuStock. You can look it up on the net-and usually can get it at feed/horse supply. It has done amazing things with my animals-when nothing else would work. Comes in a large tube and you must squeeze it around well to mix it. It's not expensive and well worth a try. I will pray for your baby-this is so sad. @PaigeSnyder621
 

2BullyMama

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He is eating Fromm, which has helped a lot with his itching and scratching. It's grain-free. Nothing has changed so I don't know why he has these areas showing up now. I have noticed that there are more areas showing up each day. We have never had allergy testing done. I'm certain it's environmental...which is tough because there doesn't seem to be much we can do that we haven't already done/tried. We have shaved as much as we could...he's become aggressive because he's hurting so much. We have seen two different vets and gotten two very different "opinions". It's very frustrating because the vet hasn't even tried to locate the cause. We are going back today to try to get more help for him...my poor guy is miserable and despite a round of antibiotics, he smells like a dead animal.

i wonder if he is allergy to dust mites... there was a member awhile ago her bully was allergic to them and he looked similar to this. if dust mites are it, then dry kibble can be the problem.
 

nycbullymama

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Low dosage of prednisone, antibiotic, panalog, chlorhexidine baths. His skin looks infected. You need to see a dermatologist and have them do an allergy test to determine what it is. I doubt this happened solely due to a food allergy. Most likely environmental allergens as well.

He may need to stay on a low dose of prednisone forever, or until you figure out what's causing it (hence the allergy test).

You also need to stay on top of it. At the first sign of a sore, use a drying agent like Douxo or Mal-a-ket. Both available on Amazon.
 

triggerSnores

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Our Winston cannot do fromms beef Frittata or the lamb. Within 2 days of trying them big red cysts appeared all over his paws and he would shed like crazy. He is on the game bird and doing really well. So you may have to try other flavors. Maybe look into adding coconut oil to help skin and new fur. Winston had a horrible yeast infection that cost him a lot of fur and gave him itchy icky patches too. Everyone else is giving great advice, good luck. Please keep us posted.
 

boxers30

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Oh my that's awful. I agree with the post above. What do you feed him? My bullies are on Blue Freedom Salmon and Sweet Potatoes and their fur is simply amazing, I have never seen a change in my dogs cost since I switched. It is grain free and glutton free. May be you should try another vet. It appears, to me at least, that an infection has settled in. Plese try some English Bulldog forums on Facebook they have a tendency to be very knowledgeable. Can you give him some benadryl with the steroids? I know you can give dogs this medicine but I'm not sure with the steroids. He is such a beautiful baby. It must be something he is ingesting to cause this kinda reaction. I would switch doctors for a different opinion. Good luck! Sometimes a fresh look from a different vet may help. Definitely go to Facebook. I,am in a Facebook group and I'll post this for u out as it us a closed group. That's if I can...prayers for the baby.

I'm trying right now, hopefully we will get an answer that I can forward to you,

I posted and kept the thread...God Bless his heart what a poor baby.

Here is one response. That pup needs to get into a vet or specialist for a skin scraping to find out what all that is. (example....we dealt with a bacterial infection on top of MRSA....no one but a vet can diagnose and treat that!!) That looks way too severe to try and have other folks diagnose, IMO. Also, I had just read an article about what prolonged pred use can do and it can affect the skin in ways that can't be reversed. Please urge your friend to get this baby in!

Another response:
He may have a form of Cushings brought on by being on the steroid. Needs to see a specialist

Everyone has good opinions , please get a scrapping done ASAP!
In addition, a new vet may be in order. One who is experienced with this breed. Many dogs have such deep tail pockets that the tail needs to be surgically removed. Pred shouldn't be a constant go to med, there are reasons for most allergies and ways to treat them. Maybe once this fellow is diagnosed, you can come back on? I know folks can give advice for food related allergies, environmental allergies, etc and tips and tricks to cleaning a tail pocket, etc., etc., but it's really hard to go in any one direction until you know what the problem is. So sorry, pup has to be uncomfortable. What city does your friend live in? Maybe we could start by chiming in with great local vets??
 

karenben

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You need to start healing from the inside ,raw diet no sugar,carbs or dairy,supplement with transfer factor,primrose oil ,borage oil,msm,quertecin,and get some nu stock to apply on those nasty hot spots ,please stop the steroids as they're only depleting his immune system further
 

RiiSi

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Poor baby, in my opinion he needs limited ingredients raw diet or homemade cooked food. All kibble, no matter how good, is still too artificial. Try to find a vet that has understanding in natural feeding. If they put him on some Hill's crap he will just be deeper in it. All steroids and medicine will not heal him, if you don't find the cause.
 

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