Toe Cyst Saga

[chubbahubba]

Ever since she was past the age of 2 our Mabel has experienced reoccurring feet cysts on her front two paws. She is not AKC registered which could possibly be the root of the cause but, regardless, we have been battling, trying to keep down the licking, blood, pus and pain our poor bully has suffered during the past 3+ years. We have tried Epsom salt soaks, antibiotics, antibacterial/anti-fungal wipes, hundreds of dollars of special hypo-allergenic dog food brands, hydrogen peroxide soaks, some sort of blue liquid added into a pail of warm water to soak her feet in and countless other failed "remedies" that result in her consistent licking and days of limping about. Our only period of hope (one year) when we lived in a different house without flagstone (and instead tons of grass) was the golden era in which her feet were cyst-free and she was frolicking about, in no pain. When we moved back the following year, her cysts came back shortly. She has gone through 2 vets (wow, I know, right? So many.... *sarcasm*), the first one having to recommend the second one, a dermatologist. There, we tried switching her food (a trick we had attempted years before to no avail) and sending samples of bacteria and etc. on her feet into a lab. Now, the cysts have spread to all four feet, the bottoms of her front paw pads, to the heels of both of front paws and *we think* possibly even to the curl/fold of her cinnabon tail. She now wears socks to stop the incessant licking and mutilation she has caused herself and she gets weekly baths in anti-fungal, anti-microbial and hypoallergenic dog shampoo. Even though these measures are taken in attempt to heal her, she still faces the cysts growing and spreading. They won't stop. On top of that, her cysts have become so bad that we've become afraid to walk her, in fear that her paw-pad cysts will break open and become infected or extremely irritated, causing her to limp the next few days. Her obesity is coming, even though all she eats are two cups of food a day.

Enough about our story, I was curious to ask if any other members in the bully community have witnessed such atrocities to their bulldog's health. If so, I would like to know if anyone has found a cure to end the reign of the foot cysts and if they would like to share this information.

thanks
chubbahubba

 

[RiiSi]

I'm so sorry for you and Mabel. It's always for horrible to see your beloved bully suffer. I have no experience on cysts, but I'm a firm believer in raw feeding and it's healing power for many problems.

 

[triggerSnores]

Oh my. I cannot even imagine what you all are going through with this. My Winston only gets them occasionally and they stress me out. What amazing care you are giving Mabel! I hope you take some warm soaks too! ! I wish I had answers for you, Winston ' s seem to be food related. You did come to the right place though, everyone on here are so friendly, knowledgeable helpful and caring. Goodluck. And keep us posted!

 

[Vikinggirl]

Hi, I'm so sorry you're going through this with Mabel, poor baby. I also don't have any personal experience with this, but do know that interdigital cysts can be caused by food allergies, and a weakened immune system. It sounds like you have tried many of the remedies that are supposed to help or work for these cysts. I was going to suggest Epsom salt and warm water soaks, or apple cider vinegar and warm water soaks, but you are already using these. Which brand of food are you currently feeding Mabel? Many bullies are allergic to chicken and sometimes beef, and are also sensitive to grains and other fillers. My female Blossom suffers from many allergies as well, and we switched her food 4 times before we found Fromm's. we are currently feeding our guys Fromm's Lamb and Lentil. The best thing you can do for your bully is try to boost her immune system. I give our guys some natural supplements that help to do this. I add 2 Tbsps of plain unsweetened yogurt to their morning kibble everyday. This a good source of probiotics which is good for digestion, and also boosts the immune system, ( allergies are caused by an abnormal response to the immune system), so this helps to fight allergy symptoms, infections and parasites by providing good gut flora. I also add 1 Tbsp of apple cider vinegar to their drinking water everyday, or you can add it to the evening kibble. Just don't mix the yogurt with the vinegar, as it will sour the yogurt. ACV is a natural anti inflammatory ( 99% of all diseases including Arthritis is caused by inflammation in the body), it is also a natural anti bacterial and anti fungal, which will boost the immune system, and it kills the bad bacteria in the body. I also add 1 tsp. of kelp to their evening kibble, their are many health benefits to kelp, it contains all the vitamins and minerals that your bully will need. I also add 1 Tbsp. of Coconut Oil to their evening kibble, this is a good source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids, which are food for the skin, coat, bones, joints, and the brain. I have some good articles on the benefits of these supplements for dogs, and if you are interested in them, private message me with you're e-mail, and I will forward them to you. I hope Mabel feels better soon, and her paws heal.

 

[2BullyMama]

Ever since she was past the age of 2 our Mabel has experienced reoccurring feet cysts on her front two paws. She is not AKC registered which could possibly be the root of the cause but, regardless, we have been battling, trying to keep down the licking, blood, pus and pain our poor bully has suffered during the past 3+ years. We have tried Epsom salt soaks, antibiotics, antibacterial/anti-fungal wipes, hundreds of dollars of special hypo-allergenic dog food brands, hydrogen peroxide soaks, some sort of blue liquid added into a pail of warm water to soak her feet in and countless other failed "remedies" that result in her consistent licking and days of limping about. Our only period of hope (one year) when we lived in a different house without flagstone (and instead tons of grass) was the golden era in which her feet were cyst-free and she was frolicking about, in no pain. When we moved back the following year, her cysts came back shortly. She has gone through 2 vets (wow, I know, right? So many.... *sarcasm*), the first one having to recommend the second one, a dermatologist. There, we tried switching her food (a trick we had attempted years before to no avail) and sending samples of bacteria and etc. on her feet into a lab. Now, the cysts have spread to all four feet, the bottoms of her front paw pads, to the heels of both of front paws and *we think* possibly even to the curl/fold of her cinnabon tail. She now wears socks to stop the incessant licking and mutilation she has caused herself and she gets weekly baths in anti-fungal, anti-microbial and hypoallergenic dog shampoo. Even though these measures are taken in attempt to heal her, she still faces the cysts growing and spreading. They won't stop. On top of that, her cysts have become so bad that we've become afraid to walk her, in fear that her paw-pad cysts will break open and become infected or extremely irritated, causing her to limp the next few days. Her obesity is coming, even though all she eats are two cups of food a day.

Enough about our story, I was curious to ask if any other members in the bully community have witnessed such atrocities to their bulldog's health. If so, I would like to know if anyone has found a cure to end the reign of the foot cysts and if they would like to share this information.

thanks
chubbahubba

What food are you currently feeding? My boy would get them constantly till we found out he was allergic to rice, once we removed it from his diet he never got another one,