Skin issues!

[2BullyMama]

Its been 10 days on the new food and supplements, as well as a antibiotic, antifungal, and steroid prescribed by the vet. Unfortunately he is getting worse. Last week the vet took a skin sample and is coming by later this week to take another look and discuss the results.

Sending healing prayers... i hope you get some answers fir your baby


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[Hankster]

i sure hope you get some answers this time... So awful to see our babies uncomfortable...

[Dollys Owner]

Kelp dose is about 1/8 tsp twice daily, good for vitamins and preventing plaque formation. I'm wondering if he could have an autoimmune disease like pemphigus, or even lupus. Vet should do a skin biopsy.

[Hankster]

Has he ever been allergy tested? It might be an environmental allergy. Do some research on neem oil i've heard its really good for treating skin problems.

interesting.... I've had "neem oil" on my list for a but but because i couldnt remember what i wanted it for, i havent purchased. I did get some neem bark as i had been reading about it being good for the teeth..

[Dogbull]

Vets coming tomorrow with results from biopsy. Hopefully we will finally be able to pinpoint it

[oscarmayer]

Has he been evaluated for Demodectic Mange?
If he has Demodex then he likely has a yeast infection going along with it. Does he smell funky?
If he's on food with Sweet Potato, stop it right away. Until yeast has been ruled out the sweet potato could be feeding a yeast infection.
If it's determined that he's mite free, then have him allergy tested, blood test.

Looking forward to test results, Vet report.

[Dogbull]

Well it turns out he has something called calcinosis cutis, which unfortunately is a precursor to cushings disease. He is going to be weened off of the prednisone and will continue his antibiotic, painkiller, and apoquel. Sadly, his condition right now is much worse than the original post.

He will eventually be tested for cushings when his current condition ever improves.

Thanks for trying to help guys

[2BullyMama]

Well it turns out he has something called calcinosis cutis, which unfortunately is a precursor to cushings disease. He is going to be weened off of the prednisone and will continue his antibiotic, painkiller, and apoquel. Sadly, his condition right now is much worse than the original post.

He will eventually be tested for cushings when his current condition ever improves.

Thanks for trying to help guys

@ddnene @Manydogs


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[oscarmayer]

That's disappointing, especially if Cushings Disease is the primary cause.

for those interested...

"Calcinosis Cutis

Cause: Calcinosis cutis occurs when calcium crystals are abnormally deposited in the skin. The most common cause is high levels of steroids, either due to steroid administration or due to increases in steroid production by the body (Dermatology Clinic for Animals » Cushing’s Disease). Calcinosis circumscripta, a more localized form of calcium deposition in the skin, can occur on pressure points such as the paws and elbows, at suture sites, and on the tongue, but has different underlying causes than calcinosis cutis.

Affected Animals: Predisposed dogs include pets receiving long term steroids to control other diseases, such as chronic itching/allergies, inflammatory bowel disease, or autoimmune conditions. Additionally, dogs that are suffering from Cushing’s Disease can develop calcinosis cutis if their disease is not well controlled.

Clinical Signs: Calcinosis cutis lesions commonly appear on the skin as bumps or flat raised areas (papules or plaques) with gritty yellow, white, or grey granules. The lesions are commonly surrounded by reddened skin, because calcinosis cutis often causes inflammation. The back, underarms and groin area are most commonly affected, but the lesions often start in one area and spread if the underlying cause is not controlled. Many animals with calcinosis cutis are itchy and uncomfortable. Their lesions often develop secondary infections, leading to red tinged or white-green discharge from the lesions and increased swelling and itching.

Diagnosis: Calcinosis cutis is definitively diagnosed using a biopsy (a sample of tissue taken and submitted to a pathologist for analysis). Biopsies will show calcium crystals deposited throughout the skin, which are often surrounded by an inflammatory reaction. Surface samples of the lesions are taken for microscopic examination during the initial appointment to determine if any secondary infection is present. When Cushing’s disease is suspected, there are confirmatory tests to diagnose this disease before beginning treatment, such as an ACTH stimulation test or Low Dose Dexamethasone Suppression Test and an abdominal ultrasound.

Prognosis: When the underlying cause of the condition is identified, calcinosis cutis can usually be treated successfully. If the lesions have been present for a long time and are very severe, they may never resolve fully or the patient can be left with scarring. Without treating the underlying cause, however, calcinosis cutis will not resolve.

Treatment: Once the underlying cause is diagnosed, treatment is started to control and resolve the calcinosis cutis. In the case of chronic steroid usage, the steroids will be decreased gradually and stopped after a suitable substitute medication is found. If the patient has been diagnosed with Cushing’s disease, then treatment for this disease will be started as soon as possible. If the patient is found to have a secondary infection, this will be treated with the appropriate topical and oral antibiotics. Additional treatments can include non-steroidal medications to reduce itching, antimicrobial shampoos to decrease the risk of future infection, and/or oral minocycline and aluminum-based antacids to help bind calcium. When appropriate, a topical gel medication (Dimethylsulfoxide –DMSO) is added to encourage the reabsorption of calcium from the skin. Regular bloodwork monitoring is often recommended to make sure the liver and kidneys are unaffected by the underlying cause or the treatment for calcinosis cutis.

Prevention: Avoiding overuse of oral and injectable steroids is important because they are known to induce calcinosis cutis with long term, high dose use."

[Dollys Owner]

So sorry to hear ! I really hope your bully will feel better once the condition is under control. I'm not sure why vets are even using long term prednisone anymore since the introduction of apoquel and cytopoint.

[ddnene]

Well it turns out he has something called calcinosis cutis, which unfortunately is a precursor to cushings disease. He is going to be weened off of the prednisone and will continue his antibiotic, painkiller, and apoquel. Sadly, his condition right now is much worse than the original post.

He will eventually be tested for cushings when his current condition ever improves.

Thanks for trying to help guys

My boxer had cushings... the meds worked at first for her, but she ended up having a brain tumor. IF it turns out he does have cushings, it's relatively controlled for most dogs. I was also on a forum that helped tremendously w/questions that I had... let me know what the diagnosis is and I will give you more info.

[Momma2Bullies]

This may be of interest to you - I follow her on IG, and she has managed this condition with her girl by using ntaural and holistic solutions...https://www.instagram.com/waffles_n_lola/