skin problems

[poochie:)]

i've noticed a couple things on my dog's (Cleo, 3.5 yr old cockerpoo) skin today when I was grooming her out (she's at that point where she is quite hairy and we don't bath her a lot because we don't have a tub so we have to take her to my grandmother's). Anyways, I notice a patch of skin about the size of a thumbnail that is all flakey and irritated looking. It looked scaly and had little tiny bits of skin falling off with patches of red skin. I also found a scratch or something by her tail which is rather inflammed and started to bleed a little bit. i'm a little concerned and got her schedueled to see the vet next wednesday (im going to see if i can get her in sooner) and im trying to get her into the groomer's this week too. I was just wondering if anyone knew what might have cause the skin flakiness and would it do any harm to her skin further if i gave her a bath?

thank you so much,

Lynsey

[lizbud]

Poochie,

I really don't know the answer for you, but
this does sound like a good question for your
Vet., or a Vet Tech.If it was me & I was not
able to reach the Vets office to ask the question,
I would not bath the dog until they had a chance to see the spots.Good luck with your Pupster.

[tatsxxx11]

Hi Lynsey. I agree with Liz! Although he was speaking about humans not dogs, a dermatologist was on the news today talking about such skin conditions as sebborhea, psoriasis, dermatitis, etc. He warned that too many people think that the more cleansing of the area the better! Actually, often the soap and detergents in soaps and shampoo, can greatly aggrevate the condition. I would hold off on the bathing/grooming until you see the vet! Please update us on your pups' condition!! Hugs and get well wishes for Cleo!!

[Dixieland Dancer]

From your description, it sounds like a classic hot spot. They are very itchy for your dog. Treatment is usually to cut the hair around the spot away so the air can get to it. Put antibiotic ointment such as panalog (a vet prescribes this) on it for a day or two until it starts to heal and then let the air just let it scab over.

I would recommend a gentle bath using a mild dog shampoo. I use tearless puppy shampoo.

Of course you should consult your vet for positive diagnosis. The one thing the vet's seem to do is to give a cortizone shot to relieve the itching. I am not a fan of this and always elect not to have it done. The choice is yours.


Keep us posted on what you find out.

[lovemymaltese]

Get her to a vet and put her on some antibiotics wuickly. My maltese Tango started that and it will get worse. Try to think if her diet has changed or if something in her immediate environment has changed, it may be due to allergies. Your vet will proably have some answers for you, but I would wait very long to take her. My Tango's little rash turned into a big one and was almost out of hand beofre I took him. Hope that helps.

[poochie:)]

I just came back from the vet and it's nothing serious. He (the vet) had to shave the area where the bleeding was and it turns out to be a bit of an infection. I cant exactly remember buut it was something about poodle-type dogs can get rather fatty pores (pimple-like sores things) that sometimes swell ang get infected. And the "hot-spot" has virtualy dissapeared. A bit of cleaning and polysporin 3 times a day is all that is needed to clean up the infection, nothing serious

[Dixieland Dancer]

Glad it was nothing serious!

[lovemymaltese]

Glad to hear that your pups feeling better and that it was nothing serious.