The vet really thought they could rule out staph since it did not respond immediately to the antibiotics. I just don’t know what to think anymore.

Catherine Green

The Demodectic type of mange is commonly found on healthy dogs without showing any symptoms of the mites, but if there is some illness reeking havock on his immune system this can create a situation in which the mites can reproduce much faster than the immune system can kill them, so keep in mind if the vet finds Demodex mites on Dusty it will probably be because of somthing else suppressing his immune system.

I would say you could rule out mange as being the primary cause of Dustys poor health.

By the way does he seem to feel ok? Is he playing doing his usual stuff, or just laying around.

Please let me know what you find and Good Luck! Tim

It all started with a skunk spray 11-3-2009. Maybe coincidence? We washed him in hydrogen peroxide/baking soda/dishwasking liquid. Great to get out the smell, tough on the coat. Maybe 2 days later we think he has a grass awn in his paw. We watch it for a day and it doesn’t come out so we head to the vet on 11-6-2009. No, they think it’s a spider bite. We go home with Animax topical ointment and Cephalexin 500mg. We put baby booties on him to keep the Animax on his foot. He does not lick or bite at the area. We send Dusty to his grandparents (who adore him) to have the exterminator in and treat the yard for insects. His foot is not getting any better. Suddenly a huge wound inside his ear, bloody, raw. Same side as the foot. Back to the vet on 11-23-2009. Now we’re diagnoised with ring worm. Indeed the spot on his foot is cicular and his ear who knows it’s so raw. We’re sent home with Miconazole cream, Miconazole shampoo, Simplicef 100mg, and more Animax. I hit the Animax hard over Thanksgiving. Every time I can put it on 5 or 6 times a day it gets better, looking merely pink with hair loss. But as soon as I slide back to 2 or 3 times a day it reddnes back up within 2 days. I’ve had ring worm before (caught from kittens) but not catching it from Dusty. Still not getting better, and now a spot on his eye lid and eye brow. Back to the vet on 12-23-2009. They take a skin scrapping for mites, nope, nothing there from 2 scrapings. We are now diagnoised with demetitis staph infection. We are sent home with Simplicef 100mg and Ketoconazole 200mg. Still not getting better. Back to the vet on 1-6-2010. Now we are diagnoised with mites. No, they didn’t find mites in the scraping but they say that’s just the luck sometimes. We have a senior blood panel done. We get more Animax ointment with advice for only one daily application and IvoMec suspension syrup for 30 days. Blood tests are in, looks great. Might be sub-clinical hypothyroid so now we’re on Thyrosin .6mg 2 times daily.

Today, still not any better and spreading. His eye and eyelid are awful. All four paws are involved, the front forelegs, the back of his hind legs, his muzzle, one ear. Never any scrathing or biting at the areas. Hair loss that is increasing.

Dusty is typically the picture of health. He fights with ear infections in just one ear over the summers, but is fine in the winter. He had a raw spot on his chin a few years ago that never looked the same again but responded to the Animax. In the past 2 years the tips of his ears have lost a bit of fur and thickened up. He has a dog door to go in and out as he pleases. He gets the best, highest quality foods on a rotating basis. His coat has never been thick but we thought we were blessed with little grooming needs. He gets a shampoo and conditioner bath once a month.

One more variable to throw into the mix. We foster kittens for the Humane Society. Usually not too sick and usually we keep them quaranteend from Dusty. But we’ve had kittens with ring worm, Feline panleukopenia, eye infections, upper respiratory infections. We had a serious flea problem with 2 sets of kittens that ended up transferring to Dusty during this time. He is monthly FrontLine so I was puzzled. But we treated him with CapStar and a flea bath.

What is wrong with my poor Dusty? We have another vet visit scheduled for tomorrow. They already admitted that they are tapped for ideas and will likely refer us to a canine dermatolotigst specialist at the state agriculture and vet university K-State. He’s a great dog and doesn’t deserve this. We are very medication and treatment compliant. He’s still not scratching, just the spreading hair loss and pink to light red skin.

Any thoughts are appreciated greatly.

Catherine Green