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Pawbly | 6 years ago
I Have A 3 And A Half Year Old GSD With HYPOthyroidism. I’m Curious If…

I have a 3 and a half year old GSD with HYPOthyroidism. I’m curious if anyone else has dealt with this disease in itself. So to begin, when she was about a year old I started noticing redness on her stomach. The vet I was currently with kept telling me she had ringworm and providing me with medicated shampoo and treating her with ketoconazole. It always seemed to clear up but would come right back soon after. So I searched and found another vet and he did all the testing and blood work and diagnosed her with HYPOthyroidism. She has kept a chronic skin infection which he diagnosed as a type of yeast infection due to the fluctuation of thyroid levels. She has been on levothyroxine for a year now. We have adjusted her dosage 3 times and each time she seems to do well for a month or so and then it seems to “level out” and her skin flare up comes back full force. It seems to get better and lightens up and starts to pink up and then goes right back to the hair loss and crusty on her stomach and under her legs/pits. I continue to do the medicated baths as told but it’s getting frustrating. I’m in the vet’s office every couple months it seems and spending hundreds each visit for the same thing with no resolve. Dont get me wrong I will do whatever it takes to help her but somethings gotta give. I’m just curious if anyone else has seen/heard or has dealt with hypothyroidism and the chronic skin infection. Have u found anything that helps or resolves it? What is your experience? Also she keeps bad ear infections (also tested and diagnosed as a type of yeast) daily flushes and drops in her ears as well. Still not seeming to get any better.

I feel so helpless and quite frankly I’m getting discouraged. I love the vet she sees now, he is a million times better than the one she seen previously.

Does it ever get better?

The pic is an older one, shes alot better now but still has the hairloss and discoloration over the better part of her stomach and under her legs. Just not as dark or as much.

6 Responses

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  1. Laura

    I would wonder if there’s an allergy situation going on in addition to hypothyroid.

  2. Elizabeth Crisp

    Her vet seems to think it is unlikely due to the fluctuation in thyroid levels. Heck I dont know anymore. It may be time to find another vet?

  3. Laura

    That’s possible, too. I certainly wouldn’t rule out a second opinion. I’d also look for a veterinary dermatologist, if there’s one near you.

  4. Laura

    oh wow, apologies for the crazy number of responses. sometimes this site glitches in the strangest ways.

  5. Elizabeth Crisp

    Ha ha it’s not a problem. Thank you for the response! I talked to a different vet awaaaaaaaay the same office and he suggested ruling out a food allergy, then told me about a Veterinary dermatologist nearby. So we will start next week and see what we find out!

  6. Laura

    Good luck! Do report back, if you think about it? We see hypothyroidism leading to hair loss in Dobes, but it doesn’t usually come with rashiness. I’d be very curious about any other vet’s ideas about it.

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
My 1 Year Old American Bulldog/border Collie Has Been Scooting Her Butt And Licking Her…

My 1 year old American bulldog/border collie has been scooting her butt and licking her paws, had a previous ear infection with yeast present. How do I even begin to deal with this? I’m suspecting allergies….

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
-history, My Ex Husband And I Got Her At 7 Weeks Old. He Already Had…

-history, my ex husband and I got her at 7 weeks old. He already had a lab (approx 8 months old). We separated and I was able to keep my girl, he kept the boy. She has had 2 litters. The first, 11 puppies all healthy- the second, all passed away. (The litters were in no way planned) Not directly after the second litter but within a year she started getting severe ear infections. She was fixed and treated for yeast infections for the ears- she never full relief. After a couple rounds of antibiotics my vet recommended getting blood work done as well as allergy testing. Turns out she is allergic to 21 different things and is in the early stages of kidney failure.

I am taking complete care if her medical issues and spend a good amount of time with her. We go on morning walks, I come home at lunch and take her out, we go on evening walks, and she sleeps in my bed with me.

She is the sweetest pup I’ve ever known, but she is overly clingy. At first it was cute but now anytime I move, she moves. I walk into a different room, she follows. I go to use the bathroom and she sits at my feet. Literally, if she could, she would crawl inside me. Again, I love my pup, I’m just concerned this is not healthy.

Any advice??

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  1. Brittany Aileen

    Thank you for the feedback. I will look into local trainers to help!

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
Me And My Husband Rescued Grizz From The Local SPCA On Friday, November 27, 2015…

Me and my husband rescued Grizz from the local SPCA on Friday, November 27, 2015. The next day, he began to have diarrhea which cleared up by early Sunday morning. As Sunday progressed he became extremely lethargic and would not eat. We took him to the local vet, a VCA, on Monday Nov 30 and he was diagnosed with a yeast infection in both ears and GI parasites (roundworms and hookworms). Was given Panacur to deworm and drops for his ears. The following day, Tuesday, his lethargy continued and worsened to the point in which he would not move his head. We took him to the hospital at the VCA and found out he had a 104.9 fever. During the time of examination, his face and lymph nodes instantly began to swell and there was purulent discharge from his mouth. He was admitted for IV fluids and antibiotics. After no improvements and an onset of swollen painful joins on Wednesday, the Vets suspected Grizz had juvenile lymphadenitis. On December 3, he started on steroids, dexamethasone, but he only slightly improved. On Friday, Dec 4, we decided to care for Grizz at home and was given Clavamox (1ml/2xday) Enrofloxacin (0.8ml/day), Metronidazole (0.3 ml/2xday), Predisone (10mg/day), and Bupreorphine (0.1 ml as needed 3x a day) to administer to him. By the next day his fever had broken and each day he was becoming stronger where he was able to stand and eventually walk and play. The swelling had just about fully gone down by Tuesday Dec 8. After an initial check up on Monday, Dec 7, we were told to begin to taper the Predisone by 2.5 mg weekly beginning Dec 11. He was responding well to the initial taper dose until yesterday, Thursday Dec 17. Upon waking up Thursday morning we noticed he did not want to put pressure on his front left paw and was shaking. We took him to the VCA at 10am and he remained in hospital to be monitored and was administered his antibiotics, and an additional 5 mg of Prednisone (had already received his 7.5mg dose at 8am) and IV fluids. During his stay his fever reached as high as 104 but began to decrease upon us taking him home at 6:30pm. Throughout last night his fever increased again to 103.9 (temp taken by me by his rear leg pit). His continues to favor his front left paw and his shaking has persisted. Through his entire experience his appetite as remained strong and continues to do so. The most recent treatment plan is to increase Predinisone again back to 10 mg/day for 7 days where another visit will take place on Dec 24.

5 Responses

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  1. Ashley Schaffer

    Why is that not good? That is what he started with before the initial taper and significantly improved. From my research it is 2mg of Pred per every 1 kg of weight. He currently weighs over 9 lbs which would put him at just above 8 mg of Pred and so 10 mg of Pred isn’t that far off, espeically since he is currently in his first relapse after the initial taper dose. What is your experience with Pred?.

  2. sonia de Nysschen

    just as in cortisone in humans you retain fluid so also animals.keep an eye and if anything give you doubt before 24 th dec get a second opinion 

  3. Ashley Schaffer

    Update: grizz’s fever broke by Saturday and has remained normal. He stopped shivering by Saturday completely. He is putting pressure on his front paw and no longer favoring or lifting it, despite the swollen weist joint that became inflammed on Friday and has not decreased since. I cancelled his vet appointment due his signs of improvement and will reschedule in another week or so incase the wrist joint does not change or decrease in swelling.

  4. Ashley Schaffer

    Note: it also looks like one back leg joint is also swollen. He did have swollen painful joints during his first hospital visit so I’m thinking this is just a flare up from the relapse? He doesn’t seem to be in pain at all

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Jana | 9 years ago
Since Last Night I’m Detecting This Strong Odor Around Cookie; Seems It’s Coming From Urine…

since last night I’m detecting this strong odor around Cookie; seems it’s coming from urine (as I detect it when I sniff stains on her pee pads as well when sniffing around her rear end. It is strong enough that I caught a whiff even as she just walked pass me.

Here is the thing – it is strong but not really a stink and not anything I’ve ever smelled before which I’d know what it might be. Smells kind of sweet and the closes thing I can compare it to is the way my hair spray used to smell like (back when I still had hair and was using hair spray) when particles dried and mixed with dust.

That is very confusing and I don’t know what to make of that. I imagine infection would have BAD odor whether bacterial or yeast …? I don’t want to just assume it might be from the meds as assumption is the mother of all f*** ups. Friend’s dog was on chemo so when her urine reeked they assumed it was from the chemo. Meanwhile it was a massive UTI and went under the radar until the dog exploded with blood from her bladder. (potty accidents and other issues were chalked up to the original issue the dog had, massive brain and brain stem inflammation).

So I don’t want to make the same mistake and assume one of the meds are behind the smell when something else could be going on.

Thoughts?

7 Responses

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  1. Anonymous

    honestly…i would get a vet involved.  sometimes they can identify a malady based on the smell, but they’d want to do further diagnostics.

  2. Jana Post author

    I AM getting vet involved but no vet in today; doesn’t look like an emergency and tomorrow she’s traveling “to the other end of the world” for physio appointment. So trying to see if anybody has any experience or insights.

  3. Jana Post author

    Quite sure it’s coming from the urinogenital area, as that’s where strongest when I sniff her all around as well as stain on pee pad also had this odor. Only slight actual urine odor mixed in with it.

  4. Anonymous

    has she been tested for diabetes?

  5. Jana Post author

    Blood work and urinalysis about a month ago. Clean. No signs of an issue other than the strange odor which started yesterday. No increased drinking, no increased urination, no other signs.

  6. Anonymous

    weird. good luck figuring it out!

  7. Jana Post author

    Weird is the word. It is possible it’s from one of the meds she’s on I just don’t want to make faulty assumptions.

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
Hello, My 4 Month Old Goldendoodle Has Had Bad Ear Infections Since I Have Had Him…

Hello,

My 4 month old goldendoodle has had bad ear infections since I have had him. He has been to vet 3 times had cytology and doc says it is yeast. We have tried 2 diff drops and removed ear hair. Also tried apple c vngr. I need help!

5 Responses

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  1. Brett Zurcher

    He is eating natures variety instinct raw boost grain free.

  2. Filippa Lundin

    this happened with two of my dogs too. Turned out they were gluten intolerant. Maybe you can try cutting gluten entirely out of their diets. 

  3. Brett Zurcher

    the food i am feeding him is natures variety instinct raw boost it is grain free and gluten free. 70$ a bag.

  4. Brett Zurcher

    Krista, do you recommend trying anything else to try and save money first before derm visit? It is 150 plus meds most of which you can buy online. I know there are lots of anti bacterial microbial drops you can buy. Tee tree oil, vinegar water mix etc etc.

  5. Brett Zurcher

    sorry i forgot to mention I have paid for 2 cytology’s at the vet and they come back as yeast every time. we have tried 2 prescription drops both seem to do nothing was just looking for another answer. Of course not trying to shortcut but not sure what else a vet dermatologist could prescribe or do that a vet could not. first puppy sorry i am new to this.