Infection

My australian shepherd, just under a year, developed what appeared to be an allergic reaction on his lower side of his mouth/lip -- crusty on the outside and scaling on the inside. Antiobiotics & steroid cleared it up and it came back two weeks later. The vet just had a blood test done, no signs of allergic reaction, there are signs of infection, and unbalanced fluids (slight elevation of something, I forget). Going back in for urinalysis in a few days to rule out Lyme and Renal disease. I'm completely panicked. Are there any other possibilities that this infection could be resulting from or are those the only two possibilities?

Thank you so much for your time.

[Aleda M Cheng, D.V.M., C.V.A]

The fact that only your dog's mouth and lips are affected leads me to believe that it is something that his lips or mouth are exposed to, or have contact with.  Do you use a plastic bowl for food or water for your dog?  Is there anything that he can pick up with his mouth that he might be allergic to, such as a plastic rope or toy?  If your dog is allergy prone he could be allergic to anything that a human can be allergic to.  You may have to be a medical detective to try to sort this out.  

Young dogs/puppies are also prone to a dermatological condition called juvenile cellulitis that commonly affects the face, and around the lips.  It does take a prolonged course of antibiotics and steroids to clear it up.  

Additionally, does your vet believe that your dog may have an immune problem such as lupus or pemphigus?  If your dog does have these problems they can be well controlled with appropriate antibiotics, so it is not a death sentence.  I also hope that your pup doesn't have Lyme or renal disease also!