Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
7031391 tn?1387245749

Rescued Pitt Skin Problems

What is causing Daisy's skin to erupt, bleed and then become very dry - it is almost a cycle of symptoms.  She is a rescue who was found hanging by her neck in a tree - she was smart enough to hook her front paws under the wire to save her life; as she was hanging, she had been burned, severely, apparantly with cigarettes (butts were an the ground under her.)
In spite of this torture, Daisy is the most loving little four-legged soul I have ever known.  She is the color of warm caramel and sweet cream except where her injuries were located and her paws.  Her skin is also starting to erup = no fur, red, scaly and itchy blotches.  
I have taken her to two vets.  Neither agree with the cause of her ongoing skin issues and neither course of treatment - baths, anti fungal cream, steroids, benadryll, antibiotics have eradicated the problem.  I have been advised to see a vet who specializes in dermatology; however, I fear the long ride will be very stressful for Daisy.
I have .jpg files of the areas on her body that are so bad.  She is such a precious pup - maybe 2 1/2 years old.  
Please help?
Best Answer
441382 tn?1452810569
Have any of the vets done skin scrapings to make sure she doesn't have mites?  Sarcoptes mites can cause the skin to crack and bleed, as can any number of autoimmune conditions that affect the skin.  I know that you are fearful that a long car ride will be stressful for her, but if neither of the vets that have seen her can come up with a definitive diagnosis for her problems, then it's in her best interest to just be brave and make the ride to the canine dermatologist.  The sooner you get it figured out, the sooner she can get down to a normal life with a loving owner after the very bad start she has gotten.  She's a young dog, the stress of the ride should be tolerated fairly well, or at least, if she DOES get all worked up during the ride, she will calm down and bounce back quickly after you get her home.  Please let us know how she does at the vet and what they decide her problem is.

Ghilly
7 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
7031391 tn?1387245749
Hi, Shannon and thank you for asking.  The type of lesion depends upon where on her body it manifests itself.  On her feet - between her toes - large red nodes pop up that cause her great discomfort.  After soaking her in the bath w/the medicated wash the vet gave us, it seemed to help her for 2-3 days.  I also noticed the smell was gone.
On her white neck and in the brown fur there are areas where her skin resembles reptile hide.  In these areas bloody bumps appear.  I believe it comes from her scratching (I have shaped her nails so they are not as sharp; but she is very strong).  Then we will go for a few days with no evidence of new irritations, etc.  Yesterday, she had scabs all over her little injuries - however, we were gone for Christmas Cantata and I wonder if her fear of being alone (or her excitement about being able to pester the cat, gets her excited = eruptions.)
She is my perplexing little angel. :o)
Helpful - 0
7031391 tn?1387245749
OMGOSH - She smells like a bag of Fritos!!  You nailed it!  
I fear there are different issues at different locations on her little body - and I also wonder if the mechanisms in place that color her fur combined with the type of injury (hanging=skin trauma less dense but covers more area and the burns, which are deep into her fawn color and seem to not show hair growth.  Perhaps these would require different treatments.  She is re-growing hair around the neck area, but not only is the brown fur sparse, there are a number of little areas that seem to appear - perhaps due to scratching? That are hairless.
Her paws are troubling - between her toes large, almost pimple looking, bumps protrude which cause her great discomfort.  Her pads crack and then the nodes either break open/bleed or dissipate.  We soak her feet in the antifungal baths prescribed by the vet.  It seems as if she will go by nearly 5 days with no new eruptions or bleeding - her skin will dry out/flake on the wounds, and then new nodes will appear and later bleed/scab over.
She also has a chronic/persistent ear infection for which I squirt antibiotic ointment from the vet into her canals.  The black goop that is in her ears could be the source of the corn chip smell...?
My heart breaks for this little spirit - she is such an angel.
As I mentioned in my previous post, I am taking her back to the rescue vet for his opinion AND to gather records for the canine dermatologist.
What a wonderful Christmas it would be if we could get Daisy healed!
THANK YOU!!!! for your post and for validating what I have been experiencing.  God Bless You, Every One!
Helpful - 0
7031391 tn?1387245749
Thank you for taking the time to help.  You're right about the dermatologist and I have an appointment for her in two weeks.
The rescue vet. has been most receptive to suggestions about different causes of the skin eruptions and lack of healing.  
I will bring the suggestions I have gleaned from the posts here to him as well as collecting all of the "Daisy Data" from him for the dermatologist.
Sweet Daisy (who is asleep with Grandpa) thanks you and so do I.  
I will update on here Daisy's progress - hopefully very soon!
Again...THANK YOU!
Helpful - 0
7031391 tn?1387245749
Thank you for taking the time to help.  You're right about the dermatologist and I have an appointment for her in two weeks.
The rescue vet. has been most receptive to suggestions about different causes of the skin eruptions and lack of healing.  
I will bring the suggestions I have gleaned from the posts here to him as well as collecting all of the "Daisy Data" from him for the dermatologist.
Sweet Daisy (who is asleep with Grandpa) thanks you and so do I.  
I will update on here Daisy's progress - hopefully very soon!
Again...THANK YOU!
Helpful - 0
612551 tn?1450022175
I didn't read Ketoconazole, used both topically (in shampoo) and internally as a tablet is often used for skin problems associated with Yest (dermatitis).  I don't associate bleeding with Yeast, but if the dog chews and scratches that could cause bleeding. Yeast usually has a strong odor, I've heard described as "corn chip" smell, can't say that is what it smells like, but any unusual smell can be one of the inputs to a diagnosis.  Much of what you named is also used to treat Yeast.

Some dogs are allergic to protein and grains, making feeding them a problem, but one that can be solved... I hope we're still working on the problem with our rescue Westie.

MY heart goes out to the little dog, unbelievable what some misfit extracts of the human species will do.

I hope you find a cure it would be a nice Christmas present for your dog, and thus for you.

Merry Christmas
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Where are the lesions specifically?
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Dogs Community

Top Dogs Answerers
675347 tn?1365460645
United Kingdom
974371 tn?1424653129
Central Valley, CA
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Members of our Pet Communities share their Halloween pet photos.
Like to travel but hate to leave your pooch at home? Dr. Carol Osborne talks tips on how (and where!) to take a trip with your pampered pet
Ooh and aah your way through these too-cute photos of MedHelp members' best friends
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.