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Skin concerns

Dr. Clifford,


For the past six to seven months my pitbull/boxer mix has been dealing with a recurring outbreak of small, itchy, and inflamed bumps that appear on the lower half of her abdomen and vulva. We have been to the vet several times, and each time we are given a course of prednisolone, and an antibiotic. The vet believes that the reason for this is an allergic reaction to something, which then becomes staph. However we live in a heavily wooded area, and it is not financially possible to relocate. So pinpointing exactly what is causing the reaction is rather difficult. I have tried to find a vet that specializes in dermatological issues, or allergies, and there are none even remotely close to us. We have been using baby wipes before, and after peeing since she has a small vulva that the vet informed us can trap dirt around the folds and increase the chances of a break out of staph, however as soon as each course of medication is done it ends up coming back almost immediately. After all the vet trips, and the rounds of medication not to mention the continued use of prednisolone I'm at my wits end along with the vet in trying to figure out the best way to manage this situation since a specialized vet is not an option. Along with the financial drain, this is becoming a seemingly unending merry-go-round of infection/allergy flair, a vet trip, and then course of medicine, and then the entire process repeats. Also, the outbreak does not seem to be seasonal it occurs during all periods of the year, and it had only started upon moving to our current location. We just finished the most recent round of antibiotic and prednisolone, and any additional thoughts I can take to the vet when I return to her (for the re-check and eventual re-start of medication) would be helpful.

Thanks.
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2054217 tn?1330538434
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
I do believe your vet is on the right track in treating this with cortisone and antibiotics, I wonder what is causing it though. Chronic recurring skin issues make we think about food allergies, thyroid issues, or environmental allergies (they do not have to be seasonal). I would ask if there is a topical product that can be given regularly after the medication ends to help reduce the chance of the condition returning. Medicated shampoos, topical sprays containing antibacterials and cortisone etc. can all help.
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Avatar universal
I forgot to include the fact that she was placed on a hypoallergenic diet to rule out the possibility of it being a food related allergen, there was no change in the general progression or occurrence of the breakout.
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