Sick Schnauzer
Written by Sheri Ater
Hi. My vet seems to be stumped. I need some help/advice. My 5 yr old mini schnauzer has had episodes of comedone syndrome in the past. Frequent bathing with a medicated shampoo seems to keep it under control.
However she has developed a new skin problem. She has 4-5 large sores on her. One on her back is the size of a silver dollar and it's is the worst one. It is red around the outside, scabby, and has an oder. The vet gave her a steriod shot and she's been on antibiotics for almost two weeks and she is not any better? She is not eating well, she acts like the sores hurt to the touch, and she is scratching a lot.
She is "queen of the house" and is a very pampered pooch. She is more than well taken care of. Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions for my vet?
Thanks!
Home | About | Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Advertise | Press | Resources | Contact | © Copyright PetDocTM 2008. All rights reserved.
Sheri, sorry to hear your dog is having such trouble with her skin. Skin problems can be one of the most challenging areas in veterinary medicine because there are so many different factors that can contribute to a skin problem. If you have ruled out an allergy due to something she eats (food or treats), an allergy to something she comes in contact with either by inhaling (like a pollen) or a contact allergy like bedding, then other possibilities should be considered.
A couple of things to ask your vet to rule out would be an autoimmune diesease, (a condition in which the body's immune system attacks its own tissue), a skin cancer or an internal problem of some sort. They can do bloodwork to check for some of the things and possibly a punch biopsy if warranted to see if that sheds light on a cause. When trying to make a diagnosis, it is as important to rule out certain conditions in order to help you arrive at a cure.
Another option is to ask to be referred out to a Veterinary Dermatologist. Skin is what they do and they more than likely will have seen this problem before. Sometimes what you learn in one visit (which will be more expensive than a regular vet) will be worth the trip and would be equal money wise to repeat trips to the regular vet. I hope this helps-good luck!
PetDoc.com