Skin issue with pooch
Discussion
Since having mange last year Jess has had a skin issue on her cheeks which has flared up recently. However being on her cheeks we are finding it hard for it to heal because she is able to scratch it when we're not about. I am cleaning it everyday with hibiscrub which makes it look awesome but then the next day she scratches it and we're back to square one.
I have two weeks off from next week so will be able to keep an eye on her but has anyone got any advice of what else we could use to help it on its way??
Someone did mention some sort of honey that is almost magic in its heeling powers!!
I have two weeks off from next week so will be able to keep an eye on her but has anyone got any advice of what else we could use to help it on its way??
Someone did mention some sort of honey that is almost magic in its heeling powers!!
Manuka honey does have some amazing effects on open and granulating wounds but I doubt it would be much use on a superficial dermatitis. I'm not sure what the underlying cause of the facial problem is, I do feel that areas of previously significantly irritated skin are often subject to repeated incidents of inflammation. However, no closer to what the cause of your problem is, if you can control the problem with hibi then good, but I've found it can sometimes slow healing, esp if used undiluted. For further advice, I would need more info on the cause, so not much help I'm afraid. If there is anything obvious to see, send me some pics and I'll try to pass comment. HTH
Maybe a lampshade collar should be used for a couple of weeks to stop her scratching.
Povidine/ iodine solutions are less irritant than hibiscrub use very dilute and pat the area dry. Or something like Malaseb shampoo which is antifungal (can be useful around lip folds etc) but this should be under the guidance of your vet. What have they said about it?
I agree re: the honey, not sure it'll work in this situation, though yes it is an excellent wound healer.
Povidine/ iodine solutions are less irritant than hibiscrub use very dilute and pat the area dry. Or something like Malaseb shampoo which is antifungal (can be useful around lip folds etc) but this should be under the guidance of your vet. What have they said about it?
I agree re: the honey, not sure it'll work in this situation, though yes it is an excellent wound healer.
Thanks for the replies.
A cone wouldn't work because, when she is left alone for more than 3 seconds, it would be ripped to shreds!!
The only way to describe the sores on her cheeks are demititis that have been scratched until the skin is broken.
We are constantly shaving her cheeks so the air can get to them plus it stops her fur getting matted up with scabs which then break causing the wounds to open again.
I'm not sure she's going to be able to lick the honey off her cheeks - she's not scooby doo.
A cone wouldn't work because, when she is left alone for more than 3 seconds, it would be ripped to shreds!!
The only way to describe the sores on her cheeks are demititis that have been scratched until the skin is broken.
We are constantly shaving her cheeks so the air can get to them plus it stops her fur getting matted up with scabs which then break causing the wounds to open again.
I'm not sure she's going to be able to lick the honey off her cheeks - she's not scooby doo.
Jasandjules said:
Do you know what is causing her to scratch in the first place??
I don't know and neither does the vet, she just said it was dermatitis. We had some steroid cream to put on her face and hibiscrub to clean it. I think it's just a vicious circle because the scabs must itch so she scratches which puts us back to square one.
That's the reason I asked about the honey, if we shaved her then cleaned her which makes it look a thousand times better. We then use the honey it would heal much quicker giving us a smaller window to stop her scratching.
I know this doesn't get to the root cause of the skin complaint but the vet did say German sheppards do suffer from demititis which is half what she is.
It made sense in my head, does it sound daft?
The problem is even the honey won't work quickly enough. It only takes a few scratches at it and you're right back to square one. I'm not sure how you'll dress the wound either.
I'm not saying don't try it. I hope I'm wrong and it does thd job, good luck.
If that doesn't work it way be worth swabbing the wound to check for bacterial or fungal infections.
I'm not saying don't try it. I hope I'm wrong and it does thd job, good luck.
If that doesn't work it way be worth swabbing the wound to check for bacterial or fungal infections.
bexVN said:
The problem is even the honey won't work quickly enough. It only takes a few scratches at it and you're right back to square one. I'm not sure how you'll dress the wound either.
I'm not saying don't try it. I hope I'm wrong and it does thd job, good luck.
If that doesn't work it way be worth swabbing the wound to check for bacterial or fungal infections.
I understand it won't be instant but my thought process was to try the honey in conjunction with me having two weeks holiday then I can keep an eye on her and maybe bandage the area which I know wouldn't last two seconds if we weren't there. I'm not saying don't try it. I hope I'm wrong and it does thd job, good luck.
If that doesn't work it way be worth swabbing the wound to check for bacterial or fungal infections.
We went to the vets this morning and they took some skin samples but couldn't see anything there when they analysed them.
She said it might be mange again although it doesnt 'present itself' the same as last time which was scabs with big blobs of puss under. Think the skin scrapes are more to rule it out.
Helen gave us some steroids and antibiotics to see if this works - this should hopefully stop the cause of the issue rather than us trying to sort the scab/sore out.
I was almost a wreck when I left her because she really hates the vets and, even though Helen knows her and treats her so well, she was pulling against going through the dreaded door looking at me like I'd betrayed her!!
She said it might be mange again although it doesnt 'present itself' the same as last time which was scabs with big blobs of puss under. Think the skin scrapes are more to rule it out.
Helen gave us some steroids and antibiotics to see if this works - this should hopefully stop the cause of the issue rather than us trying to sort the scab/sore out.
I was almost a wreck when I left her because she really hates the vets and, even though Helen knows her and treats her so well, she was pulling against going through the dreaded door looking at me like I'd betrayed her!!
Jasandjules said:
You could consider switching her to raw food as there are reports of a few irritations with commercial food.
If it was a food irritation it wouldn't just manifest itself in localised issues. Our other dog has allergies so both dogs are fed non-everything food to minimize any issues.falkster said:
If it was a food irritation it wouldn't just manifest itself in localised issues. Our other dog has allergies so both dogs are fed non-everything food to minimize any issues.
Depends. I know a lady with a lab which had itchy paws. Chewed them for ages, made the pads sore etc.. Switched to raw food and that stopped. Jasandjules said:
falkster said:
If it was a food irritation it wouldn't just manifest itself in localised issues. Our other dog has allergies so both dogs are fed non-everything food to minimize any issues.
Depends. I know a lady with a lab which had itchy paws. Chewed them for ages, made the pads sore etc.. Switched to raw food and that stopped. Gassing Station | All Creatures Great & Small | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff