Canine Skin problems (Baytril and cephalexin)?

Question

My dog (12 yo lab/samoyed) has obtained a rash on her rear underside about a 2 months ago. It has since become raw, scabbed, raw again and appearing as thick scabs around ears, mouth and underneath front legs (in armpit area.) She has been on strong antibiotics for the 3rd time now (baytril and cephalexin), gets a bath with medicated shampoo, has had urine tests and blood work done (tests negative cancer, worms, tick fever) and still the bloodwork comes up as no results from the vets. Any insights to what this may be?

Answer 1

Sounds VERY suspicious of an allergy (most likely a food allergy) to me (with secondary pyodermatitis, which is why antibiotics help while she's on them), but some other important things need to be ruled out as possible underlying causes.

In my experience, Baytril is not a very good antibiotic for dermatitis, despite what the manufacturer claims. Cephalexin IS....but is often underdosed, and for too short a duration. (Average recommended treatment length for dermatitis is 4-8 weeks in a row, but most DVMs don't prescribe that much for fear of "sticker-shock" to the owner.) Neither one of them is considered to be particularly 'strong,' however. They are two of our most basic antibiotics.

If not already done, she needs:
1. A skin scraping. Older dogs sometimes 'spontaneously' develop demodex. I've seen cases that were treated for almost 2 years with antibiotics, and no one ever bothered to check for the mites because of the older age....so I did. Once found and treated, the problem went away. :-)
2. A skin impression smear to look for yeast. It might be a primary or a secondary pathogen.
3. A fungal culture (DTM) to rule out ringworm. (Just b/c no one in the family has caught it, doesn't mean it can't be there.)
4. Based on the pattern you describe, it doesn't really sound like this....but are you sure that thyroid function was checked in those blood tests? ("Bloodwork" is very vague....it can indicate a single blood test, or over $2000 worth of blood tests. I seriously doubt that they've tested for all of the endocrinopathies that can affect the skin....and there is no blood test for specific types of cancer, so it's not possible to test negative for it.)
5. A skin biopsy is where I'd go if the above doesn't turn up anything. This is probably the most informative test that can be done. Special stains can be done to look for autoimmune skin disorders, and based on what is seen, the pathologist can often find telltale signs of other systemic problems.
6. Food allergy trial and/or testing. (I'd reverse the order of #5 and #6 if this weren't a geriatric dog.) Most food allergies develop as a result of repeated exposure to the same food source (ingredient) over time....not due to a sudden change as most people think.

Also...."medicated" shampoo is very vague. There are at least a dozen types, with several variations of each type. The biggest mistake I see people make is not letting it soak in direct contact with the skin for long enough, or frequently enough. Most labels will tell you 5-10 minutes, but it really takes a good 20 minutes (by the clock), in order for the medication in the shampoo to "tell" the skin to cut it out. (In other words, to stop overreacting to whatever it's reacting to.) When it's bad, that needs to be done every 2-3 days for up to 3 weeks, then adjusted based on response.

Skin problems are usually chronic and become a matter of control, not cure. But if you don't feel you're getting anywhere with your DVM, it's time to ask for a referral to a board-certified veterinary dermatologist....who will probably tell you what I just did above. ;-)

Answer 2

Cephalexin Rash

Answer 3

My dog (a shepherd mix) suffered in the same way. Turn out she was allergic to fleas. Even one flea bite and horrible skin problems would occur. So now I use the monthly flea stuff that you 'drop' on the dogs back and she has never had a problem since. Get the stuff from your vet. You can find cheaper at pet stores but it never seemed to do the trick. Hope this helps!

Answer 4

It does sound like an allergy motivated dermatitis..I would sure recommend trying this supplement> http://springtimeinc.com/product/88/2
It just may work wonders. If you read the 'letters' testimonials, they are genuine..
Or you might contact Marina Zacharias at Natural Rearing. She is extremely helpful and returns emails promptly. I asked her permission to post her information on this forum> http://www.naturalrearing.com/how_to_contact_us.htm
she has been very helpful when I need her, for many years..\
If you decide to call, rather than email, she is in the Pacific Standard Time Zone.

Answer 5

What about an autoimmune disease? Pemphigus foliaceus, for example. Is there a veterinary dermatologist in your area? Maybe your regular vet would be willing to refer you to a specialist. Second opinions can be very helpful.

Good luck!

Answer 6

It could be allergies. Has your vet discussed this possibility. My dog had the same problem and took the same meds but until we changed food and started giving bendryl the problem kept coming back. Talk to your vet about allergies (inhalant and food) my dog has both.