Question:
I have a 9-year-old Maltese. I've been treating her for a bacterial infection since Dec. 18. She has had three (two-week intervals) rounds of Baytril, but three weeks after the symptoms returned. They start like a small bite and then spread to the size of a half dollar. The scab is light in color. She licks her feet until they bleed, but she doesn't scratch and is eating well. When you mentioned the Sarcoptes mite, I thought about my dog's situation. My longtime vet is caring for her. He says it is simply a bacterial infection and not uncommon. I wonder where it came from. Is it contagious?
R.H., Pinckneyville, IL Apr 25, 2010
Answer:
A diagnosis of "bacterial skin infection" is just giving a name to one of the symptoms. One must ask what, in the dog's body or environment, might have impaired the normal defenses of the dermis to allow a bacterial dermatitis to settle in, causing both you and your dog much distress.
I would begin by prescribing probiotics rather than antibiotics (unless your dog is feverish and septic) and slowly transition from his regular diet to a hypoallergenic diet (rice and lamb, venison and sweet potato) over a five- to seven-day period. Give supplements such as fish or flaxseed oil and brewer's yeast, along with a Selsun Blue medicated (human) shampoo, followed three to four days later by an aloe, oatmeal or calendula-based shampoo. Let your dog lie on clean (no laundry scent) cotton sheets, and use only white vinegar, baking soda and Orange TKO to clean your floors. A food or chemical allergy may be weakening your dog's immune system. This or a nutrient deficiency underlying her dermatitis may then be rectified. Other factors include early diabetes and hypothyroidism for which your veterinarian may wish to test.
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