MULTIPLE SCABS, HELP
Hope I do now. Does anyone know what Shelby might have? Inside her ear flap & outside the ear canal she has 6 scabs that fall of & form again. Underneath it is red & has very tiny (pinhead size) water blisters. She also has one scab on the other ear & one on her neck. New one on her front leg. She is not scratching. Corky has one outside the ear canal. Fergus has none. They don't eat the same kind of food. Do you think it is urgent b/c we are away & would rather take her to our own vet. I did call our vet & left a vm. He will probably call me tomorrow. |
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| Oh boy...I was embarressed after all my latest trials, tribulations and medical problems regarding all foster animals ..as well as my own furkids.
Remember One Eyed Mickey? Well he got this crusty looking nose and then a spot on his head about 3 wks after he came into my home. I took him to the vet who diagnosed him with a food allergy and sent me home with meds. After a week with no improvement and it seemed like it was spreading..I took him for a second opionion to a different vet and had a full blood panel done on him. Egads!!! It was ringworm! Horrible name as it's not really a worm but a fungal infection and highly contageous to people and other animals...can even be transferred onto objects. I thought I was going to faint when I got the proper diagnosis as I told the vet and pharmacist...do you realize how many animals I have? This is the worse thing that could happen in my household!! I had done all the right things and he was originally quarantined for the first 2 weeks in my home but now know that low immune system, stress can bring it on. In fact it may be a gazillion ways for it to appear..didn't necessarily have to be him bringing it in the home..but he got it due to his lowered immune system. Anyhow I'm rambling but now am a bit paranoid as to perhaps this may be what Shelby has. It can be diagnosed by what's called a Wood Light...it's in reality a black light (long tube one) that when held over the pet..the ringworm will give off a phosphorus glow. You can try to track one down or create your own using a black light that is used in Aquariums as the long tube is used to run up and down the animals bodies..and objects in the home where the spores may be active. Thankfully it's rare in dogs and while many people and cats are exposed to it..most never develope the symtoms of ringworm if they have healthy immune systems. I'm just guessing here and a bit paranoid due to my villigant battle to make sure it's gone from my house...Mickey is in isolation for six weeks and taking doses of Grisifulvin twice daily. I also wash all bedding, floors, with a bleach solution to kill any fungal spores. I just worried a bit when you mentioned the crusty stuff and pinprick blisters..as ringworm doesn't always have to appear to be circular..it can be weird shaped too and often affects an animals feet, ears, head.. They scratch..it then spreads to where they scratched. After reading nightly for the last month on the best solutions..which is sprays for Athletes foot specifically for fungal infections as Ringworm is the same as Athletes foot ..(I used this on areas which can't be thrown in the wash..carpets..ect.) I purchased fungal cream as well and applied it daily to Mickey and the Woods light showed only a tad phosphorus which means it's healing. Lastly, after a lot of research and recommendations I also heard Tea Tree Oil was excellent and just purchased some today. It's a homopathic treatment.The 100% pure solution can be purchased at Walmart. Most places also carry tea tree shampoo too which I've now bathed all the animals with as an added precaution. Even if Shelby does not have ringworm, I would apply the Tea Tree solution to see if it can be cleared up. Recommended to take a Q-Tip dip once in the bottle..dab on infected area and throw away. Take a new Q tip for each time you dab on a sore. Ring worm doesn't have to itch either...as affects some different ways. Well in a nutshell, I apologize if I've now scared you half to death...and I am not sure that what Shelby has is even ringworm but just thought I'd share my experience so that you know what to be on the lookout for and what it may possibly be. Luckily so far so good,as none of the others in my household have got it and it's now going on three weeks. Sigh sorry for such a long post but just wanted to post one last thing. Some people have asked if shaving the animal helps and although it makes it easier to treat if the coat is shorter..they also warn to be careful that pet must not be nicked or else it can get in the bloodstream. Gawd, I've probably freaked you out now haven't I? I was torn about replying as on one hand I may be helping you if you hadn't thought of ringworm and it's the culprit or...on the other hand it may just be an allergy of some sort. I really hope that's the case and I'm crossing my fingers for you. Good luck Sue! Belly rubs to Shelby. Marianne |
| Marianne,
Ringworm is on my list as possibilities. I have been putting Hydrocortisone Cream on it & seems better, but found a new spot on her front leg. I really want to take her to our vet. It happens that he is away too. Do you think it can wait until Mon? Funny you should mention a black light. I am staying in my childhood home this week. It just so happens that all my Hippie posters & yes, a black light are in the attic. Have to climb up there & see if it still works (it's been up there a while)  |
| I vaguely remember that rubbing garlic on ringworm helped. |
When Chum had ringworm (twice!  ), I had to wash the area twice a day, lightly scrubbing with a washcloth to get the scabs off without abrading the skin and then then treat it with an anti-fungal cream such as one used to treat jock itch. If the black light shows up bright purple flecks, you might want to try that til your Vet is back and can diagnose it properly. Be really careful not to touch the spots and to wash your hands thoroughly after each treatment. I was fine without using gloves but if your skin is really sensitive or you think you catch things easily, you might want to use latex gloves to apply the ointment.
How long is your vet going to be gone? I would consider going to another vet just because ringworm is so contagious and they prescribed a certain kind of shampoo to wash the spots with. Plus the test of the scrapings takes a couple days. My vet used a black light for the initial diagnosis and then tested the scrapings to be sure. |
| My dog to had pin size pistals but beside her mouth and then spread to inside her legs. I took her to (2) vets and they could figure it out. Once, I had spread well over $500.00 I decided to take her to a dermatologist for dogs. The last vet recommended the dermatologist. He did a skin graft and found out she had mites. They treated her w/antibotics to kill the mites and also gave me another medication for her itching. Also, recommended me to bath her every other day w/a shampoo and conditioner they recommended. After 6 months she is healthy. I would recommend that y/doctor refer y/to a dermatologist because alot of times they don't know.
My best to you and y/sheepie. |
| Hi,
Just thought I'd mention that my vet used the Woods lamp only and based her diagnosis on that. Cultures take 10 days in the lab and most vets don't bother if they are familiar with what it looks like or if it becomes apparent by the Wood Light. The most common kind will glow under the lamp but there are 2 other kinds (a bit rarer) that won't. A diagnosis can be made quicker by pulling the hairs around a scab - they remove very easily as the hair falls out around the area. She then checked it under a microscope. As I've said the first vet didn't even diagnose it properly and in the meantime Mickey was exposed in the foster cat room. Luckily they are still in there so if it does spread it's at least contained. It was only through a mail with the woman whom helped save Mickey that mentioned it sounded like ringworm. Only then, did I clue in that it may be that and took him into my own vet for a diagnosis. I hadn't seen it since I was 10 years old. The vet recommended a full gown, shoes, gloves..ect when I enter that room which I already had been doing when they had URI previously. I then place it all in a plastic bag so as not to contaminate the rest of my house. I also have a bucket of bleach and water solution I dip my hands in as an extra precaution. It's highly transferable to objects and spores can live several weeks. I've been driving myself a bit nutty reading everything I can about it online and yes garlic, clear nail polish, diluted bleach are some solutions. As animals tend to lick themselves I would perhaps only use the tea tree oil or some naturapathic medication which is why I stopped using the cream. One of my foster kitty buddies had it in her home and got hold of a flashlight and went through her entire home and was amazed on stuff it showed up on. Cat climbing trees are common so I spray mine a couple times a week. One story I read online involved a woman whose entire household was hit hard...all her kids, hubby, cats, dog and even bunny. Egads! She also had a woods lamp and turned out the culprit that brought it into the home was a childs' keyboard which had been purchased at a garage sale. It was covered with the spores! Yucky! Okay now I've totally grossed myself out and am going to be a Howie Mandel type..I just never thought about all this stuff before. Let us know how it goes and hope you find out what is going on with your furkids. Best Wishes Marianne |
| My vet is away till Mon.
The vet where I am is awful!!!! There is another in this area I can try. Thanks for all the input. Will keep you posted |
| Update on Shelby;
Finally took her to the vet 1/23. She has Pinna Fissures. Dr said it can be from circulation,age,trauma, cold spell, immune system, thrombii. It can happen in younger dogs. In that case shortening the ears can help  .
He said he doesn't recommend that procedure. Shelby doesn't have infection, mites, or ringworm. She was given Temaril-P, simplicef. Does anyone have experience with this? |
| Wow -
Weird that they both showed up at the same time, isn't it? I hope the problem is resoloved quick for you. I don't have experience this either of these - sorry! |
| Hi,
I've vaquely heard the term but have no experience either. Just wanted to offer my support. You may want to look at natural immune boosters in her diet or through vitamins to see if that helps. Wishing you best wishes. Marianne |
| I know this is an old thread, and I found it when searching for skin issues in pets, but I wanted to reply to add this.
Tea Tree Oil, although often marketed and sold for use in dogs, is toxic to them. Most adverse reactions are apparently when it is ingested (possibly licked off the skin where it was applied) but many were shown with just a topical application and subsequent absorption through the skin. There are other ways to treat skin infections in pets, so please do not use tea tree oil! This page is mainly about its use in birds, but mentions that it is toxic and can be fatal to dogs and cats. http://www.exoticbird.com/gillian/teatree.html "From a scholarly journal article: "Toxicity: The most common clinical signs reported to the Animal Poison Control Center by veterinarians with adverse reactions in dogs and cats after dermal exposure of melaleuca oil include ataxia, incoordination, weakness, tremors, behavioral disorders and depression. The acute toxcicity (rabbit dermal LD 50 and rat oral LC 50) for the major terpenic compounds (linalool, ocimene, alpha-terpinene, 1,8-cineole, terpinolene, camphene) ranges between 2 and 5 g/kg body weight, which is considered a moderately toxic range. From a toxicologic standpoint melaleuca oil can be compared to oil of turpentine, which is readily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and skin." |
| Okay, I HAVE to post this...
DO NOT PUT TEA TREE ON THE KITTIES DO NOTTTTTTTTT PUT TEA TREE ON KITTIES!!!!!!!!!! I'm really astonished that you seem to have done your research and still put the oil on them! What a FOOL you are! This actually enrages me, TEA TREE OIL IS TOXIC TO CATS. There is a big hurrah going on in the UK because many cats have DIED after being given tea tree oil. Please, please pleeeeease spare your animals and do NOT put this on them!!!! Not only can it quickly be absorbed into their blood stream, the intense smell can impair their sense of smell!!! I can't believe this! It's almost as bad as you putting bleach on them! Iodine is also effective in treating ringworm, ON HUMANS. It is HIGHLY toxic to cats. Your best bet is to get a ringworm shampoo, and treat the sores about 3 times daily with an anti fungal cream. I recently got two kittens, both of which had [and still have] ringworm. I myself contracted it on my arm and on my neck. I immediately put iodine, anti fungal cream, and then clear nail polish to suffocate the spores.... And guess what? IT'S GONE. Please don't get too badly upset over this. The bottom line is, your house may have ALREADY had ringworm in it, from someone tracking it in from outside! It really isn't worth all the trouble everyone goes to to get rid of it. Yes, it's a pain, but please don't make the mistake I did. I stayed up 2 days reading info online, and went into a full panic. As it turns out, we quarantined them to the bathroom, then to a carrier. We wiped down everything in the bathroom with diluted bleach, let it dry, shampood them with a solution made FOR CATS to kill the spores [it should have you shampoo in another 10days as well], and they were fine! After a week of religiously applying anti fungal cream, their spots have significantly improved, and they're back to being in our guest bedroom, and very happy. I contracted it, simply because I cuddled with them at night and let their sore touch my skin. This is actually the only way to really catch ringworm. Sure, there can be spores in the home, but unless they reach broken skin and are rubbed in, you can't really catch it. Also, my fiance is a wrestling coach, and his boys get this all the time, BUT the only way they catch it, is if they rub against another sore. If the sores are covered, they don't spread! You can use Lysol, sprayed on surfaces and it will actually kill the spores, if you let it sit 10 min. As for the carpet, don't freak about that too much. Spray some Lysol, and maybe athlete's foot spray, and let sit. DO NOT immediately vacuum as that spreads spores rapidly. All in all, this is a little annoying, but VERY manageable. Please don't worry too much. Best of luck. |
| I think if there are opne wounds, the tree tea oil can sting. Not sure but wouldn't use it without first getting a diagnosis from a vet.
Panalog creame is soothing to the ear canal if there are any open wounds. Once healed, I think tree tea oil is something used on dogs to stabliize. Not to treat. Could be wrong. |
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