Cocka-poo is having a skin issue. First visit to vet, got antibiotics and prednisolone (sp?). Second visit, ivermectin injection and more pred. Anybody have experience with this? I thought there was an issue with giving pred when there’s mites. (Yes, next vet visit is scheduled).
How old is your dog?
Some puppies go thru a go round or three of demodex as their immune system is growing and maturing and they hit some stress, like shipping to a new home.
Some breeds are more prone to that, not so common in your mix.
Those tend to outgrow it, but it can become a serious problem if not tended to.
Are you sure it is demodex, as per skin scrapings?
Not a puppy, age 6. Vet has not done a skin scraping yet.
[QUOTE=HPFarmette;8611289]
Not a puppy, age 6. Vet has not done a skin scraping yet.[/QUOTE]
Sounds more like allergies, both of those breeds are known for those.
Yeast or bacterial infections could be secondary to allergies.
Demodectic mange is generally known to cause problems mostly in the very young, although many older dogs will scrape positive to them without being affected by those.
Sarcoptic mange would be a different problem.
No telling what you have, but with a vet on the case, all guessing is not going to be worth much from this end.
Sorry your dog is going thru that, maybe it will find relief soon.
Thank you Bluey. Yes, allergies does seem likely.
Microtek anti itch shampoo is phenomenal for skin issues. Also a grain free alternative protein diet.
If you suspect grasses/pollens and contact allergies, booties and a toddler t shirt that you remove after going out can help.
Without doing a skin scraping I would be treating with ivermectin. If it is mites then it needs to come off pred and be treated properly, but the vet needs to do some diagnostics first to know what they’re treating.
Personally I would be making an appointment with a new vet for a second opinion.
I concur with Bluey. Cockers are knows for having nasty allergy skin issues. I would personally go directly to a dermatologist to do proper diagnostics.
I’m not a huge fan of just throwing stuff at a problem without a proper dx. So I would not go back to same vet who is not offering dx, I’d ask for a referral to a derm. Unless of course, you have been asking vet not do to dx work. In that case, I’d ask them what diagnostic tests they feel should be done. Sometimes, clients really do drive the process be it good, bad or indifferent.
Thanks for your responses. The vet said he wanted to rule out one thing at a time, when I asked about doing the skin scraping and/or changing his diet. The comments here reinforce my concern…although the dog is better today…I have a third appointment scheduled which I will keep, but might then follow the advice about second opinion. Thanks again.
My old Corgi - 13 - developed demodectic mange on his snout, lost the hair on top and had a very mild case, found with skin scraping. Due to his age and having been on pred for his back, we slowly took him off the pred because my vet felt it was compromising his immune system. Now totally off the pred, on Mupurocin ointment once a day on the mange spot - thankfully, not the contagious scarcopic kind - and the hair is growing back, with the demodectic mange gone. No pred, used Mupirocin ointment and the mange is gone. She didn’t want to resort to ivermectin if she didn’t have to because of his compromised immune system and his age. Too hard on an old dog.
