New to Board-Poodle Problem

[lucysmom1035]

I have owned poodles for 28 years and am currently having a health problem with my 10 year old apricot miniature spayed female that I cannot seem to find the answer to. I found this board and since you all are owners of poodles, I thought you might be able to help. Last March, Lucy was groomed and clipped very close. She developed a rash on her back about the size of a half dollar. There is a papilloma (very common to poodles) in this area. Lucy, of course, licked all the hair off this area and it has still not grown completely back in. I let her coat grow out quite long before having her groomed again. The groomer told me 3 weeks ago she would have to clip her close again because of the mats in her coat. Now she has an even larger area including 2 papillomas on her back that she is continually biting at. I have taken her to 3 vets, had skin scrapings (negative for everything), and also a skin biopsy (negative for everything except hair follicle damage). I use an Elizabethan collar on Lucy when I am not with her and also had a jump suit custom made for her (which she bites right through). I'm at the end of my tether. Her hair growth is very slight and discolored from saliva. Does anyone have any suggestions or advice? Thank you so much. I am not even sure I should post such a complex health question here.

[T o d d]

Welcome the forum.

I wish I had advice for you.. hopefully someone here can help.

-Todd

[Sam I Am]

Has she been put on steroids at all? My moms little dog gets really bad rashes and hot spots for no apparent, no permanent hair loss though. She gives her prednisone for I think 3 weeks. She has recurrences 2 or 3 times a year. Another thing you might try is having her tested for some autoimmune diseases, which could cause her immune system to attack her skin. We just went through all these tests with our standard poodle (not for skin problems) and they all came back normal, but I'm convinced this was his problem. Prednisone is the treatment for alot of autoimmune diseases also and since he has been put on it he is completely back to normal. I hope you get some answers.

[Gigit]

Honestly, reminds me of Ringworm, a highly contagious very itchy skin fungus that dogs (cats and humans too) can catch from the groomer, outside, or other dogs. Ringworm is in roundish patches, sometimes with zitty type marks, and hair will not grow on these patches.

Biopsy or no Biopsy, it can't hurt to try this. Nizoral AD (anti-fungus) shampoo, rub it on the spots in a thin layer and leave it. Wash the dog in it once per day and do a white vinegar rinse. See what happens after a few days/weeks.

Had a Persian cat years ago with this. This was what the vet recommended. If you notice it helps, but doesn't cure it, there are special lyme dips the vet can do.

[SECRETO]

I know this may sound silly but have you tried changing her food. I have a dog that has a extremely sensitive system. Its so bad that if I change her food she loses 2 large patches of hair in the area a poodle would have rossettes. Both the spots are identicle when it happens.

I took her to the vet and after numerous tests they were going to have to do a biopsy. They thought she had a form a cancer. I decided to take the chance and change her food before the biopsy just to see if it would work and it did. For some reason the food she had been eating for years (Nutro) was irritating her skin. (now I know that Nutro isn't so great anymore since they sold the company and changed the ingredients..errrr!)

I only feed food through Natura like Cal Natural, Health Wise, Etc. But thats what happened to me. My moms Bichon also had bad skin irritaions that he would lick and bite until he was bleeding. She had to do cortorzone shots from the vet and changed the food over. After 6 months he never had a skin problem again. No grain foods are the BEST!!!

www.naturapet.com Hope maybe this will help. If not I wish you the best of luck with your girl.

[CurlyDog]

I was just thinking what Jenn said as I was reading the thread... AND by the time I read her post I realized that Max developed a bald patch on his head just forward of his ear, at about the time of a diet change. I'm phasing out VF Holistic and incorporating Fromm Surf and Turf. After that I plan to stay grain free.

My first thought with lucysmom1035's question was allergy (which I now know can present at any point in life), or an enzyme problem with grains. I think diet is too often overlooked as the cause for problems. I have a niece with autism. After years of horrible meds that rendered her barely conscious, she saw a Dr. who changed her diet. Almost overnight change. She still has autism but isn't having seizures all day long.

Of course this is all anecdotal... I'm certainly no expert!

[Purple Poodle]

I agree with the allergies suggestion, and changing up her food could be an option depending on what she is eating now. Older dogs need to be on a lower protein diet because it can cause kidney problems.

I have a Pit Bull who has a bad allergy to fleas and since being put on Salmon Oil (with no food chnage) she has made leaps and bounds with her skin. The redness is gone and she is much less itchy. You may also want to see about getting her a supplement.

[lucysmom1035]

Thanks so much for your helpful suggestions. Here's what I have tried so far: Amoxycillin, Triam, Prednisone (pills and one injection), Panalog ointment, Neosporin, Malaseb Pledgetts, Oatmeal shampoos. Lucy was specifically tested for ringworm by the way and that too was negative. I'm very careful about giving her flea treatments once a month. My daughter tells me I should learn to groom Lucy myself rather than entrusting her to a groomer who consistently clips her so short that her skin shows through. I'm thinking that the clippers are irritating the papillomas, thereby making them itchy. Don't really know at this point.
The picture I was finally able to figure out how to put up is Lucy taken in July with full coat sans the hairless patch on her back that doesn't show up in photo. Other than this mysterious skin problem, she is a happy, healthy angel who is the joy of my life. Thank you again.

[Blue Fox]

I am not sure I understand exactly what the problem is - so I will try and recap on what I understand. Once the dog is groomed it starts biting at the papillomas - yes? The dog is having to be clipped back short because she is matted, unfortunately the groomer can do nothing about this if you leave the dog to get long and you are not adequately brushing it to the skin to ensure no matting in between visits. If the clippers are indeed irritating the papillomas then either a) take the dog more often so the groomer has some hope of brushing her out and leaving some more length or b) brush the dog more thoroughly at home between visits so the coat is not matted.

In the mean time to get the dog to leave the area alone try Vicks Vapour Rub (this is an Australian product, so if not available, something you rub on your chest with eucalyptus oil in it). If the area is red raw from biting,licking get a course of cortisone to at least assist in releaving the irritation while you try and stop the cycle of her licking, irritating, it's irritated so she licks.

The papillomas themselves are generally not an issue, and as you have seen vets I assume they have not suggested removal as they are not really the problem.

Hope that helps.

Edit to add - I can't see the pic not sure if it's just me that can't see it.

[Sivaro]

I agree with BF, you shouldnt let her matt. Takes 5 mins a day to brush and comb. Not sure why ppl let the dogs matt up. If you find its still too hard to brush when its got length, get the dog to the groomers earlier.

I call these things cysts/warts. They burst if the clippers touch them. And its very hard to the clippers to not touch them if there is matts. It really does irritate the heck out of the dogs. I would go with the cortizone also, not sure about the vicks cause it does burn. And its not use getting the vet to remove them cause they only come back. They are also known as fatty lumps. So I also agree with Jenn, a bit of a diet change may help her.