Please help with dog's severe skin problem

[GT502]

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Hello to all, I'm new here and came looking for some guidance. I have a 12-year-old female dachshund with a very severe and persistent skin condition. I have taken her to her regular vet and to another vet for a second opinion. However, both vets seem to agree that she has a fungi problem and both prescribed very similar treatments. This condition has lasted for several months, alternating between getting much better and then reverting to a very bad condition. The regular vet has taken samples and ran lab tests that according to him confirm a fungi problem. The vet has prescribed several different treatments, including a lotion that contains Clotrimazole, Gentamicin and Betamethasone, she was also prescribed regular baths with a shampoo that contains Ketoconazole. Finally, she also underwent a 21-day oral Amoxicillin treatment and several shots of some sort of antibiotic.

As you can understand, I'm very worried and any tips or guidance would be greatly appreciated.

 

[JoanneF]

I'm not sure whether this will be helpful but what resonated for me was this -

alternating between getting much better and then reverting to a very bad condition

Is there anything at all you can pinpoint that changed?

Fungus seems to thrive in warm damp conditions - could even a change in weather contribute?

 

[GT502]

I'm not sure whether this will be helpful but what resonated for me was this -

Is there anything at all you can pinpoint that changed?

Fungus seems to thrive in warm damp conditions - could even a change in weather contribute?

We live in Guatemala, Central America, and the weather here these past few months has been relatively stable with lows of about 14° or 16° C and highs in the 30°'s. What did change is that I had to go out of the country for a couple of weeks and I left my dog with my son. According to him, he kept giving her her baths. However, besides the baths, she is no longer on any kind of medication, having completed her 21 day oral antibiotics treatment.

 

[JudyN]

Do you know what your son used to bathe her? Did any of the treatments seem to help?

I looked up Ketoconazole and read 'Some dogs need ketoconazole treatment for up to a year and, in some cases, must remain on it for life,' so maybe it's understandable that the condition hasn't cleared yet. How is she in herself - does it bother her?

 

[GT502]

Do you know what your son used to bathe her? Did any of the treatments seem to help?

I looked up Ketoconazole and read 'Some dogs need ketoconazole treatment for up to a year and, in some cases, must remain on it for life,' so maybe it's understandable that the condition hasn't cleared yet. How is she in herself - does it bother her?

My son used the prescribed shampoo with Ketoconazole. This condition does not seem to bother her at all. The vet did say that this sort of condition takes a very long time to resolve. I was hoping there was something else we could do to treat her.

 

[JudyN]

It's good to know that she feels fine in herself - I was worried that she might feel itchy and uncomfortable. I do hope you see some improvement soon.

 

[GT502]

It's good to know that she feels fine in herself - I was worried that she might feel itchy and uncomfortable. I do hope you see some improvement soon.

Thank you. She does feel fine. However, she does notice when we are looking at her skin condition and associates this with getting her medicated lotion. I don't think the lotion stings or hurts her, but she does not like being treated with it. In my opinion, the oral antibiotics helped a lot. The vet wants to see her again in a couple of weeks. Do you think I should take her sooner and maybe ask about another round of antibiotics? I have a lot of respect for antibiotics and I would not like to risk the fungus becoming resistant to them.

 

[JoanneF]

If I were you I'd probably give your vet a call and ask that - most vets are quite happy to answer questions like that from their clients.