I think I would ask for a biopsy too and if it is bacterial you need an antibiotic geared to that bacteria. Also you can get antibacterial sprays to help keep it clean topically.
I think I would ask for a biopsy too and if it is bacterial you need an antibiotic geared to that bacteria. Also you can get antibacterial sprays to help keep it clean topically.
Sharlene and the late great diva - Molly muffin (always missed and never forgotten)
30 day ATCH test was today, will post the results when I have them on Tuesday.
After treating aggressively with antibiotics for 4 weeks the vet finally thinks it's CC and not just bacteria. It looks a lot better but the margins haven't really shrunk at all. I posted a picture in the albums section. The vet said we could do the biopsy but it won't really change how we are treating it so we are opting out of the biopsy and will continue the course of antibiotics, topical spray, and now DMSO gel and of course just continuing to get cortisol levels down.
Ashley, Daisy (yellow lab), Lily (mini dachshund), Thor (black lab)
I'm so sorry your dealing with this and your poor Daisy is too. My boxer has a very bad case also, it's so difficult to deal with. Did her skin harden and peel off? That's what is going on with my poor pup. We are treating with antibiotics only. It is devastating. I have pictures posted if you want to compare. I sure hope your Daisy heals. Best of luck
Last edited by Aunt Jana; 08-04-2016 at 05:13 PM. Reason: Wording
ATCH results came back and the post was 9. Our vet consulted with an internal specialist and has bumped Daisy's Vetoryl to 60mg in the morning and 30mg in the evening. We had the new medication overnighted to us so D's been on it for two days now and we will test again at the 14 day mark. Keeping my fingers crossed we have the dose right this time.
Ashley, Daisy (yellow lab), Lily (mini dachshund), Thor (black lab)
Although a post of 9 ug/dl is acceptable if clinical signs are controlled, but since Daisy is battling what looks like CC that post will need to drop to 5 ug/dl and stay there to get some control over that CC and I so hope the extra 30 mg in the evening will get you there...keeping fingers crossed!
Hugs, Lori
She's right there on the high end of the controlled range but the huge CC breakout on her back has the vet concerned. Also we aren't entirely sure that the clinical signs are controlled. She had a pee accident a few weeks ago and I think she's been drinking more but it's hard to be certain. Vet was hesitant to automatically want to raise the medication when that happened about two weeks ago because a lot was going on at the time with the bad infection on her back and she was taking a lot of antibiotics but now that the ATCH test is showing elevated cortisol levels and we are sure we are dealing with CC it seems like the right call.
I would like to start measuring her water intake the only issue is she spends the weekdays with two wiener dogs and another lab. The weens are about 10 lbs each so their water intake is relatively small in comparison but the other lab drinks a lot and they are used to all drinking from the same bowl so it would be impossible to tell who drank what and when.
Ashley, Daisy (yellow lab), Lily (mini dachshund), Thor (black lab)
When we first noticed it it was just appeared to be redness under the hair. Then it started to pus and smell so the vet shaved all the hair off from the based of her head to the base of her tail and uncovered a huge raised red patch spanning that entire area that was very infected. It did scab over and it's looking so much better! It's still raised and harder than the rest of her skin but no more open sores.
Ashley, Daisy (yellow lab), Lily (mini dachshund), Thor (black lab)
Yesterday was the 14 day ATCH test after starting the new dose of 60mg in the morning and 30mg at night. Daisy's pre-value was 2 and the post value was 8. We are still dealing with the big patch of CC on Daisy's back. I am a little disappointed by the results. I was REALLY hoping that the post value would come back under 5 with the new dose. The vet wants to bump Daisy us to 60 mg in the morning and 60 mg at night per the recommendation of an IMS he is consulting with. He said we can check her Na/K levels at 14 days but do an ATCH test at 30 days to keep costs down. Thoughts on this?
Ashley, Daisy (yellow lab), Lily (mini dachshund), Thor (black lab)
I think this is a reasonable approach to things, and I will certainly be hoping that this additional dosing increase will finally get Daisy's cortisol down within the lower range that you're shooting for.
Aside from the patch of CC, how is Daisy doing these days in terms of symptoms?
Marianne
She's doing really well! She's happy and is back to her old energy levels. Ever since Daisy was a puppy, if you stomped or shuffled your feet near her as if you were going to lunge at her she would get really excited and start zooming around. It had been several months since she had done that. My husband was overjoyed the other day when he stomped his foot and she zoomed and zigzagged around him. He kept saying she passed "the test".
Ashley, Daisy (yellow lab), Lily (mini dachshund), Thor (black lab)