Dermatitis

[PennyB]

Help Wilf is starting to look like a westie. Basically his fur's going red and his skin is flaky and in small are a little sore so I've just sent him off to the groomers to be clipped short so I can administer the malasseb a lot easier. He's still on cephalexen antibiotics anyway (for another week). He's also now on 2500mg of evening primrose oil.

Is there anything else I can do?

[suki1964]

Penny Im not sure how you feel about using human shampoo in dogs or even if its ok to do so, but I suffer seborrohic dermatitis which leaves my scalp sore,flaky and in some places scabby looking The one thing that clears this is Nizoril shampoo which you can buy at a pharmicist. Usually using it twice will clear up the outbreak.. Maybe its worth looking into?

[PennyB]

The malasseb I've got from the vet is a medicated shampoo for dogs and cats with this condition (yucky thing it is as you have to leave it on for 10 min—and 10 min seems a long time for a cocky spaniel).

[Mike]

Out of interest - what's the active ingredient in the Malasseb, Penny?

 

[suki1964]

The only other thing i can think of is tea tree oil, it will help with the itching if nothing else. And maybe some olive oil to help stop the drying flaking

Has your vet checked him out for any underlying problems that could be causing this?

Give him a hug from me and I hope it clears up soon

[Mike]

It's ok I found it: Miconazole Nitrate 2%, Chlorhexidine Gluconate 2%

I was just asking as Nizoral (my whole family suffer from sebderm, Caroline!) is a Ketaconazole, similar to Miconazole above i.e. an anti-fungal topical. It's probable/possible the Malaseb will help over time.

Caroline, am going to send you a pm about a natural treatment you may not have come across before.  

[suki1964]

Thanks Mike, grateful for any advice

Its a bloody awful condition and seems to be getting worse as I get older If I dont use head and shoulders every day I end up with a flareup which now trancends my forehead, ears and chin and is so bloody itchy. And H&S leaves my hair so dry and dull that I just hate now using it so am having to use Nizoral more and more often

[PennyB]

I know malasseb is the vet treatment in all these cases and when the groomer took one look at Wilf and said he's turning into a westie my heart sank as I know it can be a real problem in them (the red tinged fur in places was the giveaway). I hope its something we can get on top off. Vet has taken a sample to see if he can determine what it is but he thinks its fungal.

I've read about using raw apple cider vinegar as well (in their water and as a rinse after bathing them normally, i.e. when I'm not using the malasseb) and am thinking of supplementing his diet with garlic and fenugreek tablets or sulphur 8x or Bachs crab apple.

The vet nurse had shaved him a little yesterday where it had got sore and he then spent  alot of time 'dancing' around whinging as he felt so itchy.

[Mike]

Well garlic will help keep fleas away at the very least, and is a huge boost to the immune system

I was going to mention the ACV, having tried it myself personally, but a) drinking it is FOUL (where's that puke emoticon!), and I'd imagine Wilf would love it... and lick himself all over - which might exacerbate the problem. Worth a shot though, as it does clear many humans of sebderm (though it wasn't right for me).  

[PennyB]

Poor Wilf has just come back from the groomers and now looks like a pygmy goat, but at least he'll be easier to treat now.

 

[Kim]

I personally would be a bit wary about using Nizoral on any dog, I also suffer with Seb. Derm & I know that Nizoral is very good, it tends to strip the scalp - you can feel the burn, so to speak    

[suki1964]

You may find this site helpful

[PennyB]

Thanks Caroline.

I've now been putting a capful of apple cider vinegar in his food, which he's eating, and some Bachs crab apple in the drinking water (have had to resort to spring water for it to be effective).

Mike, don't know how you were taking the apple cider vinegar but a good tonic, which also doesn't taste too bad is hot water and honey(unpasterized if you can get it) with the ACV (its good for the liver as well 1st thing!).

[Mike]

I was putting 5 drops of ACV into a tall glass of water - even that diluted, I really couldn't bear the taste. I've been maintaining a sugar-free diet since November, so I shouldn't have honey really... even though I know it's hugely beneficial.

I think I'm going to follow your lead anyway and add some ACV to Daisy and Jazz's food or water - Jazz has a similar rash on her rear leg, a patch where the skin is red, and the anti-fungal cream the doctor provided didn't work.

Are you going to dilute it when you use it for rinsing after a normal wash, as it's a 5% acid. I used some on my face as that's where I get the seb derm - as instructed, I diluted it initially and gradually lowered the dilution over a week, so that my skin could get used to the acidity. I thought I'd be okay when I came to apply it undiluted but nope! I was red raw for a week and it wasn't pretty

[PennyB]

I was putting 5 drops of ACV into a tall glass of water - even that diluted, I really couldn't bear the taste. I've been maintaining a sugar-free diet since November, so I shouldn't have honey really... even though I know it's hugely beneficial.

I think I'm going to follow your lead anyway and add some ACV to Daisy and Jazz's food or water - Jazz has a similar rash on her rear leg, a patch where the skin is red, and the anti-fungal cream the doctor provided didn't work.

Are you going to dilute it when you use it for rinsing after a normal wash, as it's a 5% acid. I used some on my face as that's where I get the seb derm - as instructed, I diluted it initially and gradually lowered the dilution over a week, so that my skin could get used to the acidity. I thought I'd be okay when I came to apply it undiluted but nope! I was red raw for a week and it wasn't pretty

Yes will be diluting the ACV for hair wash, at about 1/3 ACV, 2/3 water (though some state using 50/50).

Its well worth using the honey, sugar free or not as it has so many other benefits and its not a huge amount.

You can also use ACV in a preparation for cleaning cocker ears as well.