Hot Spots and Chewing Paws

[SuzanneS]

Hi All. I am new to the group. This past Monday, I had my two golden retrievers to the vet, one (Cooper) for a pretty bad hot spot and the other (Dug) for chewing his paws until they were raw. Prior to the visit, I had heard quite a few stories regarding Apoquel and decided if the vet were to prescribe it, I would ask him for something else. Well after giving Cooper a mild sedative (which I wasn't happy about) to shave the hot spot and clean the area, the vet prescribed Apoquel and the antibiotic, Cefpodoxime. I expressed my concerns and told the vet that the golden retriever community in which I belong was suggesting Apoquel not be given to dogs. The community suggested using Cytopoint instead. I mentioned this to the vet, he was surprised by my comment. I ended up feeling somewhat pressured to go with the Apoquel. For Dug, because he had a cancer scare at 18 months, I was adamant that he not receive the Apoquel. I had contacted Dug's oncologist during the visit to the vet but did not hear back from him until the next day. Dug received an injection of Cytopoint. When I did hear back from the oncologist, he said he had mixed feelings about the Apoquel and he felt Cytopoint was a safer choice based on what he knew.

With all that being said, I have felt very uncomfortable giving Cooper the medication. As of Monday, I have given Cooper 1 tablet of Apoquel (16 MG) twice a day. This is to continue for seven days and then go to once a day for another week. I am giving him the Cefpodoxime once a day for 21 days. I have read up Apoquel and I no longer want to give it to Cooper nor the antibiotic. Regarding, BEAM - Cooper's behavior, energy, appetite, and mood are all good. I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions for hot spots just in case after I take Cooper off the medications, his hot spot flares again. And, do you have any recommendations for Dug regarding chewing his paws because I will not be having him get another shot. Thanks in advance. Suzanne

 

[novasimpson]

Hello Suzanne,

Poor pups!! I know there are members on the forum that know a lot more about natural treatment options: change in food? Remedies? Supplements?

Drug-wise in humans (and can be used in dogs too) with excessive histamine --we use Benadryl, famotidine and doxepin (antidepressant that actually works with chronic itching--and by prescription). I don't think drugs should be the first choice but I have definitely been in a desperate situation with Tater trying to "run away" from her itchy skin! And perhaps these drugs are less hurtful to the internal balance??

Tater's balance has improved and we give her Allergy Support with quercetin to help prevent her seasonal allergies.

Also I wonder about topical colloidal silver if the hotspots are infected?

Sending loving energy to the pups!

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Hi Suzanne-

Thanks for making your first post! ?

This is a really important topic so you may want to put the itching and skin problems in context so you can make the best decisions for Cooper and Dug.

The context is that external (skin and ear) health challenges are usually much less serious than internal problems. They pose little risk to the pups.

However, there is risk of organ failure and infection from the anti-inflammatories Apoquel and Cytopoint.

In addition, the anti-biotic will disrupt the microbiome and predispose to ther problems.

To increase their comfort, massage 99% pure and organic aloe vera into the red areas. Sprinkle cayenne pepper on top of the aloe both to decrease licking and to speed healing.

In addition, Marcellin salve is an incredible skin healer. I used it on my own second degree burn and it was pain free by the next day and healed within a week.

However, aloe and other soothing agents do not treat the underlying immune imbalance.

I'd advise that you focus on improving balance and building and preserving vitality.

For example, start with a fresh and raw diet, use the blueberry-kale smoothie (1/2 cup/meal), and promoting sniff walks and snuffle mat use.

Organic kale and wild blueberry smoothie

Hi everyone- Amelia just asked about diet recommendations for her pet with cancer, and I advised the 1:1 kale + wild blueberry antioxidant blend. It's been mentioned on this forum before, but here's exactly how to make it for cancer, arthritis, allergy and other general diet support: Steam or...

www.holisticactions.com

You'll find many other suggestions in the allergy resources:

Non member login - Holistic Actions!

www.holisticactions.com

 

[SuzanneS]

Thank you Dr. Jeff for responding to my post. Thank you also for your suggestions. I will definitely try some of your suggestions.

 

[Dr. Jeff]

You're welcome, Suzanne.

 

[AgnesB]

Hi Suzanne-

Thanks for making your first post! ?

This is a really important topic so you may want to put the itching and skin problems in context so you can make the best decisions for Cooper and Dug.

The context is that external (skin and ear) health challenges are usually much less serious than internal problems. They pose little risk to the pups.

However, there is risk of organ failure and infection from the anti-inflammatories Apoquel and Cytopoint.

In addition, the anti-biotic will disrupt the microbiome and predispose to ther problems.

To increase their comfort, massage 99% pure and organic aloe vera into the red areas. Sprinkle cayenne pepper on top of the aloe both to decrease licking and to speed healing.

In addition, Marcellin salve is an incredible skin healer. I used it on my own second degree burn and it was pain free by the next day and healed within a week.

However, aloe and other soothing agents do not treat the underlying immune imbalance.

I'd advise that you focus on improving balance and building and preserving vitality.

For example, start with a fresh and raw diet, use the blueberry-kale smoothie (1/2 cup/meal), and promoting sniff walks and snuffle mat use.

Organic kale and wild blueberry smoothie

Hi everyone- Amelia just asked about diet recommendations for her pet with cancer, and I advised the 1:1 kale + wild blueberry antioxidant blend. It's been mentioned on this forum before, but here's exactly how to make it for cancer, arthritis, allergy and other general diet support: Steam or...

www.holisticactions.com

You'll find many other suggestions in the allergy resources:

Non member login - Holistic Actions!

www.holisticactions.com

Hi,
My dog ha s the same issue again this year and had to take her to the local vet as Dr. Jeff was fully booked. I hope to see him next week. The same was suggested but I refused the pills and injections or antibiotics. My gut was telling me - no way. My vet was shocked and asked how I like my natural vet. Haha.
However, I still see my 29 m old Golden suffer. We are giving her Benadryl but she can’t sleep. Bella is moving around the whole night huffing and puffing. She is slowly being switched to the raw food but still continues Royal Canine for allergies. Her stomach is very sensitive and has soft stools since raw diet was added.
what else can I do?

 

[Dr. Sara]

Dear Suzanne and Agnes,
Unfortunately, many vets are not up to date with the current recommendations of veterinary dermatologists, and they certainly are not aware of holistic options. Veterinary dermatologists do not recommend systemic drugs (injectables or pills) for treatment of hot spots. I am pasting below a sheet that I send to my clients to help them with this common problem.

HOT SPOTS (Moist eczema)

Hot spots are localized lesions caused by skin allergies or local irritations. The patient traumatizes a particular area of their body by scratching and biting. It is important to protect the hot spot from the animal’s itchy paws and teeth. A inflatable Elizabethan collar or a soft collar may be effective. Sometimes a t-shirt will help protect lesions on the body, and curiously, many animals are less itchy when they wear a shirt. It is often necessary to clip the fur around the hot spot on long coated patients, as the wet, matted hair will exacerbate the situation.

When hot spots are part of an allergy problem, there are many ways to holistically decrease allergen load.
1- It was demonstrated in dermatological research that environmental allergens are absorbed to a large extent directly across a dog’s skin. Therefore, it is ideal to wipe a dog down with a damp cloth several times a day, particularly after they have been outside, and definitely after the last trip out at night. With furry dogs, pay particular attention to the shorter furred areas, but remember that a dog’s face and paws will touch the rest of their furry body.

2- Vaccinations can cause a flare up in a skin problem. Only those vaccines which are absolutely essential should be given to pets with chronic skin diseases. Vaccines are only indicated for use in healthy animals, and an animal with a severe skin problem does not qualify as healthy! Blood titers can indicate if the pet already has a high level of protective antibody.

3- A canned, fresh, or raw food diet contains fewer free radicals than a kibble diet. Kibble is produced by extrusion, which creates free radicals (toxins) in the food. Many dogs with severe allergies improve dramatically when they are switched to a fresh food diet; I experienced this over 20 years go when I switched my allergic Newf to raw. Sometimes any diet change will help because dogs can develop allergies over time to food components to which they are frequently exposed. However, the best diet is the one that, as is true for people, contains mostly fresh foods.

4- Certain supplements have been shown to help allergies:

Omega 3 fatty acids (salmon or algal oil are best) - decrease inflammation and itchiness; dose is 1,000 mg per 5 - 20 lb of body weight

Vitamin C (Ester C best) – improves immune function, antioxidant decreases dermatitis; dose 10-20 mg/lb

Vitamin A - improves skin health; dose 50 IU/lb

Vitamin E (natural vit E, synthetic vit E is a pro-oxidant) – antioxidant decreases inflammation; dose 10 IU/lb

Flavonoids (Quercetin, proanthocyanidin, other flavonoids) – decrease inflammation, improve immune response; dose of combined products 20 - 50 mg/lb

Bromelain - anti-inflammatory, disrupts antigen-antibody complexes; dose 10 - 30 mg/lb

Digestive enzymes - improves digestive function which destroys allergens in the intestines; dose according to package

Dimethylglycine – improves immune response; dose 5-25 mg/lb

The supplements that seem to provide the quickest relief are fish oil, natural vitamin E, and quercetin with bromelain, so I would start with those. They are available from natural food stores and on-line.

5- Fleas and ticks are a major cause of itchiness in any infested pet. Allergic pets need very good flea and tick control. Unfortunately, the long lasting spot-on products and alcohol based products may aggravate skin problems. It is best to use water based products, such as Wondercide Evolv, sprayed or wiped on after protecting any irritated skin with a soothing spray, cream or gel, such as those described below.

6- There are some topical treatments that will relieve itchiness without suppressing the immune system:

Colloidal oatmeal soaks - Many pets get great relief from colloidal oatmeal soaks, available in human pharmacies. These powders can be mixed up as a bath and then the pet can soak in it, or, alternatively, mix up a third of a package in a quart to a gallon of water and pour it over the pet, wetting the affected areas thoroughly. Don’t rinse afterwards, just blot the furry parts dry and let the skin air dry. You can also put the solution in a spray bottle and spray it as often as desired through the day to help soothe the itchy skin.

There are several products which may be useful on sore areas. Be sure that products you obtain for direct contact with inflamed skin do not contain alcohol. Sprays are often best to use, as many dogs notice ointments and creams and want to lick them off.

*4% chlorhexidine solution is used by many dermatologists as the first line of treatment for hot spots, and I have found it to be highly effective in many patients. It is a non-specific antiseptic, so there is not the problem of resistance commonly associated with antibiotics. Davis® Chlorhexidine 4% spray is available without a prescription.

*Aloe vera gel is very soothing when applied to inflamed areas.

*Calendula spray or cream soothes the skin and prevents infection.

*Hypericum/Calendula creams are excellent on painful sores to soothe and prevent infection.

*Urtica cream and Chickweed cream both decrease itchiness.

*Witch hazel ointment (NOT the distilled alcohol based liquid) is useful for inflamed areas.

*Keys® Redi Care is a spray which is both soothing to skin and promotes healing.

*Wondercide® Skin Tonic Spray is also soothing and promotes healing.

*Cooled plain black tea is an excellent cleanser and astringent, although it will stain light coats. Tea bags can be used as gentle compresses.

*Animal EO Yeasty Beasty is an excellent spot treatment for hot spots. AnimalEO is one of the few essential oil companies that I trust for safety, purity, and efficacy.

Many people consult with a dermatologist regarding their pet’s skin condition, even if the treatments are not those they will choose to use. It may be helpful to have skin testing done to know what environmental allergens are most troublesome. The problem is that it is difficult to avoid such allergens, so the alternative is desensitization injections. These injections help some individuals, but not all, and they rarely resolve the condition completely.

Antihistamines are not too hard on the body, but they are often not effective, or their efficacy decreases over time.

Medicated baths are usually gentle and safe, and they can decrease the bacterial and yeast load on the skin. If one particular part of the body is affected, antibacterial wipes may be more effective.

Antibiotics are frequently given to allergic dogs with secondary skin infections. These can resolve the skin infection, but they don’t do anything for the allergy. Allergies are due to an immune over reaction, and as such we need to support the immune system to normalize its function.

Steroids and immune modulating drugs are incredibly suppressive and damaging to the system overall. These drugs stop the immune over reaction by suppressing the entire immune system.

Any dog with chronic skin problems will benefit from increased probiotics in the diet, this is especially true after a dog has received a course of antibiotics. Repeatedly treating skin problems with antibiotics is not ideal for animals any more than it is for people, as antibiotic use leads to the growth of resistant and pathogenic organisms. Generally speaking, it is very important to give high quality probiotics at each meal to individuals that are prone to recurrent skin problems, both to repopulate with normal bacteria and to enhance immune system function. Most skin infections are not truly infections; they are overgrowth of normal bacteria, or excessive reaction to normal bacteria. It is important to routinely gently clean areas that are prone to such issues, to decrease bacterial numbers, and, hence, the individual’s excessive reaction. Internal medicine specialists note that the probiotics commonly added to food, such as Aunt Jeni’s Enhance Digestive Aid, are not powerful enough to help many allergic animals. They suggest alternating days giving Fortiflora (an animal product) with days giving a high quality human product such as VSL3, Mindlinx, or Prescript-Assist. These probiotics are taken twice daily with meals once the antibiotics are finished. All of the products I mentioned are available on line at Amazon.

It is very important in treating the skin to remember its function as an indicator of internal health. Allergies occur because a dog’s immune system is over loaded with things which it perceives as toxins (allergens), so the immune system over reacts and the inflammatory reaction causes itching. Allergies are most common in the spring and fall because the environmental allergens increase the perceived toxin load.

In addition to the management practices and supplements discussed above, treatment in an holistic practice is tailored to your pet’s individual needs. Additional modalities which can help allergic pets are constitutional homeopathic treatment, Chinese herbs, and acupuncture.