Expert: Dr. Louis N. Gotthelf - 1/31/2008

Question
i cant tell you how much money i have spent on my dog.  while money is not the issue, the staff infection she has is the issue.  we (the vets and i) have tried countless antibiotics, 3 surgeries, 3 different vets, skin scrapings, diet changes, allergy tests, and last but not least, staff  elite injections prescribed by my current vet.  the staff infection she currently has is not a standard superficial staff that the majority of dogs get.  the 3 vets have told me that this is a much deeper infection that is usually seen in humans.  this infection is pustules that become about the size of a silver dollar in diameter. All i can see is the tip of the iceberg i guess you could say.  when these pustules open up they ooze sooo much puss. we have been treating this for about a year.  the vet does a surgery and the dog is put onto antibiotics and after about 2-3 months the staff returns, this time worse than before.  all the while antibiotics are being administered. the antibiotics have been changed or fear of an immunity to any certain antibiotic.....   PLEASE HELP!!!    my vet says there is nothing else they can do and they are recommending euthanasia.

regards,
megann

Answer
I have 2 suggestions.  First, have the vet do a skin biopsy of an active pustule and have a pathologist evaluate it.  Sometimes these are infected but there is another disease causing the pustules.  Pyoderma is NEVER a primary disease.  Second, ther are some dogs with weak immunse systems that need to remain on antibiotics for years.  We do something called pulse therapy, where we give the antibiotic until the skin is better and then give the antibiotic periodically such as one at night, twice on the weekends or a week on and a week off.