Expert: Delores Beck - 2/10/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hi Delores,

Riley is my little girl, she is 14 months old, and in general good health.  at about 6 months old, she started to get what I can only describe as single small black scabs(about the size of a q-tip top)in her groin area.  The vet said it is very common, somekind of single cell tumor-he scraped off the scab with his finger and gave me animax cream.  Riley is now starting to get these "scabs" constantly and I just discovered one on her throat area.  They don't seem to bother her, but what is this?  Can it be leading to something serious? and is there something preventive I can do to stop them?

Thank you,  Nina

ANSWER: Riley has a bit of a skin infection.  What your vet needs to do is a "tape or scrape" of a few cells and determine if it's bacteria or yeast.  What that means is he either uses some tape to "lift" some skin cells or uses a blade to just scrape some off.  Then it's tested/analyzed  to determine exactly what it is so the right antibiotic can be prescribed.

Now here's the thing a lot of family vets (as opposed to vet Dermatologists) don't realize and that's that skin infections must be treated WAY past resolution or they bounce back.

Topical treatment is also important.  That means 2x weekly bathing with the right medicated shampoo.

Quite frankly, if this is all your vet has done, you need a new vet.

One thing you can do is begin bathing Riley with some Nizoral shampoo (available at most supermarkets & drugstores).  You have to lather her up and leave it on for 10-15 minutes and then rinse her very, very well.  When you think you've rinsed enough - rinse her 10 more times.  This removes all trace of shampoo and rehydrates her skin.

IF she only has a couple of these scabs, it's quite possible that a topical approach may do the trick.  And you can use some hydrocortisone cream on any spots she can't lick.

There's also a good product called Resi-KetoChlor that you can order online (I use EntirelyPets.com).  Vet Dermatologists like this stuff.
What you do is bath, rinse well, towel her up and when she's still "damp", massage it in.  You don't use much - a capful will do her neck & back - another capful will do the tummy.

Both these products will kill bacteria AND yeast.
But I'd like to know how many of these scabs she currently has?
Delores



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks Delores.....Right now Riley has 2 scabs, one in the groin area, one on the throat.  last week it was 3.  They seem to disappear  as fast as they show up.  By the end of the week they will be gone, she will be clean for a few days, she'll roll over for a good belly rub and then there will be a new one and in a day or two its gone.  Its just an endless cycle of these things.

Answer
What I'd do right now is try and stop this cycle with a topical regime for two weeks.

Give her a Nizoral bath - 10-15 minute leave on time.
Rinse, rinse, rinse..then more :)

After bath - use the Resi-KetoChlor.

Do this 2x a week for two weeks and let's see what happens.

Also - what are you feeding her?  And where are you (climate)?
Delores