Megs

Thank you for all the support, advice and well wishes. Hoping to finally get a good nights sleep tonight with a more positive diagnosis and something productive to do! Kasey is my heart dog and at 2yrs of age i'm not willing to lose her without doing everything i can.

Nekhbet, Kim is fantastic, what she says and does just makes sense. I was very impressed with her obvious skill, honesty and common sense approach. She also takes the time to talk and listen and at no time did it feel like she had a time constraint and was very patient with kasey who is nervy in new environments. We are lucky to have her in geelong

Just back from the vet chiro and acupuncturist with hopefully some good news .

Kasey has muscular trauma to her hindquarters and the base of her neck. Although we can't completely rule out wobbler syndrome or something else neurological, the vet is confident that the damage she was feeling could explain all the gait oddities present :D. Nothing is certain and over the next three sessions we expect to see a marked improvement otherwise neurological is likely. I've got lots of stretches to do with her as well as hindquarter awareness activities and a weekly session with the vet for acupuncture and whatever else is needed.

I have to say although i'm not getting my hopes up that i'm much more confident in this diagnosis - she said things to me that i had also picked up on including what side she was worse on and behavioral changes she was presenting. $55 well spent

Nekebet, no, toxicity was not taken seriously at all - no vomiting thus no poison. I was only in there 10-15 mins and it felt a little rushed/not cared about. I would have thought if wobblers was an option she would have been booked in to have a myelogram to either rule it out or confirm but he was reluctant to do anything and just wait, and if/when she gets worse we do the myelogram. I've booked her in to see kim lin at highton tomorrow - or would you suggest someone else? Just want to know whats going on!!!!

I've got pics of all the plants that shes had contact with in the garden and instead of trying to search the net for another 2 hours i'm going to take them to a plant nursery tomorrow and ask them what they are!

Ososwift no neck xray has been taken yet. Nothing besides hip xrays and painkillers (to assess if shes better on pain meds) has been really done. I'm happy to spend the money i just dont know what on. Tdierikx your pup sounds like a cutie, thankfully kasey seems to be blissfully unaware of anything wrong too.

Thanks for the ideas guys.

Just back from the specialist now and unfortunately they're not sure whats wrong with her either . Its maybe a case of wobblers and im just seeing its very early signs or something else. Her reflexes were all perfect on the tapping test (cant remember the proper name for it!) and at the moment its a wait and see case. Basically they want to see how it progresses to see what to test/diagnosis. A spinal CT is first on that list but they want to wait a week or two first.

Now I'm not well known for my patience, especially when it comes to my dogs so i've booked her in with another vet who is also a chiropractor/physio/acupuncturist for tomorrow. I would like to properly rule out exactly what becks and tdierikx said - disc or pinched nerve or maybe something else. I dont think it can hurt, especially if i'm just waiting to see her deteriorate anyway.

Poodlefan, hip dysplasia has been ruled out, it was the first thing i thought of too but the xrays showed nothing out of the ordinary.

Unfortunately this was checked too. Simple and fixable like patella would be nice!

Thanks persephone, me too!

Should have also said, that she does seem to get worse the harder/longer she's been exercised for ie at the start of the walk it not that noticeable and at the end much more so. Don't know any neuro problems that would do this? Some things suggest neuro others orthopedic, shes an odd case for sure.

Sorry for the long post!

My dog Kasey has shown some hindquarter deterioration in the last 2-3 months. She is a ridgeback x rottweiler, 2 yrs old. Originally it started out what looked like stiff hips and she was shortening her stride to compensate. It wasn't obvious anytime other than when she was out running off-lead. I tried painkillers and anti-inflams and reduced exercise to on-lead with no change. She was looked over by a vet and showed some average hip flexion, everything thing else was great, no pain, swelling or heat. We xrayed hips and half of her spine, which showed nothing abnormal.

The last 4 days has seen her markedly worse (again just while running - not flat out running or walking but trotting and cantering) she now occasionally adds in bunny hops and swings her leg out to the side, again just the back end and not one particular side is worse. She saw the vet again and no cause found for the change. 2 days ago she was sitting down and attempted to scratch her chin, head tilted down, leg came up but she couldn't move her leg to scratch herself - looked at her leg oddly, tired again - looked surprised - went back to sleep. This obviously shows a neurological problem of some sort.

I have an appointment with a well regarded neuro specialist tomorrow but i guess i just want opinions on what it could be/ if anyone has had a similar problem or suggestions on what we should be testing for? I was speaking to a trainer i highly regard yesterday and she suggested a metal or plant toxicity could be possible as i had moved house around the time this started to occur (however have since moved back into previous place 2 weeks ago). The house was a complete mess - much older house with outside rundown buildings (empty). I've been trolling the net to try and find out if any of the plants there are poisonous to dogs, its just taking awhile!

Appreciate any advice/suggestions you have

Thanks again for everyones comments, its nice to get such wonderful feedback. :D

What a little honey pot she is! . And how gorgeous are Xena and Kasey together! Tooooo much cuteness!!!

If anyone is interested in helping out with Xena's vet fees, I've put her up as Dog of the Month on my website

http://fidosfunhouse.com.au/help_this_dog_44.html . $35 raised already

I also have a donation tin for her at the shop which I'll include with the sponsorship money at the end of the month (end of October I should say)

ETA - fundraising with Meg's permission

Thank you so so so much yellowgirl, i am expecting Xena's vet bill to go to about $500 today so every dollar helps alot!

The vet actually just rang me and although i told her that a number of crested people have confirmed that its just pimples shes keen to do a biopsy on her skin, paticulary the couple of bigger lumps under her skin on her back legs, her and another vet are paying for the lab costs so its not costing me anything . They have never seen a crestie before so they're interested in expanding their knowledge and getting a definite diagnosis, its really nice to see .

Better go Kasey is giving me the why haven't you walked me yet eyes

Thanks guys, im really happy with how well Xena has been going. As for my boofhead i feel very honoured to have her in my life, she could be a poster dog for rescue me thinks

Heres some more pics that hopefully work

IMG]http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/yy247/Megsrescue/Dogzonline/Xena/Xena204.jpg[/img]

IMG]http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/yy247/Megsrescue/Dogzonline/Xena/Xena214.jpg[/img]

IMG]http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/yy247/Megsrescue/Dogzonline/Xena/Xena219.jpg[/img]

Well i've had Xena for 2 weeks now. I have to say shes the most normal rescue dog i've ever had, its like she's undergone the best socialisation and been in the best home until i've had her, its so unexpected . Shes a typical bouncy pup that loves everyone and isn't fazed by much. She sticks to me or her best buddy Kasey (see pics below) like glue unless there is a pesky bird to chase in the yard. I've heard her bark 4 times and thats all, its bliss . Her skin is beginning to come good (thanks Nekhbet) and i'm getting used to squeezing her pimples rather than my own .

Shes been desexed on wednesday and getting microchipped and one tooth removed, hopefully the vet will take pity on me and not charge me too much .

Here are just a few pics of her, the coats are kindly donated by yellowgirl, who might i add is an absolute gem

Ah so much advice! ;). It would be easy if i could find a vet that knew something about hairless dogs so i could do the right thing. I think the best option is to start off with the gentle stuff and a course of antibiotics and see how we go? .

So lets start off with what i should be doing for her skin?

Start course of antibiotics encase its a staft infection, that pic yellowgirl is just to similar to ignore.

Exfolitating with glove weekly.

Warm facewasher

Yogurt

Now what should i be washing her with and how often? Pyoben, Triocil, Malaseb or oatmeal?

Skin looks pretty normal to me, get pup out in the sun to darken up those white spots.

Thanks Sharr, being wondering about those white spots!

Got your PM Megs . The clothes can take two or three weeks to get here, so I'll raid the dogs' closet and post some things off to you straight away. Banshee has a 40cm fleece coat that fits along her back but is too wide for her... should be perfect for Xena! I'll see what else I can find.

Nutrience is a good brand. I also like Eagle Pack and Nutro (not a big fan of Advance or Science Diet). Maybe include some fish oil or sardines as well to get some extra omegas in there.

Yellowgirl your a gem, thanks. Will add some sardines, im sure she wont complain .

Hhhhhmmmm.

I STILL don't think the OP dog is a hairless x. I think it is pure daxxy with a skin condition that shouldn't be ignored. Not that it is being ignored. But I think more tests (skin and blood) are required.

Just MO, of course .

Hi Erny, thanks for your concern and i want you to know that im a vet fanatic so if she got worse or i thought she was in any discomfort i would be there in a flash and wouldn't leave until it was sorted out, but for now im happy that shes showing some improvement and is otherwise healthy and happy

I think this calls for a Xena fundraiser!

I have $10 that says she's a crestie x dachi and she has a staph infection. Are you in with your theory Erny? Anyone else want in?

Just add your theory, whoever is spot on wins, all other money goes to Xena's vet bills

Hope that's okay Megs

Haha thats fine yellowgirl, will be interesting to see if anyone takes on your theory

I'm taking a very large overcoat with me because it's cold down here in geelong you know O.o tut tut what do you take me for

I'll give an opinion when I see her, I do reckon that skin looks CC, too smooth.

now gotta get that dog coat in the wash ... it's pink too with fwowers

Looking forward to hearing your opinion Nekhbet and im sure Xena is looking forward to that overcoat, cuddles in jackets are her favourite thing, you might not have a choice whether you take her home or not . Pink with fwowers sounds nice..... ;)

Megs for your patience with me partly hijacking your thread too.

Thats ok Ams, i keep going back and looking at Sid's pic, cant believe CC rescue turned him down

Ams if Xena is a crestie x then Sid must be purebred, maybe not registered breeder purebred but backyard/puppy farm purebred i would think.

Thanks for those pics Lisa but i can thankfully say they look nothing like Xena's skin, shes smooth except for the bumps, and doesn't have the elephant skin you would expect from a serious skin condition. I'm not wholly convinced yet that its just pimples (although i have no experience with cresty skin) but while shes happy and being a typical crazy puppy who is into everything and doing zoomies frequently i'm willing to try some of the things suggested here before she has a bioposy done. A skin scraping has ruled out demodex anyway :D She also has the typical cresty hair placement - mohawk, tuffs on her feet and light growth along her tail, if she didn't have any hair then i would be worried.

OH YAAAAAAAAAY

I think I also have some Malaseb floating around my place you can have the rest of the bottle

hmmm now when to visit! PM me if saturday late arvo is OK I can come bearing gifts, I think I have a dog coat around here too but it needs a VERY good wash

Will PM you Nekhbet, can't resist Malaseb, paw paw cream and maybe a jacket too, being spolit here

Ok this is going to be long, trying to reply to everyone....

First and foremost thanks to everyone for their advice, i'll have to make a list of everyones ideas and set up a voting poll, im confused of where i should start first!

Hi Megs

I undertake Dachshund Rescue & Rehoming and am listed under the DOL rescue contacts. This dog is a Dachshund and likely X’d with a Chinese Crested. There have been many bred by idiots for a new designer ‘Hairless Dachshund’. The skin issues may be from ‘exposure’ but Dachshunds can and do suffer several skin issues (will not respond to shampoo alone). Needs a skin scraping to rule our Demodex. I am on my way to Melbourne to transport another rescue Dachshund but will pm you later and get a phone number to talk. We have a waiting list of homes for Dachshunds and Dachshund X’s (breed experienced homes) so I can help.

Thanks for your offer of help Lisa, feel free to pm me later and we can chat, although i don't think i'll have a problem rehoming her, her personality grabs everyones attention and even the vet treating her said if i hadn't found her a home in a couple of weeks to let her know. However, the best home is always the most important ;)

She sure looks like a Crestie X to me. A lot of Cresties go through the pimply teenager phase, especially if skin not washed regularly. Get some Malaseb antibacterial shampoo and wash in that. For those pimples I would get a face washer, soak it in hot water and lay it on skin (not too hot obviously but warm enough to help open up the pores a bit), soap her up with Malaseb and then leave on for five minutes or so before rinsing off. Also use an exfoliating bath glove and give her a good scrub in the Malaseb.

Thanks for the advice ashaflynn! Will give that a try . Where would i get malaseb shampoo from? Net, vet or pet store?

The teeth thing is quite common for Cresteds - a lot of them never get some adult teeth, many retain baby teeth and many also get two sets. If the double canines aren't causing an issue I wouldn't worry about them - it's only for the show ring we get doubles taken out. Make sure your vet is aware that if they pull out baby teeth, adult teeth may never eventuate anyway.

I think in one post you may have saved me $400, i could kiss your feet! ;)

Megs, I'm doing a dog clothes order this week, they have longer dachshund clothes too, so I can order a couple of things for Xena if you like . I'm ordering some anyway, I like them for the cresties as they cover all the way down the back. Let me know your address and I can post a couple to you.

Yellowgirl that would be fantastic! Thank you so so so much . Will pm you my address.

Natural, preservative free foods will also be a big help.

What food would you recommend yellowgirl? My girls get nutrience and i've started her on the sensitive skin nutrience, good or bad?

I agree with CrazyCresties about Xena's skin, she could very well have a staph infection. Looks very similar to Madeline's skin when I first got her. Antibiotics should help with that.

I'd go with a gentle wash to start with, sorbelene cream or something similar. As CC mentioned, yoghurt can help open the pores, just slather it on to warmed skin and wash off after 5-10 minutes. Xena will probably help with the removal which is absolutely fine. I'd be doing it every 2-3 days to start with. Calamine lotion can help with calming the area too. But definitely think about ABs for her skin

I've been doing the sorbolene already and it seems to be helping, the very tips of her ears were so dry they actually look like they are going to start chipping away. If her skin doesn't improve with all this advice i will definitely get her on antibiotics.

Yup only 2 Xolo's in Oz and I don't think she has branched out into dachshund crosses yet

I believe Deshonko Kennels haven't returned her calls

:D

if she's been outside and exposed I would say the pimples are dirt and dry skin combined with the normal CC teenage 'pimple' phase. Is nothing comes out they could be clogged pores or blackheads (hey I get these unsqueezable ones on myself from dirt/dust and exposure)

i have the same problem sometimes too Nekhbet. I hope everyone is right and they are just pimples, suits me fine

wash EVERYTHING she wears and sleeps on, something antibacterial or add some tea tree to the wash. That much I know. Oh and you have to moisturise the skin (esp after a malaseb bath), all the time something that is fragrance/oil free and hypoallergenic, I suppose paw paw cream would be great I use it for my own dogs skin conditions.

Now the important question...

OMG CAN I VISIT, CAN I CAN I CAN I!!!! I'll bring you a tub of paw paw cream as a prezzie PLEEEEEEEEEEEASE!

Will do Nekhbet, glad i have the day off work tomorrow, so much to do! And yes you can come visit, how can i resist a tub of paw paw cream!

Ams, Sid is lovely, looks more like a real cresty compared to my "hairless dachshund" ;)

Thanks for all the replies guys, just checking this on lunch break so no time for extended replies just yet :D .

I should have mentioned that i did take her to the vet, within the first hour i had her actually haha, unfortunately though, although 3 vets looked at her and a skin scraping was taken and medical books checked they couldn't deterine what it was. They did however rule out mange etc with the skin scraping. The only thing we came up with is shes only had on a very short jacket, one that didn't cover her hindquarters and neck - exactly where the problem is. So could being out in a freezing victoria weather cause such a skin irratation in a hairless breed? Obviously not many people would know this, because leaving a hairless dog outside day and night is just cruel. So the vets recommendation was to give it a week-two and if it improves, great, and if it doesn't then a skin biopsy should be done (obviously if it gets worse they it will have to be done straight away).

I should mention too that it doesn't bother her at all, she doesn't scratch at it or seem bothered when you touch them. I dont think they are pimples either though, they are hard lumps with no puss present when squeezed (vet did try).

As for her teeth, there are adult and baby teeth present, her canines have both adult and baby teeth pressed together and they dont feel like either is going anytime soon. Some adult teeth are still to come down too but as crazycresties article says, they might not.

Ok back to work will reply better later!

Thanks for all your replies guys . Cresty x dachshund it is, i originally thought that but then saw a pic of a mexican hairless on the net I went ugh creepy similar but wasn't sure how common they were in Australia.

Thanks for the tip about the coat, im completely clueless about hairless breeds! Shes got a cotton one to go over the top of that one so i'll just leave that on her today until someone knowledgable replies about what i should do, or i'll put her on the breed sub forum after work tonight.

She will be up for adoption although first i have to find invisible money to desex, do a skin bioposy, dental work to remove some baby teeth and mirochip her :D , damn that *sucker* tattoo thats imprinted on my forehead for all to see . I would honestly love to keep her, shes so quirky but normal compared to my two rescue dogs but 3 females in one household is pushing it i think!

PS her name is Xena because shes doesn't look anything like a princess or warrior but is both in her heart.

This dog was surrendered to me on Monday. Her owner just died and her carer contacted me. No family members or friends. Carer has signed her over to me and i have checked all the details with carers company.

Barely any information is known, carer was told by owner that the dog is a 6 month old dachshund. Carer only knew that the dog was purely outside, hadn't been vaccinated, m/chipped or desexed. This dog is obviously not just a dachshund unless she has a skin condition that has resulted in hair loss, shes bald apart from a mohawk and tuffs on her feet. To me she looks like a mexican hairless x dachshund but i didn't think more than a few mexican hairless were even in Australia?! So what are the alternatives? Vets estimates shes only 6-10 months old and has no idea what her skin problem is. I've added photos encase anyone has seen something similar in a hairless breed.

Apart from the skin condition and lack of vet work and no training she is an amazing creature, shes got so much character and is a total clown.

Here are some pics of the ugly mutt

Whats the recommended feeding requirement for a dog weighing 12kg and a active dog weighing 12kg? I'm feeding nutrience at the moment, just wanted to see the difference between them

That poem was so beautiful its lucky Iam in a empty classroom. :cool:

Heres another I am sure we can unfortnatly relate to:

FROM FRIEND TO FRIEND

You're giving me a special gift,

So sorrowfully endowed,

And through these last few cherished days,

Your courage makes me proud.

But really, love is knowing

When your best friend is in pain,

And understanding earthly acts

Will only be in vain.

So looking deep into your eyes,

Beyond, into your soul,

I see in you the magic, that will

Once more make me whole.

The strength that you possess,

Is why I look to you today,

To do this thing that must be done,

For it's the only way.

That strength is why I've followed you,

And chose you as my friend,

And why I've loved you all these years...

My partner 'til the end.

Please, understand just what this gift,

You're giving, means to me,

It gives me back the strength I've lost,

And all my dignity.

You take a stand on my behalf,

For that is what friends do.

And know that what you do is right,

For I believe it too.

So one last time, I breathe your scent,

And through your hand I feel,

The courage that's within you,

To now grant me this appeal.

Cut the leash that holds me here,

Dear friend, and let me run,

Once more a strong and steady dog,

My pain and struggle done.

And don't despair my passing,

For I won't be far away,

Forever here, within your heart,

And memory I'll stay.

I'll be there watching over you,

Your ever faithful friend,

And in your memories I'll run,

...a young dog once again.