Puffy Bullmastiff Mouth

[Guest _MADCAT_]

Hey all,

My 2 1/2 year old Bullmastiff, Frank has had pimples on his face for as long as I can remember. All the vet trips said it's generally normal for his breed but lately it's gotten really bad and i'm worried.

For the last 3-4 days its been puffy and bleeding!

I don't have much spare money at the moment (pretty much barely affording life atm) and I'm worried about my boy. I've been cleaning his face with warm water after meals and trying to keep him clean. I read that a plastic bowl could have helped the problem which I changed to Stainless Steal, Also changed his diet from Uncle Albers to Advance Total Wellbeing (which is hard to afford but I'm trying!)

Any tips? any idea what it is??

If you live in Adelaide do you know any vets that to payment plans (not credit plans)

I live in the nothern suburbs but willing to travel for a vet that can help out!

[Erny]

Pimples/acne, can occur as a result of hair follicle inflammation. This can progress to small ulcerated sores. I'm not a Vet, but "small ulcerated sores" is what it looks like to me and they do look irritated and angry. Mastiffs are one of the breeds prone to this, but this doesn't mean it should be considered "normal", IMO.

Thing is, if the follicle/s rupture, it can turn into furunculosis and so this does require some attention.

Impressing upon you that I'm not a Vet, but that I have had a lot of first-hand experience with skin eruptions with my own boy. To soothe the skin, use a rinse of Calendula Tea. I'd start with a fairly strong brew for the first number of applications until you can see a reduction of inflammation (redness) and the sores settle back. I would apply the Calendula Tea after each meal and in between as necessary. Start with this now (i.e. urgently) if for no other reason than to soothe the skin and help prevent and stop further bacteria growth. Calendula Tea has remarkable anti-inflammatory and antibacterial qualities and its effects are fairly immediate in the provision of relief and fairly quick in helping the skin to heal. But it is not a cure in itself - there's usually an underlying reason for the problem and that's what needs to be investigated. However, I have found countless times over that the use of Calendula Tea 'buys' the time needed for those investigations and in my instance especially (but not necessarily only), has resulted in being able to avoid the administration of antibiotics and cortisone treatments that were otherwise suggested by numerous Vets along the way.

Diet still could be a factor - I'd investigate into a natural whole raw diet with a blend of raw veggies. If it were me. (And again, basing opinion on own experience with own dog.) It might not BE the diet that is causing the problem (although it could be), but the best and most suitable diet for your dog can help the system to strengthen and stabilise, resulting in a reduction of the problems and their severity, being experienced.

The above would be a start.

Again - if it were me - I'd avoid vaccination boosters (I'm assuming he's already been vaccinated and would therefore have immunity - a titre test would be able to confirm this) and I'd also avoid shampoos and/or any other chemical based applications. His system is fighting whatever is the cause of the problem and doesn't need the assault of other things to deal with at this time. Naturally, you need to take into account your immediate environment and weigh up what preventatives are absolutely necessary and which are not.

A hair-DNA test would reveal imbalances within the body and natural herbal supplements to assist the body heal itself would be beneficial.

Edited December 4, 2013 by Erny

[2boxer]

What a gorgeous boy! IMO it does look infected and vets would most likely use antibiotics to clear it. You could try bathing the area in betadine, or malaseb shampoo if you have any, but I would def try get him to a vet as soon as you can manage!

[trinabean]

My boxer had pimples that looked like that on his muzzle a while back. As he has allergy issues I regularly take him to a dermatologist vet. They determined it was a staph infection and prescribed Bactroban. It's a cream that you dab on each pimple. It was very effective. We ditched the melamine bowl and I use a ceramic one now.

[~Anne~]

I second the malaseb shampoo. If nothing else, a little salt in warm water to help keep it clean.

It may be infected though or bacterial which means a vet trip.

Does it flare up at certain times? ie hot humid weather, spring or when he is fed certain things?

Id give your vet a call. Given he has already seen him for the same problem, he should be a little more sympathetic to your plight and he could perhaps help you over the phone. My vet often helps me like this and I go in to pick and pay for whatever cream may be needed.usually this kind of support comes with a waiver 'if I can't see it, I can't diagnose it so if Thai doesn't begging to clear within a few days you will have to bring him...."

Also, ask him if he will do a payment plan at the same time in case you do need to take him in.

[Diane J]

You might want to try a 50/50 mix of Braggs apple cider vinegar (with the mother) to clean it. It has great antibacterial properties as well as other health benefits for dogs and humans.

[Florise]

He really needs to be seen by a canine dermatologist to get to the cause of the problem and properly diagnose it. Home remedies to soothe it are all well and good but there may be something causing it that an expert can resolve permanently. The area looks quite infected. It is difficult when cost is an issue. Has he had a course of antibiotics?

Edited December 5, 2013 by Florise

[persephone]

Not really cheap .. but if you don't want to use chemicals and are having a problem accessing vet care , consider using colloidal SILVER . I have seen it do good things with my animals ( cat fight abscess, goat with mastitis, dog with gunky eyes ) use internally and externally ....it is easy to use as it has almost no taste/smell - doesn't sting/foam or adversely affect surrounding skin

[Erny]

You might want to try a 50/50 mix of Braggs apple cider vinegar (with the mother) to clean it. It has great antibacterial properties as well as other health benefits for dogs and humans.

Apple Cider is good stuff ….. but would sting that already sensitive and sore skin, wouldn't it? Must admit, I like something that will offer immediate soothing. Like, ummmm, Calendula :D .

Edited December 5, 2013 by Erny

[persephone]

You might want to try a 50/50 mix of Braggs apple cider vinegar (with the mother) to clean it. It has great antibacterial properties as well as other health benefits for dogs and humans.

Apple Cider is good stuff ….. but would sting that already sensitive and sore skin, wouldn't it? Must admit, I like something that will offer immediate soothing. Like, ummmm, Calendula :D

agree. Vinegar solution ,and possibly saline solution may well sting /taste awful /make next treatment that much more difficult ;)

Calendula, hey? I think I have heard a whisper about that ,somewhere :p

[Diane J]

You might want to try a 50/50 mix of Braggs apple cider vinegar (with the mother) to clean it. It has great antibacterial properties as well as other health benefits for dogs and humans.

Apple Cider is good stuff ….. but would sting that already sensitive and sore skin, wouldn't it? Must admit, I like something that will offer immediate soothing. Like, ummmm, Calendula :D

When diluted this much, it doesn't sting. I've tried it on myself and there was no stinging at all :)

[Caesars mum]

Madcat this could also be an allergy to grass or something in the garden he is putting his face in. I would expect the ulcers all over him if it was food based allergy.

Watch for things like wandering dew and it's relatives very narsty group of plants.

[Bullmastiffmum]

Hey madcat,

Frank is a beautiful boy :)

Like others wrote always best to check with vet....

But my male bullmastiff, also suffered from a few out breaks of acne, over about a 6 month period, that looked similar, and he was about the same age, we used malaseb and it cleared it up.

Good luck.

[RuralPug]

Very good that you have ditched his plastic feed bowl.

You will also need to stop him using plastic water bowls and chewing plastic toys. Those pimples are infected, and you will need to clear up the infection as other posters have said, but do keep him away from the plastics to lessen the chance of a future re-infection. He is gorgeous!

[kelpiecuddles]

I would expect the ulcers all over him if it was food based allergy.

Why do you say this? Allergies are common in my family and it is not uncommon for reactions to be localised around the mouth, surely the same could apply to dogs?

[kelpiecuddles]

I use stainless steel mixing bowls as food bowls for my dogs, I like that there are no corners so they don't rub their faces raw on the bowls and they are great to clean, might be an idea for you, I think they were about $8 at Coles

[Erny]

I would expect the ulcers all over him if it was food based allergy.

Why do you say this? Allergies are common in my family and it is not uncommon for reactions to be localised around the mouth, surely the same could apply to dogs?

And if it were a contact allergy, one would expect the skin irritation to be more generalised, I would think.

[Pjrt]

I would expect the ulcers all over him if it was food based allergy.

Why do you say this? Allergies are common in my family and it is not uncommon for reactions to be localised around the mouth, surely the same could apply to dogs?

And if it were a contact allergy, one would expect the skin irritation to be more generalised, I would think.

I am highly allergic to pineapple and mango skin. Only the skin. I can handle the whole fruits and ingest the flesh but if the skin touches my lips in any way, I get terrible rash On my lips and around my mouth ,of pimples and cracked skin, and look like a clown for a fortnight!

Edited December 5, 2013 by skyefool

[~Anne~]

There are differences depending on the allergy.

Contact allergies are obviously related to contact. It could very well be a reaction to something to dog touches with it's mouth.

My vet gave me the common indicators for common skin issues when I ran my rescue. He said:

Contact allergy: generally involves the feet and sometimes the abdomen and the reaction is where the skin touches the allergen.

Dietary: a general spread over the torso and legs.

Fleas: the spot above the tail and spreading up almost following the spine

Demodectic mites: the muzzle and eyes are usually the first signs and then it spreads to other areas of the body

Sarcoptic mites: starts on legs, particularly elbows and armpits, ears and chest.

He also said that commonly, dogs with yeasty feet and ears have a dietary related allergy.

Pugs are prone to face pimples. It is almost always caused by the way they mush their faces into their food and their bowls. The pic of this dog looks very similar to what pugs look like with pimples. I would definitely think it is related to eating and I doubt it is a dietary related allergy issue.

Edited December 5, 2013 by ~Anne~

[Erny]

I think we miss something when we think of "dietary" in terms of allergies.

The dog might not be specifically "allergic" to any component of the food s/he is eating, but diet can bolster the system so that it can better deal with things that would otherwise show up as "allergy reactions".

Has the OP re-visited here since the thread began and response posts have come in?