Hot spots between toes

[KobiD]

Summer has rolled on and our little girl, 14months mixed breed, has hot spots between a couple of her toes (all paws). We live in the tropics so first thought was fungal but after a week of treating daily with nizoral 2% the condition has not really got any better. Some look a bit cleaner and not as red as previously, but others have also got larger (possibly due to licking).

 

Have also done 1 x wash with malaseb in that time and intend to do so again today, but am a bit shy about excessive washing. Washing just her feet alone is quite difficult.

 

Does anyone have any other suggestions? We've moved her across from her normal feed to a grain free variety incase it were something allergy related.. we introduced some raw lamb offcuts around the same time that the flare up occurred but it was only 4 x servings spread over a month or more so don't think that would be it (never know). Nothing else diet wise has been changed.

 

If allergy related would an antihistamine be of assistance?

[PANDI-GIRL]

MERRY  CHRISTMAS  

 

           

[sandgrubber]

Contact allergies?

Do you have Tradescantia (aka wandering Jew) growing in your yard?  Many dogs are allergic to it.

[Dogsfevr]

Does the dog swim 

[DogsAndTheMob]

Make sure she doesn’t have grass seeds between the toes. Some dogs have deep indentations between their toes, covered by the webbing, where grass seeds can work in. The discomfort will often make a dog lick her toes, creating something like a hotspot.

 

Barley grass, in particular, can be nasty. I’ve known it to work in between the toes and right up to the dog’s pastern, causing an abscess there.

[KobiD]

She doesn't swim.. But the grass is moist most mornings and she is outside in it.

No wandering jew plants here. No environmental changes from when she was a baby a year ago.

Very familiar with grass seeds including the spear grass that tend to bury into the skin causing discomfort etc. No foreign bodies caught between her toes, nor is there any puss or abscess. Just hairless red skin, that sometimes appears a bit weepy.

 

The malaseb appears to have done a better job at reducing the inflammation than the anti fungal cream so I think I will try complete foot soaking once daily, leaving on for 10 mins and then rinsing and see if we can get ahead of it.

 

She doesn't appear overly phased by it either. No significant pain response when touching the area and no changes in behaviour. Still happy and playful.

[Dogsfevr]

I would be buying dog boots and seeing if that reduces the flare ups.

The dog may have co tact allergies or bad tinea 

[persephone]

Do you have any photos of a spot , or spots?

[KobiD]

I can try and get a few pics.

 

Interestingly, she doesn't have it between her middle toes. Only the outer ones.

[KobiD]

Couple of little pics where you can see the inflamed skin. As above, none of it appears overly raw, or sensitive. It does tend to crust/scab up a little in places though. Mainly located between the outer toes, and a bit up the leg towards the due claw, and a small patch up the hind leg too (along the tendon).

It does appear to be responding well to daily soaks in malaseb so will continue with that. Also realised I had started feeding some tinned sardines in spring water which may have also been around the same time, so holding off on those and raw lamb to see if they could be a possible food allergy. 

 

Also note, paws are wet in these pictures. Were taken just after her morning soak and rinse.

 

Edited December 27, 2017 by KobiD

[Papillon Kisses]

Have you thought about seeing a vet? That’s what I would do...

Edited December 27, 2017 by Papillon Kisses

[karly101]

Looks like allergy - malaseb is probably helping by removing some of the allergens and helping reduce bacteria load. You would probably get much quicker response to treating the cause (steroids + antihistamine trial) a boot trial could also be helpful. Agreed a vet will be helpful for treating and creating a step by step plan to get a diagnosis because bathing daily in malaseb won't be great for the skin long term. 

[KobiD]

We're only on day 2 of malaseb. Well aware of the long term implications, and also only applying to the effected areas.

 

Haven't consulted with a vet at this stage but it's definitely on the cards if we don't see an improvement. The local place is a bit of a rotating door (similar to a 24 hour clinic). I have a more trusted vet but it's a bit of a drive to get there so working through a few things prior. Obviously being that this has peaked at Christmas it's not really the best time to be making appointments for something I don't really see as an emergency as such. As we're all aware allergies can take some time to find the trigger (be it environmental or food related).

[KobiD]

This morning have noticed another patch of hair starting to thin out above her front ankle up the back side. Not red, not flakey or inflamed. Just thinning hair, but pretty sure it's the same thing. Off to the vet tomorrow I think.

[jemappelle]

That sounds like a good idea and don't do any more treatments so that the vet can take a skin scraping in case it is mites or something that can be seen under the microscope.

[KobiD]

Great advice and was also my intention. Hopefully things will be back on track again soon. I'll keep you all updated and appreciate the advice given. 

[KobiD]

So scrape and tape samples came back negative on mites/mange and fungus, however there was some bacteria as expected with some ongoing raw skin and dog licking behaviour. 10 days of antibiotics to keep infection at bay and twice daily topical steroid. The vets don't miss you on prices for meds. Think i'll probably get a script and shop around next visit.

 

Got some advice but nothing that I hadn't read already. Vet believed probably an allergy. Suggested seeing if we could get this flare up under control and some vitamin e and moisturising products to boost immune/skin, and continue with malaseb every other day for a week and then once weekly after. If that is all it takes happy days, however also said dermatologist hit's the region 4 times a year and highly recommended going that route if it becomes a continuous battle. I asked about antihistamines but their opinion was that not many dogs respond well to them. I personally think I'd rather look into that before allergy tests and shots to build tolerance to whatever she is allergic to.

[Boronia]

On 12/29/2017 at 3:51 PM, KobiD said:

So scrape and tape samples came back negative on mites/mange and fungus, however there was some bacteria as expected with some ongoing raw skin and dog licking behaviour. 10 days of antibiotics to keep infection at bay and twice daily topical steroid. The vets don't miss you on prices for meds. Think i'll probably get a script and shop around next visit.

 

Got some advice but nothing that I hadn't read already. Vet believed probably an allergy. Suggested seeing if we could get this flare up under control and some vitamin e and moisturising products to boost immune/skin, and continue with malaseb every other day for a week and then once weekly after. If that is all it takes happy days, however also said dermatologist hit's the region 4 times a year and highly recommended going that route if it becomes a continuous battle. I asked about antihistamines but their opinion was that not many dogs respond well to them. I personally think I'd rather look into that before allergy tests and shots to build tolerance to whatever she is allergic to.

this stuff is pretty good  http://www.ausnaturalcare.com.au/grahams-natural-alternatives-calendulis-plus-cream-50g?gclid=CjwKCAiAj53SBRBcEiwAT-3A2GSCgN5Wyk--5P16dCpVTY97YQeLZkQ2XaN3u8p9fMci9lDMGazQXBoC3msQAvD_BwE

and this http://www.return2health.net/first-aid/tea-tree/thursday-plantation-tea-tree-cream/?cur=aud&gclid=CjwKCAiAj53SBRBcEiwAT-3A2Ap_Mv2hgULa1DV8Nn5eaFHZtYWdRFT5YAAsHvZoh_0pGQ5UBqfyNhoCvkUQAvD_BwE

 

shop around on-line for better prices as I just inserted the first search that came up

[KobiD]

Still treating this. Things were appearing to be clearing up but then this morning looks like a few spots have flared up again.

 

More reading on the subject and appears paspalum grass is also a common allergen. We have a bit of this down the back yard isolated to a corner behind the shed where the dog tends to do her business. The rest of the yard is buffalo. I have had a bit of a session cutting/pulling some of it out and will continue to do so. It's also in the park around the corner is a few areas.. What I have also noticed is that my dog is drawn to it and likes to eat it. Go figure?

 

 

[KobiD]

Quick one for those in the know? Is it more typical for an animal to be allergic to the actual plant itself, or the pollen released when seeding? Flare up seems to have hit with spring/summer and some of the grass had dry seed while others still green.