# Small Skin problem ?



## Gary Garner (Jun 30, 2007)

I've notice a little patch on Xena's head that seems a bit bare of fur....

She has grey eyebrows to start with, so are lighter than her face... but over the right eye it's a little bit bare. I don't think it's got particularly worse since I brought her home...but it's there nevertheless..

Any thoughts?


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

I would have the vet test for mites.


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## Gary Garner (Jun 30, 2007)

Connie Sutherland said:


> I would have the vet test for mites.


Yeah.. i'm going tomorrow morning....so I'll let him have a look..


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## Kristen Cabe (Mar 27, 2006)

Yep, it's probably demodex (which isn't contagious).


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## Gary Garner (Jun 30, 2007)

Kristen Cabe said:


> Yep, it's probably demodex (which isn't contagious).


You were correct 

The vet said demodex...but isn't 100% sure... 

Prescribed some ADVOCATE application to the rear of the neck. (i've since applied that..so we'll see if it works)>..

Xena was fighting him a bit in the surgery, so he couldn't do a scraping. He says if the ADVOCATE doesn't work, he'll have to do a scraping, under local mild anesthetic...to calm her down a bit.

We'll have to see if it sorts it out...


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

My dogs have gotten that same look and the best I could come up with was skidding after a fall. Mostly because I always saw it after skidding after a fall.

Your vet is gonna be rich.


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## Gary Garner (Jun 30, 2007)

Jeff Oehlsen said:


> My dogs have gotten that same look and the best I could come up with was skidding after a fall. Mostly because I always saw it after skidding after a fall.


There is that to it... you could be right..



Jeff Oehlsen said:


> Your vet is gonna be rich.


His Porsche wont pay for itself, you know...:-({|=


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

How much does vetcare cost in the UK?


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## Kristen Cabe (Mar 27, 2006)

Hey now, Jeff; demodex CAN be a serious problem. Gypsy had generalized demodex as a puppy, and lost all the hair on her belly and on the insides of her legs, as well as in patches on her back, and on the tops of her paws and on her muzzle. It was bad. It took over a year for her to recover and for the hair to grow back. 


Demodex can be treated with 1% ivermectin, given daily, at a much higher dose than you would give if you were using it for heartworm prevention (I am not going to tell you the dosage amount, so you will need to talk to your vet about it if you're interested). Demodex can also be treated with Mitaban (Amitraz, the same ingredient in Preventic collars) dips, given weekly, I believe. My vets do not do the dips because they say the dips are extremely hard on the dog's system. You can also give vitamins to boost the immune system, such as B-complex (not high potency), Ester-C, fish oil & vitamin E, and zinc. You can give the vitamins in conjunction with the ivermectin.


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## Patrick Murray (Mar 27, 2006)

Gary, your girl there is MAGNIFICENT, a really beautiful dog.


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## Gary Garner (Jun 30, 2007)

Mike Schoonbrood said:


> How much does vetcare cost in the UK?


Depends really...

Some prices:

Todays prescription of ADVOCATE remedy for Demodex was £25 ($50). That included the vet's time, diagnosis etc.

An inoculation (every year) costs in the region of £20($40)

A major operation, like the reversing of Torsion and aftercare, is approx £600-£1000($1213-$2020)

I pay insurance for my dog, which costs me £11($22.20) per month. That covers me for £2000($4043) in vet's bills per year.
Although I have to pay the first £50($102) of any claim.

Hope that helps/explains UK vet prices...


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

My JRT always wore the hair off above his right eye when he worked quarry underground. I have no idea how he did that!


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## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

is that the eye he's blind in? maybe he just can't see that edge of the dig...


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## Gary Garner (Jun 30, 2007)

She still has the bald patch, and it's grown slightly...perhaps about 3-5mm more.... it's pinky underneath..with a 3 or 4 red dots...

It could be a graze, like sometimes when she's running for ball and goes down with her face...but I don't think it is..

Not sure how long demodex takes to go..and of course the hair grown afterwards....

Will perhaps leave it for another week before returning to vets for a 'scrape' sample.. At least it's moved a bit further back from her eye, so it might be safer now..


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## Kristen Cabe (Mar 27, 2006)

Where it is in relation to her eye is irrelevant, Gary. Demodex usually presents itself on the face, and often above the eye(s), like in the pic of your girl. The hair loss is caused by the mites (they live in the hair follicles and eat dead skin cells, sebum and epidermal debris), and, if left untreated, it can get better on its own, _*or *_it can get worse and 'spread.' 

One thing you may want to do is give her some supplements to boost her immune system (B-complex, Ester-C, Zinc, Vitamin E), and help her body fight the mites on her own. 

This page explains a little more about the mites, and also about treatment with Advocate, if you're interested: http://www.advocate-spot-on.com/Demodex_Mites.1309.0.html

When Gypsy had it, I treated it with the supplements and 1% ivermectin.


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## Gary Garner (Jun 30, 2007)

Thanks for that Kristen...very interesting

The thing that is difficult now, is to tell when she is rid of them...

ie: having to wait for the hair to grow back, or not...:-x


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## Kristen Cabe (Mar 27, 2006)

Yeah, without doing a skin scraping, you have no way of knowing. It can't hurt anything to give the immune-boosting supplements, though, if you want.


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## leslie cassian (Jun 3, 2007)

Ringworm????


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## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

if it is ringworm, iodine will clear it up.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

ann freier said:


> if it is ringworm, iodine will clear it up.


I have heard/read that too.

Not sure I'd use iodine right over the eye.


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## Gary Garner (Jun 30, 2007)

I noticed that she'd scratched the area today, and made it bleed slightly...

I've since applied some vasoline (petroleum jelly) to the affected area, and she doesn't seem to have scratched it since.. So i'm guessing it was dry and itchy before...

I'll see if the advocate is working by the end of the week and perhaps have her back to the vets for a scraping..as it's a bit further away from her eye now...

The trouble is that i'm waiting for the hair to grow to be sure, and that's not a quick process of course...


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## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

Connie Sutherland said:


> I have heard/read that too.
> 
> Not sure I'd use iodine right over the eye.


it's true-at least it works in cattle. as far as being close to the eye, just be cautious and dab it on with a cotton pad so it doesn't run all over (i realize it's easier said than done w/a squirmy pup ). but in gary's case, best to treat/eliminate one thing at a time.


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## Gary Garner (Jun 30, 2007)

I applied the advocate treatment a week ago, and there's no noticeable difference, in fact it's got a little worse..

I've put some petroleum jelly directly on the affected area, to moisten it, as it appeared to be irritating her. This has seemed to have the right effect, as she's stopped scratching it...

It's moved a bit back from her eye, so perhaps a scraping will be possible, if it's no better in a week's time, when she's next at the vet's.

You can see the affected area in this picture I've just taken..;


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