From:
"Jenna B"
Date: 2009-09-24 06:28:40 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] PERPLEXING skin infection? Rash? Burn? HELP!
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
OK guys the vet's office and I are PERPLEXED to say the least about an infection (?) or possible skin rash/burn my Charlie has "acquired" and we need help figuring out what's going on! Please take a moment to read the story below and email me directly with ANY suggestions. I plan to take Charlie to the vet for a skin "prick" biopsy on Friday, in hopes that the testing will be able to determine what this horrible skin issue is.
My email addy is: Flyinirish@hotmail.com (Jennifer Brown)
HISTORY: About a month ago I sudenly noticed, out of the blue one day, that Charlie had reddish-brown splotches on the lower sides of his mouth, (underside of his chin) and at the pores at end of his whiskers (I actually thought it was dried soup and tried to pull it off but it exposed raw skin as if it was a scab I had just pulled off). Then, within a day after that I noticed Charlie's front paws were slowing turning bright red and subtly but quickly swelling up and the topside of the skin was getting crusty and flakey while the bottom side (pads) were cracking and looking like there were warts on the pads (fungal infection?) Also, his left eye was looking pinkish and watery.
I began trying to think of what Charlie could have gotten in to and thought that he had maybe sustained a chemical burn of some sort from grass fertilizer since I had taken him out walking on the grass at a nearby park several days prior. That's all I could think of b/c nothing else in Charlie's daily routine has changed. The vet's office prescribed bendryl thinking it could be allergies since it's been bad here this season. After 2 full days of that, with no change (only getting worse), took Charlie back and different vet (Dr. XXX, name removed by moderator) took a much more thorough look at him and put him on Cefa drops (.50 mL every 8 hrs) and Pred (.15 mL every 12 hrs and gradually reduce dosage every 5 days). Charlie started getting much better almost immediately and then a few days ago, when we were at the end of the meds, the condition began flaring up again. Now we're back to the beginning and it's looking just as bad as when it first began.
I became convinced it was something in his soup although it's been the same basic recipe for years with the exception of a new brand of omega 3-6-9 blend oils (for humans) I'd begun adding instead of just flaxseed oil that I usually add in very small doses to each soup serving Charlie gets 2x/day as a treat. As process of elimination, I stopped the soup all together about 3 days ago but it doesn't appear now that that was the problem b/c Charlie's condition is not getting any better (he's still getting the Cefa drops and pred but drops are almost gone).
He's eating and drinking just fine and walks around as if he's in absolutely no pain whatsoever but I am DYING b/c his paws and face (chin) look HORRIBLE!!! I'm trying to wrack my brain about what might be causing this irritation but am clueless!!!
ANY SUGGESTIONS?????
SYMPTOMS
1. Maroon-colored sores around mouth, chin, side of face. Look bright red when they appear but then turn browinsh color as "scabs" form
2. Front paws bright red, swelling up, crusting, cracked skin on top. Underside of paws cracked, reddened, looks wart-like (back paws are in similar condition but not nearly as severe - just noticeble)
3. Red bumps have appeared on lower belly, under penis and same color/condition as sores on face
4. Penis is bright red and appears swollen sometimes
5. Numerous small mast cell tumors (?) appearing on lower back (and could possibly be what the "red bumps" are on belly
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