Sores between each toe on each foot!!!

Mika's Mom · Post by **Mika's Mom** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 9:27 am

Hello Everyone!!

So, for those who read my last post about our 1.5 yr old Mika's hot spot - it was cleared up just by keeping her off of it and putting the Variton cream on it. Yay!

However - the plot thickens....

We noticed that her feet seemed very Itchy the last couple weeks...she was always anxious to bite them and itch them however/whenever she could...my husband would put her "cone" on during the day while he was working (from home) and whenever we were with her we would take it off. She would go immediately to her paws to lick and scratch them crazily...very bizarre. I took a closer look at her paws and in between EACH ONE of her toes, front and back there are what look to be sores...redness and it looks almost like they were bleeding? We haven't let her lick enough to ever cause these type of sores/irritation.

We are taking her to the vet this afternoon to see what this could be. We really have no idea. As I mentioned before in my posts, we are very clean people, have a clean house and take such good care of our girl, we are really baffled. The only thing we can think of is that she may have outdoor allergies in addition to her food allergies?

It all seemed to have started when the snow here was melting (Ottawa, ON Canada) We have cedar mulch in our garden beds in the backyard - she had been walking on them (to my dislike!) so perhaps an allergy to the cedar mulch?

Has anyone else had this happen to their Chow? We are really at a loss of what it could be. I am almost certain the vet will put her on some type of antibiotic and probably want to do a series of allergy testing as they always seem to prolong every treatment ($$?)

Any help you could offer would be great! I know you are all so helpful and we appreciate every last one of you and your knowledge!!

Thanks,
Sarah

Mika's Mom · Post by **Mika's Mom** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 9:14 am

Update:

We took Mika to the vet yesterday and they drew blood to do allergy testing. When we spoke to the breeder later in the evening, they are suspecting Lupus - so I have now asked for that test as well.

Everyone keep your fingers (or toes) crossed for our little girl!

We won't know results from the allergy testing for at least 3 weeks

Sarah

bubba · Post by **bubba** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 9:52 am

i sure hope its not LUPUS !!!!

some vets are like human doctors always sending one for tests that come back negative,
every time i find a bad spot on my chow i wash it with iodine theraputic soap and it goes away //

luck
michael

dchernandez · Post by **dchernandez** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 10:01 am

Fingers crossed and I like to give these out

for good luck

SWANCIN · Post by **SWANCIN** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 11:37 am

Hi Sarah, I PM'd you about similar situation with our Kodi.

Take care,

Victory · Post by **Victory** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 11:45 am

I hope it's not lupus as well. I'm thinking it's allergies from the mulch as you have suggested. mulches, decaying leaves all of those things get moldy over the winter with the snow, scientists have measured the heat inside such and it's higher than you would think, thus making a good place for molds to grow. and then the snow melts allowing dogs, cats and people to be exposed to the molds. For humans the symptoms are usually runny noses and eyes, itchy eyes. For dogs the symptoms are itchy paws, runny eyes and ears.

Unfortunately the itchy paws can quickly become infected. My Darkwind was allergic to leaf and hay molds, he got into some hay, (before I knew he was allergic) after the snow melt, the hay looked nice and clean, (it was a big pile) but not 20 minutes after we came back from our walking he was licking his paws to beat the band, took in him to the vet 36 hours later and he had a slight infection, all the tissue between the pads was red and some of it beginning to ooze.

My LiChi was allergic to any sort of ever green, if he got around or under some, a few hours later his eyes would start to run and his ears would start to itch. If I didn't get his ear drops in and his eye drops in, in two days both ears and eyes would be runny messes.

Canines with food allergies often have contact allergies as well, just like people.

chowfrnd88 · Post by **chowfrnd88** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 5:30 pm

Oh Sarah, sorry to hear about Mika. Keeping our fingers crossed...

Salandra · Post by **Salandra** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 12:49 am

I hope all turns out well for Mika. Sounds like Allergies to me also. I hope its not Lupus.

kiwani · Post by **kiwani** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 3:10 pm

Re: "It all seemed to have started when the snow here was melting ..."

What often occurs is that rock salt deicers change the skin pH, and in addition, the moisture between the toes, provides the ideal environment for yeasts to flourish, leading to sores between toes. It may be that your carpet cleaning solution contributed to the pH problem as well. You might try the Malacetic vinegar/boric acid solution, (anti-yeast ear cleaner). It's also used on yeasty wounds. Hope that's all it is.

Mika's Mom · Post by **Mika's Mom** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 6:05 am

Hi Everyone!

Yeast was ruled out as they did a test - poor girl is on anti-histames which do not seem to help much...she sits there, looks at her paws and whines because she wants to lick so bad but we will not let her (she is so good...)

The test takes a whopping 3 weeks, another 1.5 weeks to go I think. We are hoping to get the results before we go on vacation next weekend...and get our girl fixed up

I seem to think it is allergies too b/c of all the research I have done, Lupus seems "different", scabby, blistering, etc. She doesn't have that yet - just a lot of irritation between her toes.

Do you think I can put Gold Bond powder on her toes?
And the iodine, where do you buy that and what should I look for? Do I dilute it 1:3??

Thanks Everyone - you're all so great!

Sarah

Post by **chris** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 6:35 am

Keeping our fingers and paws crossed too. You can get iodine at the pharmacy.... like Walgreens if you have one near you.