# Help with MRSA and possible pyoderma



## BabyPitty (Apr 4, 2016)

I am writing this post as I am close to devastation. My Pit-Mix Bella is as sweet as they come but since she was a year old she has been suffering from allergies. It started with a hotspot on her foot and since then she looks like she suffers from mange. Mange and Demadex has been ruled out by her Vet multiple times. 

She is currently on Elequine and we are hoping it will help. But it does not look like. She is almost through her 20 days and there is absolutely no improvement. She also gets a medical bath once a week. The biggest issue is that she has MRSA which makes it impossible for antibiotics to works. 

Her skin is crusty and red, she runs a fever every couple of days. She also licks and scratches her skin. Her foot was swollen almost twice in sice because she kept licking and irritating her foot. I dont know how to add a picture, otherwise I would add one. 

I am feeding her Grain Free and Poultry free food. No cheap treats either. 

It is draining my bank account and I just cant afford the vet visits much longer. She is in so much discomfort if not even pain. 

I am going to the vet again tomorrow as there is no improvement. She will be 4 in July.

Any ideas on what else I can do try? Any similar experience?


----------



## jttar (Jan 31, 2013)

Welcome to the forum. Really sorry to hear about you girl. Hopefully another member will be of more help. Wondering if Benadyrl might ease the symptoms. With the fever and swelling it sure sounds like an infection. Perhaps trying a different vet for another diagnosis?

Joe


----------



## BabyPitty (Apr 4, 2016)

Hello and thank you!

I don't know why but I always keep forgetting about benadryl. I will get some today at least for the swelling. 

I was planning on seeing another vet but I am kinda staying with this one because they know her history but also my history. I just became a single mom so they do usually give a little discount. 

I might have to invest to see a new vet if that might help though. I just want her to be comfortable at least.


----------



## EckoMac (Aug 25, 2010)

What is the food you feed? What kind of shampoo are you using? Are you supplementing any oils in the food? Are you using anything topically? 
I understand that MRSA is antibiotic resistant, but wouldn't the antibiotics still help other infections? Are you using the cone of shame?


----------



## BabyPitty (Apr 4, 2016)

I am not at home so I don't remember the name of the food or the shampoo but I will check it out as soon as I get home! I just started Fish pills but I have been adding plain yogurt to her food. 

Besides that I only use neosporin for deeper/open wounds.

Maybe I misunderstood how MRSA works but I was under the impression that with MRSA antibiotics wont work for her at all. Or only the ones that she is not resistant to. So even with other infections they don't help. But I could be absolutely wrong. 

I have not been using a cone on her. She has actually eaten two after her last surgery. We do have another cone, the one we got after her last ACL surgery and its more like a fabric and that seems to work better. I might give that one a try. At least she wouldnt be able to lick her skin raw anymore.


----------



## BCdogs (May 30, 2014)

Have you had a culture and sensitivity done to find out what she's resistant to?


----------



## EckoMac (Aug 25, 2010)

Coconut oil can be used as a topical on surface abrasions and irritated skin. I'm not a vet, but to me, It really sounds like awful allergies that scratching has turned into infections. 

To post pictures go to a photo sharing sight like photobucket, download your photo and then copy and paste the image link into the thread.


----------



## BabyPitty (Apr 4, 2016)

Sorry, yesterday was just too crazy.

I got some good recommendation on a local page and I went to a local pet store to get raw goats milk. We are going to start that today. In Addition I bought her a new brand of food. I was talking to the manager and her staffordshire terrier had similar problem. Her food is now grain free and its kangaroo meat, no chicken fat but turkey fat. We are going to give this a try and see how it goes. I am also getting the cone of shame today from her surgery place since she seemed to be somewhat acceptable of that one.

We are going to see her Vet again today.

Here are some picture from Saturday and Yesterday. 








 (in this pic her skin is weeping)


----------



## BabyPitty (Apr 4, 2016)

Here is another one. It shows the fold she will get on her neck. They smell horrible and the skin is weeping.


----------



## Blossom01 (Nov 8, 2014)

BabyPitty said:


> .
> 
> It is draining my bank account and I just cant afford the vet visits much longer. She is in so much discomfort if not even pain.
> 
> ...


She does look miserable and painful.

It's hard to imagine, but sometimes dogs can't recover from some skin conditions.

If you haven't already and can afford it, go see the best canine dermatologist you can find.

I am speaking for myself, but I could not watch a dog go through this for very long.


----------



## BabyPitty (Apr 4, 2016)

We are going to see her regular vet today. I will give it another week or two and see if the recent changes will bring improvement before seeing an allergist/dermatologist.


----------



## ChicagoDog (Dec 28, 2017)

*Cure for one type of skin disease*

Judging by your photos, your dog has a condition similar to that which plagued my dog. Her problem was not dietary but a yeast skin infection.

By applying a topical acidifying product ( apple cider vinegar) to her coat the ph of her skin was changed making it inhospitable to the yeast. Her torment abated.

Your vet can find an article describing the science at :
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC227028/

I have included a copy of the first few paragraphs below:

Evaluation of the effect of pH on in vitro growth of Malassezia pachydermatis
Jennifer L. Matousek, Karen L. Campbell, Ibulaimu Kakoma, Philip F. Solter, andDavid J. Schaeffer

Abstract
Malassezia pachydermatis is a commensal yeast of mammals that causes a pruritic dermatitis in dogs and is a perpetuating cause of canine otitis externa (1). Topical antifungal therapies are routinely used to speed relief and resolution of Malassezia dermatitis and otitis. Frequent use of antifungal shampoos, conditioners, and ear medications may help to decrease the recurrence of yeast infections in some animals.
In addition to products with antifungal activity; such as, miconazole, topical products that lower cutaneous pH are also used as adjunctive therapies for canine Malassezia infections. The rationale for acidification of the skin is based on the acid mantle theory, which proposes that the relative acidity of human skin serves as a protective barrier against infection by cutaneous microorganisms


----------

