Allover Rash /Castille Soap with Almond Oil?

ChrissyBz · 12-11-2007, 12:25 AM

Ahh, and everything was going so well.

Tonight I noticed that Cassie has a rash allover. Ate her dinner fine although when I came up I noticed a lot of long white hair on mum's rug which isn't normal and I think I saw some on my floor this morning as I was leaving my house. Not enough to really grab my attention just notice.
Took her temp, normal
Called the Vet. Was prescribed benadryl but we don't have any. Prednisone instead which I do have but really don't like.

Called the Vet again as the rash seemed to be dissipating a bit.
She's not in any distress,although she's a little depressed and clingy. But NOW she's started itching which she wasn't before.

I've decided to give her a bath with Dr. Bronners Almond Castille Soap. It's that or Aveeno which has a lot of chemicals and I don't want her ingesting them after the bath.
Right now she's resting at my feet under the desk. I just would like to know if anyone has used this soap before on their dogs or if they know of any problems with dogs and almond oil.

Renoman · 12-11-2007, 06:17 AM

By the looks of the picture, I personally think she needs more than a bath. If it were me, I'd have the vet take a look at her

ChrissyBz · 12-11-2007, 10:37 AM

Well, I did give her the bath, and when that didn't stop the itching I gave in and gave her the prednisone. Only 10mg but I just don't like steroids. I stayed up till 2 am rubbing her belly so she wouldn't scratch until the pred took effect.
The rash is still there this morning and we will be going in to see the vet. God we were just in there yesterday arranging for a dental appointment next week.For another dog, not Cassie.

ChrissyBz · 12-11-2007, 10:03 PM

Ok, well we went to see the vet and Jane checked her over and did a CBC. Gave her a shot of Dexamethasone to help with the itching. She called me this afternoon with the blood results and very strange. Her eosinophils are completely normal. That means no allergy.

What was high was her neutrophils which means a bacterial infection. Both me and Jane (vet)are puzzled. Her rash has faded but isn't completely gone and her appetite was good tonight.

Has anyone ever heard of an infection what causes a whole body rash? I mean all over, her skin was almost cherry red all over. It almost looked like she had a sunburn. With darker petechiae, her platelet counts are normal and are even higher than they were in November which were higher than October. As well she had no problems stopping bleeding when Jane took blood so they're performing correctly. She hasn't had a nosebleed since April.

She ok'd me to give her Benadryl for the itching if it crops up again and I'm going to start her on heavy doses of Salmon Oil and Vitamin E. Maybe some astragalus for a week or two. At least I don't have to give her more steroids
My little Puzzle Dog.

briteday · 12-11-2007, 10:11 PM

Is this the same dog that has tick fever?

ChrissyBz · 12-11-2007, 10:30 PM

Yes, well they all titered positive for E. Canis, but Cassie is the one that showed the most symptoms and over the longest period before we caught it. She's been doing so well. (they all have)And every time we do a CBC her blood work improves. She's been getting monthly bloodwork since the whole pill overdose liver problem in July. Last month her liver enzymes were completely normal for the second month in a row so finally we were going to go 2 months between tests and now this. sigh.

Annamarie · 12-11-2007, 10:54 PM

i was going to say from the picture, and from the sounds of your vet visit it would probably agree... that it looks like a staph infection on the skin.

when my dog had that we put him on antibiotics and bathed him with an antibacterial shampoo twice a day for a week.

ChrissyBz · 12-11-2007, 11:07 PM

We talked about that (antibiotics) but Cassie's been on so many antibiotics over the summer that Jane thought we should wait and see how her own immune system handles it first.
The astragalus may help as it's an immune system helper and it stimulates bone marrow. Her rash is now almost completely gone and she seems fine. Her temp was normal last night 101.4 and normal again at the vets today. It's very curious. She has never had any kind of rash ever before. No allergies. No sensitivities.
I wish she could talk.

ChrissyBz · 12-12-2007, 09:57 AM

Ok waiting for the dogs breakfast to warm up so I thought I'd post an update.

The rash is completely gone like it was never there I did a urinalysis on her last night and all values were completely normal.
Ph: 6
Specific Gravity: 1.020
Protein: Trace (high protein diet)
All other values normal
The test doesn't detect bacteria but with all other values normal....

This morning the dogs are getting Turkey(cooked) & Quinoa with green beans

which is what they were fed the morning of the night she got the rash. That night it was Beef(raw) & Potatoes. Everybody else has had no reactions (that I've noticed)