A Worried Mom

Melakat

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Oct 9, 2010
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Hi All, I am a newbie and here because I am worried about my 4 year old Golden Retriever Oakley.

We have a cabin on a lake and last year he had an allergic reaction that took us to the vet - swollen face and lethargy. Not sure what got him could have been a sting or there are some wicked shrubbery with thorns and thistles in the neirhbourhood.

Last week we spent 5 days at the cabin. Same time as last years episode. The Fall Season. We had an ant infestation in one of our cabin walls. Needed to take the insulation out and replace it and spray with Raid. We kept the sprayed area covered so our Oakley would not get into it. Prior to leaving we did place some ant traps on the floor. He managed to sneak into the cabin while we were packing up and put one in his mouth. I caught him and removed within seconds. The container is sealed with a sticky peanut butter substance at bottom so I and our vet are not too worried about poisining from that few seconds of a sealed container with small holes for ants to get in.

Anyway fast track 4 days home from the lake. Oakley has all of a sudden large pussy, bleeding lesions on his snout..... The Vet also found a sore on each underside of the flops of his ears and the scrottum area. He told me he was a mess and wondered if by chance he may have gotten into the fiberglass somehow? We had it in a bag but one piece was leaning on our deck for a day. He has given him a shot of something, I think a type of predisone and he is now on antibiotics. The vet wants to see him again on Monday a.m. and he may need to do a biopsy. He said it could be something serious that may require a specialist but many types of things could cause these symptoms. He eats from metal containers and we have not switched dog food.

He does spend a lot of time in the water at the lake and we do a lot of hiking and he is the bush a lot. There are thistle type bushes in bloom in October.

My mind is racing with what may be going on and I am worried sick.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance for any words of wisdom and comfort.

Kathryn
 
I actually just found a post called Duke's Mom from March of this year. The pic of this dog and symptoms with also having lesions at the tips of the ears seem identical to Oakley's. The vet will do a biopsy on Monday but he wanted him to have some relief today with the shot which ultimately intereferes with biopsy results. Duke had a very unusual reaction to a spider bite. Interesting I had two spider bites this year....one at home and one at the lake. Wondering if this is what happened to Oakley like Duke...only time will tell and in the meantime I am trying not to worry too much :)

Here are some pics...hope they work:

DSC04017.jpg


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Aww poor sweet baby! I will be keeping him in my prayers. I bet it is some type of reaction to something out there probably sticker bushes or something. I wish I could be of more help.
 
I do remember the Duke's mommy post. When I saw your dog I knew the lesions looked familiar to me. It does look the same. I hope he gets relief soon.
 
Thank you everyone for you well wishes for Oakley and a very special THANK YOU TO DUKE'S MOM!!!

It is because of your post, pics with identical symptoms, sores on muzzle and particular on the underflaps of the tip of the ears, my veterinarian started to treat Oakley straight away with the recommended protocol of predisone and antibiotics....to treat Eosinophilic Furunculosis. We had a follow-up today, 2 days post start of treatment and the vet was AMAZED at how much better he looks.

We have a cabin and Oakley is often in the lake and around bees, ants, spiders and the works and has had bad reactions to bites in the past with different symptoms (lethargy & face swelling). This particular instance happened at home. Not as many bees out in the Fall but perhaps it was a spider bite.

Here he is just 2 days later and looking much better:

DSC04020.jpg



PS: As I brought in a suggested diagnosis the vet didn't charge me for the follow-up visit today. He was almost positive that it was more to do with a reaction than a systemic condition like lupus. He said as he is responding so well to treatment there is no need to biopsy at this point. He also gave me additional meds if we are ever to face this again.

It is Thanksgiving today in Canada and I have so much to be thankful for. Thanks again!!!
 

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