Sudden thirst increase, urine scald, high calcium, diet

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Tue Nov 26, 2019 9:04 pm


Here you go. I am hoping you will get some feedback from people more experienced than I am.

It looks like the skin is raised and bumpy? Is the center bump at all infected?

Image

daj

Post   » Tue Nov 26, 2019 9:28 pm


So, this has been going on for the better part of a year now. It's not as bad as it looks in the pic, as I adjusted the color and it looks like I made it too red. It's really more colorless, and the spot you mention is flaking dry skin. This condition in the picture comes and goes on all three, but not typically this bad. It's usually seems to be like a build up of dead skin cells.

I have had them to three different vets. I tried antifungal/antibacterial shampoo, C supplementation, CP coconut oil, two doses of Revolution several months ago. (Vet didn't want to do a third bcs mites were not discovered.) A month later I tried pour on Ivermectin at home, three doses 7-10 days apart. We did a skin culture on Jack to check for fungus. It came back negative.

Lately I have been vacuuming daily, and I have an air purifier on the way, hopefully for Friday. The vacuuming has seemed to exacerbate the itching. I made an appointment for the morning and will take all three in. The vet previously suggested injected Ivermectin, but I've been resisting. He's also suggesting trying Revolution for a longer period of time. Lately their skin has looked good, but then Henry (pictured) started getting the build up, and it's started to look a lot worse all of a sudden. I am at my wits end. Nothing I've tried has worked. Although their skin visibly improved with the shampoo and on the Revolution, the itching did not stop. p.s. They are 3 male skinnies, about 2-3 yrs. old. Thanks for any help!!!!

User avatar
Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Tue Nov 26, 2019 10:45 pm


Well, that's interesting. I'm not sure I have ever seen anything quite like that. If it isn't parasitic, and it isn't fungal, what does that leave? Something bacterial?

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Tue Nov 26, 2019 11:07 pm


It almost looks like poison ivy (an oil that is a skin irritant).

bpatters
And got the T-shirt

Post   » Tue Nov 26, 2019 11:20 pm


I don't think it's an infection or infestation at all. I could be wrong, but those spots look like seborrheic keratoses to me. I have them all over my back and arms. They sometimes flake off, they can be peeled off. I had them for years before they started itching, but now the itching drives me nuts.

If that's what it is, they might be able to be frozen off. The freezing is very uncomfortable, but only lasts for a couple of seconds. However, with a pig, I'd probably want him whiffed under anesthesia. Otherwise, you'd be traumatizing him for life. It absolutely hurts like hell.

What I wouldn't do is continue to treat with ivermectin or Revolution. It doesn't look at all to me like anything that either would treat.

daj

Post   » Tue Nov 26, 2019 11:58 pm


Bear in mind though, it comes and goes. Typically I can work some coconut oil into it and use some stiff paper to scrape it away, like a heavy build up of dead skin cells. I generally don't do this though, because I don't know if there is any benefit in it, and it's not something they enjoy. This instance is probably worse than any previous though. And they are all itching. Also, the previous treatment with Revolution did appear to halt whatever causes this. It seemed to dry up and go away, as far as I recall. It's just that the itching did not stop. Another pig, Jack had it on his back for weeks too, but just yesterday I noticed it's cleared up now.

I imagine the vet will want to try Revolution again. I will update after I speak with him tomorrow. Thanks to all for the thoughts.

bpatters
And got the T-shirt

Post   » Wed Nov 27, 2019 8:18 am


OK, if it comes and goes, it's not seborrheic keratitis.

daj

Post   » Wed Nov 27, 2019 12:15 pm


I am just back from the vet. I let him do a skin scraping because I don't see any other route at this point. He was extremely thorough. We were there for almost an hour and a half. He did numerous slides. There appeared to be a non-living mite on at least one slide. He let me have a look. It didn't look like the typical, well defined microscope image of a mite, but there did appear to be a partial body with leg-like protrusions. He also did a slide that he pressed to the scraped area that he said shows bacteria, so he thinks there is a secondary bacterial infection. His recommendation is to try an antibiotic (Baytril) and the subcutaneous Ivermectin for 3-4 treatments. I think I am coming around to going with it, as nothing else has helped in all these months. He also had or will have another vet look at the slides.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Wed Nov 27, 2019 12:49 pm


There are mites called demodex mites that, I believe, are very very small and difficult to get rid of, requiring multiple treatments to get under control.

I am guessing the finding of some possible mites could also be incidental to the underlying cause. But treating aggressively sure does seem like a worthwhile move.

p.s. bpatters, your suggestion of a skin condition was kind of what I was thinking of as a possibility. I'm glad you could put that out there.

daj

Post   » Wed Nov 27, 2019 3:29 pm


Anyone know offhand, what 60 ml of Baytril typically costs? I was expecting $15-$30. The online service by mail is charging $61.51 for one bottle of Baytril. This seems outrageous to me. Am I mistaken? I don't recall paying so much for an antibiotic.

User avatar
Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Wed Nov 27, 2019 5:43 pm


The injectable Baytril is expensive, and that sounds about right. Any chance you can get the tabs instead?

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Wed Nov 27, 2019 9:17 pm


It is a fairly large amount. I think that is about right too. You could shop around to see if you can find a better price.

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