[smartino]

I have a female, Yorkshire Terrier, Ava that was born in November of 2006. In November 2007, she was scratching herself making sores/hot spots. Her hair appeared greasy. I took her to my local vet on November 12. Her food was changed from Royal Canin to Science Diet Prescription ZD ultra. She was given a Dexanethasone injection, and put on Clavamox (antibiotic) for two weeks along with Prednisone for 5 days and half a tablet of infant Benadryl.
The sores cleared up and the itching had decreased. In mid- December, the symptoms returned. She was put on another round of Clavamox , prednisone and Benadryl; along with bathing her every other day with KetoChlor. Went back to the vet after two weeks; red bumps and inflammation were still present upon close examination of her skin. My local vet referred me to a dermatologist vet. I took Ava on February 15. Skin scrapping was done and cytology came back negative. Diagnosis was 3+ neutrophils and scattered eosniphils. Was put on Clavamox for 21 days, antihistamine trial of 2 weeks of Claritin, then 2 weeks of a ½ tablet of Zyrtec as well as bathing her weekly in Etiderm.

On March 21, 2008 changed the diet to a grain free kibble, Core wellness, a protein based diet.

The antibiotic cleared the sores up once again. Took Ava to local vet for rabies shot and he recommended going back to bathing with KetoChlor, which the dermatologist agreed. She is bathed twice a week. Approximately two days after bathing, her hair looks greasy and is not the same texture as her litter mate.

I don’t feel that the diet changes have had any effect on Ava’s skin issues. On April 10, 2008 started her on Atopica per the dermatology vet. She still scratches but doesn’t have red inflamed sores/hot spots. She is still being bathes twice a week with KetoChlor. She still scratches and has periods of time that her skin is very pink. The pink bumps of inflammation come and go throughout the day or from day to day.