I tried him on the Hill's Allergy food last year - can't recall the specific name but I got it in a pinch when PetSmart was out of Hill's I/D GI - using only 6 kibbles per meal and he had a bad, bad bout of N&V starting the next day, with some amount of N&V, loose stools for about 10 days despite the nausea and diarrhea medication!!! What is wrong with this boy's gut? I'm so scared of trying anything new on him because of his acute, always predictable reaction. But we'll see - if they recommend any diet changes I'll have to try them just to see I know - somehow we have to get a handle of this bad smell - like ultra bad Frito Feet all over. He's got one healing hotspot on his chest and little itching. I'm thinking if whatever is causing that smell gets into his organs or blood stream, it could be serious. I'm so out of ideas!

Thanks. I hope we find something to help poor, stinky, kinda itchy little Tibbe. Still waiting to talk to the vet on Tibbe and turns out my doc today said my right chest pain is a costochondral separation and only time will help, maybe some Voltaren cream or he could put a block in it! Nope! Said heavy lifting or too much lifting and strain did it and to "take it easy". How do you do that with a dog to bathe/rinse every day, groceries to carry in, beds to strip, life to live, etc.? Ah, well, at least it's not something drastic!

No, I didn't know...you are losing a vet too?

Jeanie, ask about the warm water and vinegar. Did you ever see the pics of Cody from years ago? He was covered with bacteria and yeast. They put him on antibiotics and advised baths in Selsun Blue Shampoo with a rinse of water and vinegar after.

If you have not seen before and after pics of that little miracle, here:

Index of /cody

One of the soaks I have used twice was warm water and white vinegar but the amount of vinegar I used is about 1 tbsp. to one cup of water. Also tried mixing in a tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide in another rinse, together with the tablespoon of vinegar to little effect. Tried a tablespoon of baking soda in a cup of water another rinse - no difference in post-rinse odor. I changed the portions to 1/3 cup hydrogen peroxide and 1/3 cup white vinegar and 1/2 cup water and Tibbe kept lifting up his feet, as if they were burning or something - acting uncomfortable. I quickly got him out of that and rinsed off his feet and he licked them for a while until I shampooed them off and dried them and put some vaseline on them. But they didn't stink for a while after that but of course I wouldn't use that combo again. I'll continue to rinse him in vinegar and water and up my portion of vinegar but should I try half- and half?

All I can say once again is God bless you, Linda, for your work with these babies! I CANNOT BELIEVE THE UTTER CHANGE IN LITTLE CODY IN THOSE PICTURES! He IS a miracle! Bless his sweet little heart! I hate to even see that before picture of that poor little baby. He looks utterly miserable and lost, hopeless. You sure made his life over by helping that baby get ride of that horrible infection! Imagine how good he felt getting free of that mess! If our early regimen doesn't work, we're changing to Selsun Blue and keeping up the vinegar/water rinses!!!

The vet would know if this is yeast or not if they looked under the microscope. An infection of this magnitude most likely will not clear with a topical antifungal.

If the food is causing this he does need to be switched. I understand..Ellie can only eat one food..but it may be necessary.

I don't want to get into my personal opinions of probiotics and coconut oil, just remember if it sounds too good to be true...Probiotics cause stomach upset in some dogs. And adding additional fat to a Yorkie's diet, even if coconut oil, is not always indicated. I think you should talk to a veterinary nutritionist.

We had quite a day yesterday, didn't get down until after 8 pm last night. My right costochondral joints are aching! My vet was back yesterday evening(wasn't supposed to be back until Friday or Monday) and actually saw Tibbe also and spoke to me about him. She said with a yeast infection, there is almost always a combination of bacterial-yeast infection in the skin and pads and gave him a shot of Convenia 80 mg., after we talked at length about it being safe, to assure me that the antibiotic wouldn't cause the yeast to flourish or be likely to put him into liver or IBS crisis, though either is possible. She put him on an anti-fungal lotion to use on hotspots called Conzol 1%(a miconazole nitrate), also on the pads and skin in between baths/rinses if I smell odor and also suggested applying a solution of the HexachlorK in between baths to his feet, rinse off and pat dry, if I want.

She said that she was a little worried about using Nystatin or Diflucan due to the toxic effect on the liver because of his MVD but said we'll have to use it if this infection/odor persists. She didn't think a culture or sensitivity was called for yet - wanted to try simple things first as this is early in his infection(SHE doesn't have to live around this poor little boy's rank smell or sleep with him on her pillow!!! lol! ;). I've used more air freshener and sprayed so much cologne in the air and over the couch cushions I'm running out of both!

She okayed the coconut oil, saying treatments often won't work longterm if an infection is deep-seated or returns quickly, advising trying only a tiny amount at first due to his IBS, probiotics, apple cider vinegar in small amounts at first his water and continuing the vinegar/water rinse, too, if I'd like, but I was so tired by the time I got there last evening, I forgot to ask her what proportions I should use and how often! We still had to drop by the store to pick up a few things and go to the pharmacy for my prescription so by the time we got home(for which Tibbe got the biggest thrill getting so much attention and my chest/shoulder got sorer - but it was worth it to see him lapping up all that attention and energy). Tibbe got his Hexachlor-K bath/10 minute soaking in it and drying, I got my shower and we both ate dinner, we were dead tired when we hit the couch.

Lisa(lisaly) called to check on us(bless her sweet heart - what an angel) and we spoke for a while and then Tibbe and I were both out for the night, spending the whole night on the den couch! We were just too tired to make the trek down to the bedroom and turn back the covers and I seriously doubted my right arm would work well enough to do it. I asked him if he wanted to "go to bed" and he just raised his head and looked at me and put it right back down. Needless to say, I'm very sore this morning from sleeping on the couch! Woke up with Tibbe right beside my face on the couch pillow and he wasn't smelly!

Is this for real? So far, no bad smell yet this morning and the part of my pillow and portion of the den couch Tibbe slept on is not stinky this morning!!! Could that shot and last night's Hexachlor-K bath have begun to work so soon? I'm almost in disbelief - I know the odor will come back because we have a long battle ahead of us fighting this infection but I'd have thought it would be back by morning as it has in the past after a late bath. I know the Hexachlor takes the odor away for a while but usually not for this long before I can catch a whiff of it beginning again after a bath.

I forgot to ask about the Betadine and how to use it - but will wait for now to see if this regimen works and we can go to that later if we need to. I'll also run the Selsun Blue past her, should be need to change from Hexachor, if it stops working, which she said might happen at some point if this persists.

That's all for now - chest is so sore I'm about to cry so I'll close and thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your help, ideas, caring, concerns, support and prayer. YorkieTalk is my "go-to" place for just about everything as I know I'll get so much help here!

Tibbe had a normal breakfast and has been outside this morning and seems perfectly normal, not sleepy or lethargic or anything right now. He's scratched about 4 times since coming back inside - something he always does as he's so short and the grass itches his underside. So far, so good. :)

Why is th vet afraid to use an antifungal? The bloodwork was "normal" you said so there's no reason not to.
My dog has MvD and has never had "normal" bloodwork and has had antifungal oral meds at least half a dozen times in her lifetime.

I would not be wasting my time with baths, probiotics, or coco oil.

I would call this vet back and insist she put him on oral meds! Omg I would be fuming over this!!

Oh, Cathy, I think she's just very cautious right now as Tibbe's reactions to meds are not very friendly and she's hoping we can get a "simple" handle on this as we've been some rough times with him. She will use those if this persists.

Ok good luck!

Jeanie, the rinse is 50/50 warm water and white vinegar. :)

Ah, okay, that's what I'll use.

So far, believe it or not, he's had just the tiniest odor in his pawpads starting up about 11:00 a.m., so I used the Conzol(miconizole nitrate) lotion just a few minutes ago on his pawpads and underbelly and it totally wiped out all odor on them, which heretofore, only a full bath in the HexaChlor-K has done. That stuff is highly medicinal smelling but it didn't seem to burn him or anything - he's had no reaction so far. I'll use the coconut oil on his pawpads when it arrives, too, and put some on his underbelly and a tiny bit to start on his food at first to be sure it doesn't kick off his IBS or anything. Been reading up a bit on the Convenia, too, and it seems an accepted protocol to use in yeasty skin infections! Who knew? I'm just hoping and praying it doesn't cause a wide-spread yeast overgrowth but obviously the vet weighed that in, as much as I questioned her before I gave my okay.

https://www.zoetisus.com/products/co.../convenia.aspx

I checked him over this morning - no hot spots at all remain, thank goodness. His ears are not smelly either.

I have had many pups with bacterial and fungal infections (Cody was the worst), but this is very common with allergy pups. I have never had a problem with antibiotics causing any type of overgrowth of yeast.

You have NO IDEA how comforting that was to read just now, Linda. Here's virtual (((((hug))))) for telling me that. Felt a knot just smooth out of somewhere. I know just enough to worry myself into spasms and worries.

Tibbe seems to be moving a little slowly this morning - but he's never absolutely normal acting after getting medicine of any kind or after a visit to the vet. But he's searching the floor now for his chewies like he wants to play chewie-chase so maybe he's feeling okay - just a little tired after his big day and evening in the shops. He loves going to the vet and seeing everybody up there, getting any attention he can from them all and being around all the other dogs up there if even in different cages and I usually hear him barking his excited bark the moment I walk in the door there. I fear he's one of their loud-mouth patients - barking for attention a lot of the time he's there. I imagine he's just a little tired plus medicine always seems to make him lethargic.

I've hung back for so long from getting the advice from a veterinary nutritionist because I'm so scared they will most likely insist on diet change, with some amount of lean or raw meat or cooked vegetables and Tibbe and I will get to spend the next 10 days to two weeks fighting another acute bout of IBS, with him doing all of the suffering and me the 24-hour worrying. His two vets now have seen him going through the episodes enough now that they have stopped trying to suggest diet change.

What I don't understand I how I can change his diet when the tiniest bit of change of food can send him into days of N&V? Nothing has helped him out of these episodes but medication for his symptoms, time and making sure he only eats his usual, routine diet once he resumes eating or if I have to force-feed him a broth of his food via syringe if he goes past a day w/out voluntary eating. Does the vet nutritionist have some special medication they put the dog on before trying the new diet or despite his running, bloody diarrhea, retching up foam(not vomiting as he doesn't eat when he's sick) we just keep offering the chicken/new food until he accepts it and it no longer makes him sick? The thing is, when he's having one of those IBS bouts, he just won't eat until he's better and then if he eats different food, it sends him back into another bad bout but hopefully the vet nutritionist will have way to deal with that.

Would you know how I can go about finding an excellent vet nutritionist in my area, Crystal?

Hard to believe and I know it's just temporary, but all Tibbe's bad odor is just gone this morning! Wiped his anti-fungal lotion on and over completely normal-smelling feet and underbelly this morning! But it's two weeks from now, when the antibiotic wears off, that I know I need to worry about. Still, it's lovely to have a normal-smelling Yorkie again for a while. :)

dog
 

Prayers for my favorite dog, Tibbe. I hope the vet has the answers to this precious dog's problem . Wish I could help. I am dealing with the same stuff. Spud is only eating Hills zd but still thin and not as rambunctious.

Jeanie, I am glad you are having good results in Tibbe's odor and I am hope he will continue to be fine after the antibiotics.

As far as food...Bentley can't be off of Hill's Precription Z/D Ultra because of allergies and also he will get terrible diarrhea. I have kept him almost exclusively on this and maybe for a treat, a couple slices of banana. I hope Crystal can advise you on the food situation.

He just got over a yeast ear infection...from what I don't know. He had to have 5 drops of meds to clear it up and it went away. I am limiting the banana treat to once or twice a week in case it was due to that.

I am thinking of you and hoping you feel better with rest and trying to keep from doing too much. On the grocery situation you mentioned...have you considered a grocery cart like from many years ago. I hope you know what I mean by it. It would save you from carrying groceries from the car to your home. Hugs to you, Dyan

Thank you all so much. He's kinda got a bit of Frito Feet tonight but the faint odor is absolutely nothing like the rank smell he's had, poor boy. I'll probably wait until closer to bedtime to use his miconazole nitrate lotion on them as he'll be lying with his feet under him all night, warm and likely breeding bits of yeast and bacteria.

Lisa, your "care package" came this evening when I checked the mail I found in on the porch - never even heard the delivery man come! Tibbe really went all over it with his nose before I opened it! He gets to scent everything we get here by mail or delivery and he totally went crazy when I sat the box down for him to go over. No doubt he smelled Katie!

Imagine my surprise when I opened it to find a veritable serendipity of goodies - like an unexpected Christmas present!!! There was the pint of Coconut Oil, the Probiotic Max, and then far, far more - presents for both Tibbe and me.

Tibbe had an orange-colored Kong Cross-Knots Lion fuzzy toy with mane Tibbe loves to carry it around by and a squeaker in it, so Tibbe can "kill" it by making it squeak! Also a sturdy squeaky ball toy that has feet and he's quite puzzled by it so far. He's so cute trying to figure out why it is different and won't roll around like a regular ball but he jumps on it trying to get it to roll - so cute - and he loves chewing on the feet. Besides all that, there is a wonderful Tibbe-sized Madan comb with two kinds of teeth for his facial hair!

There was more! Treats of the chocolate kind for me! First was this wonderful, absolutely huge, round chocolate-colored and gold tin of Williams-Sonoma Hot Chocolate Bittersweet Chocolate Shavings for the best hot chocolate in the world!!! I might even use half-and-half to make it instead of milk. Best served with a bowl of whipped cream alongside the steaming pot of hot chocolate, just as in the famed Angelina cafe in Paris, the label says. Mmmmmmmmmmmm.

Last, but not least, a golden sack of Lindt Lindor Assorted Chocolate Truffles - my absolute favorites! I've died and gone to heaven!

I'm in shock, Lisa. Here I thought it was so generous of you to just up and offer to send us a brand new jar of Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil and the Dogzymes Probiotic Max, despite all you've got on your plate right now. But to package all that up, label and ship it down here and offer it as a gift was unbelievably kind, thoughtful and sweet but then, to get that veritable Christmas package of wonderful, surprising gifts and goodies is just way too much! Of course, you shouldn't have done all of that - but it's so like you. For once, I'm speechless and for now all I can say right now is I can't thank you nearly enough, my dear friend. What a delightful box of needs, gifts and treats for both of us. Hugs and kisses to you, John and Katie for now!

Gift
 

Lisa, you are an angel!!

Takes one to know one, Dottie! :)

It's been a week today since Tibbe's vet visit and he still smells normal. Amazing! He's managed to have 1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon of the virgin coconut oil from Lisa on his food once daily and the miconazole nitrate lotion on his feet, twice weekly HexaChlor-K soaks/baths and is doing great. I'll start the probiotics Lisa sent in a couple of days - once he's been on the coconut oil a whole week w/out any tummy troubles - and then we'll see what happens when his shot wears off in one more week. That's when the rubber meets the road - next week.

Jeanie, Great news for Tibbe and you! Praying he continues to improve. All you are doing is sure helping him! I know you are feeling relief for him. How are you feeling? Hope you are doing better. Hugs to you!

I'm so pleased, thank you, Dyan. Now, please, God, let it continue after next week when his 14-day shot runs out. I'm much better - can almost cough without wanting to scream. What a difference a week makes. Hugs back!!!

ITSB so awful to think of you in so much pain and your little boy also struggling. I'm really happy that the medicatiòn has helped Tibbe. I can't wait to hear stories of Tibbe dog laughing again and to hear that his mom is free from pain. You oth are always in my thoughts, heart, and prayers.

Thank you, Lisa. Tibbe did just dog-laugh yesterday while walking with me. He's so cute when he walks beside me, so excited to be part of the "team", eyes just gleaming, opens his mouth wide in a big smile, happily dog-laughing all the while, and puts his head back a little, looks up and kind of waggles it from side to side, as if to say "With you all the way, Mom, so let's keep going!". He melts your heart as he puts his whole body and spirit into whatever he does.

Just getting back to this thread now. yes Dr Jack retired late last year, I posted a thread about a *bad vet experience*.


Dr K. is on probation with me. No issues so far with my pups, and he did do a very thorough and competent exam on my large boy Magic. He showed no fear, and knew how to examine the bite and teeth of a large dog. And Magic was put up on the exam table with a non slip mat on it. The blood was drawn from rear leg, quite easily and quickly. Magic liked him! Very important to me. Magic even bowed his head, and butted Dr K in the chest:D We took DNA samples for Cornell and a blood draw for JLPP testing for OFFA. Visit was free of charge due to the other disaster visit.

He is on probation until I see how he responds to anomalous blood work and or emergent situations. But he is eager to learn about my Rare Breed and is open to breeder issues. Most importantly he had reviewed Magics extensive chart and knew of his past issues and testing for same.

Awh Jeanie so happy to read this. Gosh we do know a happy and engaged dog!

Lisa how very thoughtfull of you my friend, all that you do, and all that you are!. And I know you don't want public acknowledgement but you quite simply are the BEST!!! I so warmly remember one of your *care* packages to me and my family!