Does a staph infection look like this?

[irbrenda]

Hi, YT'ers! Great forum. Hope someone has some answers for me.

A few weeks ago after Ralphie had bladder stone/neutering surgery done, I noticed on the base of his spine a few inches from his tail, a small raised spot and when I went to inspect it, it looked like a raised pimple, something he never had before. I thought they might have given him a needle and it could be the result of the injection site but I watched it. Within a few days, I noticed little lumps, like boils, developing in the same area and they were now crusting over and scaling. I took him to the vet and he said, "Oh, it COULD be dry skin or it COULD be the start of a staph infection." Nice. And so it started to spread and get very nasty looking.

I used medicated shampoo last week and scrubbed all his ugly scales and I think they started bleeding and have now crusted over. He is not itchy at all. If this didn't happen before I changed him to a prescription diet, I'd blame the food but I can't because that's not the case.also notice new little red lumps in that same area. They start out like little red pimples, get raised and scaly and turn black. In fact, I can actually pull his fur out!

I took him to the vet again this past Saturday and he said, "Oh, yeah, now it looks like a staph infection." I still blame the day of his surgery that something went wrong there. He is on Clavamox for the next 10 days and the vet said if that doesn't work, he'll have to change his meds, but this is scaring me. It has not improved at all.

What does this look like? I hope I do the attachments right. I'm worried sick now.

[RLC12345678]

Judging from these images of staph infections, that definately looks like a staph infection to me! Yikes!

http://images.google.com/images?hl=e...nfection&gbv=2

My sister's yorkie got a staph infection after receiving vaccinations one year and she had to give her an antibiotic. Since your little one is already on an antibiotic, it should start clearing up soon.

[Yorkiedaze]

I'd take him to a dermatologist. When the immune system is compromised, this can happen. Ask the Vet. for the medicated wash, and wash that area a couple times a day.

[SweetCuteness]

Poor little guy! I would definitely call the vet - there are certain antibiotics that don't work very well on Staph infections. Some work on some strains, but not on others.

Did the vet take a scrape sample of the area that's infected to determine which strain of Staph it was?

[txshopper73]

Originally Posted by RLC12345678

Judging from these images of staph infections, that definately looks like a staph infection to me! Yikes!

http://images.google.com/images?hl=e...nfection&gbv=2

My sister's yorkie got a staph infection after receiving vaccinations one year and she had to give her an antibiotic. Since your little one is already on an antibiotic, it should start clearing up soon.

shouldn't have opened the link...nasty stuff!

OP, I hope that your baby gets to feeling better soon.

[peanut]

Originally Posted by txshopper73

shouldn't have opened the link...nasty stuff!

OP, I hope that your baby gets to feeling better soon.

Thanks Kimberly, I started to open it but read what you wrote... Don't want to see gross stuff.... I hope your little one gets better soon, if he doesn't start looking better soon I would take him back to the vet....

[irbrenda]

Thanks, everyone. I know those pictures were gross and I apologize. Guess I should have warned you all.

The vet said to call him in a week and if there is no change, he will change his medication but he feels the clavamox should work. Like I said, I see no change at all as of yet. I'm glad Ralphie does not feel sick or itchy. Is there a dog dermatologist???

[YorkieRose]

Tea Tree oil....do everything the vet says and dab it twice daily with TTO...

[rachelsyorkie]

I actually have been battling staff infection/cellulitis on my face for months I have been going to a dermotologist now & hope he can help. I sometimes wonder that when the people & pets from the louisiana crisis came up & were carrying all those diseases along w/staff maybe has something to do w/ the wide spread of break outs of new diseases.. I'm so glad they got out of there, but the govt handled it horribly when they made them sit down there in the conditions & let them contract diseases & then finally got them out-it was just a horrible situation that I will never forget & I think the consequences are here. I would ask the vet & area urgent care if they've seen a lot of it, I did & they said yes all different ages & all different areas of the body. My dog doesnt have it & no one else at my house got it-thank god. But stay on it. Hope it clears up soon.

[irbrenda]

Originally Posted by rachelsyorkie

I actually have been battling staff infection/cellulitis on my face for months I have been going to a dermotologist now & hope he can help. I sometimes wonder that when the people & pets ...

I didn't want to say this but I have some strange autoimmune disorder on the top of my hands only and I've been going to the dermatologist for the past 7months. He's baffled too. Nothing has helped me, no creams, lotions, change in diet...I don't take meds though....I feel great so it doesn't affect my well being. My blood work is excellent EXCEPT for the ANA (antinuclear antibodies), which points towards a possible autoimmune disorder. For all I know, I might have had a high ANA all my life. Who ever tests for that???? It's odd that I got this when my daughter brought home her shihtzu last July. I don't know where her dog came from but they live upstairs from me in my house and they're both ok as are her other 2 dogs.

Even though they say pets cannot transmit to humans and vice versa, I really wonder about that theory. I will be monitoring Ralphie very closely and hope that whatever he has does go away with his medicine and that it is not related to whatever I have which looks like it will never leave me at this point.

I am using tea tree shampoo. I'm going to try to Tea Tree Oil as suggested. Thanks for everyone's advice and suggestions.

[rachelsyorkie]

zinc oxcide (sold near neosporin)which is also diaper rash treatment would help. It dries stuff up really quick. If you think about what a diaper rash looks like red blisters & then w/the cream its cleared in days w/no scarring usually-pretty good stuff.

[irbrenda]

Originally Posted by rachelsyorkie

zinc oxcide (sold near neosporin)which is also diaper rash treatment would help. It dries stuff up really quick. If you think about what a diaper rash looks like red blisters & then w/the cream its cleared in days w/no scarring usually-pretty good stuff.

Funny you should mention zinc oxide because that's what the derm. gave to me but it's called Vusion, an $60 glorified version of baby Desitin! I really was going to put some on Ralphie as gooey as it would be in his fur but, like me, his condition seems to be an internal thing, not external. I can feel the bumps blooming under his skin.

[rachelsyorkie]

I would add a liquid vitamin to strawberry yogurt. That should help w/internal stuff. The antibiotics help but have bad effects also , the yogurt & vitamins will boost his immune system & help recoop from the antibiotics. I would still use the zinc oxcide, $60 YIKES! Zinc oxcide is less then $3 at walmart. Shows you what they are really interested in $$. It helps my skin. The staff is in the tissue under the skin but the zinc still helps me.

[irbrenda]

Originally Posted by rachelsyorkie

I would add a liquid vitamin to strawberry yogurt. That should help w/internal stuff. The antibiotics help but have bad effects also , the yogurt & vitamins will boost his immune system & help recoop from the antibiotics. I would still use the zinc oxcide, $60 YIKES! Zinc oxcide is less then $3 at walmart. Shows you what they are really interested in $$. It helps my skin. The staff is in the tissue under the skin but the zinc still helps me.

I WOULD try the yogurt and vitamins as you suggest but right now he's strictly on Hill's Prescription U/D food and I'm not supposed to alter anything without the vet's consent. I am using the zinc oxide as that is 100% safe. Thanks for your suggestions though!

[red98vett]

POOR BABY !! I hope you find out what that is - it looks very painful and uncomfortable - I know I would be going nuts if I saw that - GOOD LUCK AND I hope the medication works !!!!