posted 11-23-2003 07:32 PM         

Wait, let me submit this reply before someone calls my house & i get cut off internet access, and then my brain will go c r a z y wanting to send this same info over, but knowing that i should just leave it alone... LOL! I can't help it... I MUST HELP THOSE IN NEED... LOL !!!

posted 11-23-2003 11:15 PM         

Wait, why did the Vet put "some sort of eye cream" IN his eye?! I thought the problem was the hairloss AROUND his eye. Was his eye irritated by it/something? That's the only reason i could think of why they would do this.
I'm sure you were asking about what he was doing too (throughout the whole visit), and that's part of what you mean by how he was'nt even answering your questions. Ask FIRM/CONFIDENT questions. Make them understand that you want to know what's going on, otherwise they'll be running games around you and your love one. Yeah, they'll be charging you for things that'll possibly get him better, but it won't be the right way, or the direct way. Meaning, more visits to the $Vet$. But hey, it's a business right, WRONG, only if you let them. The way i see it, if you have a good veterinarian, if you ask appropriate questions, sound r e a l l y concerned, & he/she see's that you have a true love for your animal, then most vets will open up, and actually become concerned themselves... JMO When i saw this happening to me w/ a number of different Vets, & Specialists, i was like Okay then, these DVM's ARE really something specail.

If your pup was'nt diagnosed with any other secondary infection(s), then yes, he made you buy something that was'nt appropriate, yet.
Cephalexin is a great antibiotic to treat bacteria on the skin & in general. It's also great for open wounds created from like dog-bites, snake bites, cats, those that can pass on loads of bacteria from their bite.
In your case, Cephalexin is used when the Demodex causes a secondary infection(s) because your pups immune-system can't fight off the Demodex that is spreading/multiplying r a p i d l y . Common 2ndary infections from Demodex would be like Folliculitis, Pyoderma, i can't think of another one but there are others .

posted 11-24-2003 01:19 AM         

Ahh Cephalexin. It would'nt do a thing in killing off the Demodex. In your case the Cephalex is used when the secondary infection(s) is present. If it was'nt diagnosed, you should'nt have it with you. Wait, i'm now thinking that what ever was happening to your dogs eye, might be the reason why he prescribed it to you. I'm just going off of what you've mentioned, & my knowledge & personal experiance w/ Demodicosis.

Don't know much about Bendylate, but i'm guessing it's an anti-itch thing. If your dogs not itching, which in some cases of Demodectic Mange, dogs don't show any signs of itching.

A skin specialist told me that "topical" antibiotic ointments/creams/lotions, and other things like that, work more for "us" rather than the dog. Meaning, it's for our own "minds" well being, thinking that we're doing right/good for our dog. Basically, he said that their pretty much usless. But, i personally think that it helps in a case like yours, were the mange is in a Localized form. I'm pretty sure my specialist was talking about the Generalized stage.
Things like Calendula cream, Alovera, Tea-Tree oil, and other anit-bacterail topical treatments could help in your situation, BUT, it won't do a thing for killing off these nasty little beasts.
To fight off Demodectic Mange, your pup will either have to do two different things... There's the "dipping" way, which most Vets today are discontinuing the procedure because of certain possible side-effects. Then there's the way that was given to me to give orally to my pup w/ oral Ivermectin. Ivermectin has other side effects too, like any drug actually, but they are more prone to those of the Collie breeds, & i think some terriers, i'm not too sure. The side-effects of Ivermectin can be fatal, but if your vet decides to go this way, they should explain to you all the possible side effects it can have & basically what Ivermectin is all about. Another thing thing about Ivermec, is that it's not originally made for the use in dogs. It's actually made for like cows, sheep, horses, like big-farm animals. you'd think, it would drop your pet dead in a second. And yes, it can, but i think only in high amounts, which what is recommend as a daily dose for our dogs, no matter what breed, age, sex, size, etc, does'nt come close to anything fatal, or to having side-effects. But they should tell you all this and m o r e . Overall, w/out the oral Ivermec, my pup would'nt probably be here today all healthy and normal 110% of him. Well, i'd say he's 95%, but i'm seriously working on the extra 15% more . And, i know for a fact that he could'nt have won that war w/out optimal nutriton & exercise.

OMG!!! I almost forgot to mention, the reason why i came to this post in the 1st place. Can you please tell me what was that that you mentioned that the Vet injected in him? Because, if it is what i think it is, your Vet is either Old-School, or Out to Get your $$$. If he gave your dog some type of cortizone/corticosteriods shot, best hope that your dog is strong enough to fight off these nasty little critters untill this cortizone/steriod shot which i believe is suppose to last for a month wares off. It's pretty much like standard procedure to go ahead and give a dog this shot w/out any questions asked by the vet. All they have to know is that it's Mange. I think some vets get mistaken by an allergic response to actuall demodex. In the beginning stages of Demodicosis, the actual look of hair loss can resemble the "look" of an allergic response. Cortizone works well for allergic situations, but even then, "i" think it should be used as a LAST RESORT.
Your dogs immune-system is his key to fighting off Demodex, and "today"/modern vets that are'nt out to get your money, would'nt dare give them a corticosteriod shot... It's like against the law to give in a Demodectic situation. Well not literally. When your dog gets this shot his immune-system gets surpressed, and all that is fighting these critters is this drug that's suppose to last 4 weeks. By the time this drug wear's off, your dogs only natural line of defense (his Immune-System) is all broken down, and hella weak form what this drug does (how it works). Therefore, these mites multiply faster then ever before, because now nothings stopping them, or at least trying.
That's one way Vets do the run-around game w/ their patients & the your $$$. Basically when this is done, it just makes the healing process l o n g e r . That's one way of when i say they can charge you for things that'll get your dog better, but NOT necessarily the right way, or direct way. That's why i say, it's good to have an idea before you go in to see a Vet. Boy am i ragging on Vets. I said something good about them earlier !?!
In a case of Demodex, a corticosteriods shot is given only if your dog is hella itching & to stop the inflamation. It has nothing to do w/ helping get rid of mites. If he's not itching or inflamed, it should'nt be given. Ask your Vet for an alternative way. He might say, "get the hell outta here then"...LOL! Thats' when you give him the finger and say your a crook JUST KIDDING !!!

The anit-bacterial shampoo that i would recommend is a shampoo w/ Benzoyl-Peroxide. The Benzoyl helps flush out all dead mites & dead hairs, by opening up the hair Follicules. You'll notice what i'm talking about. Makes his coat really soft and airy to the touch. You'll might wanta use a oatmeal conditioner after though, if it dries out his skin too much.
But, if he does'nt even have secondary infections & ther's nothing killing off the mites, then it's really as good as any other normal doggy shampoo.

posted 11-24-2003 12:22 PM         

JrsGirl84:

You know, Goodwinol ointment has alot of positive things about it on the internet, if i remember right, right? But, that's exactly the same topical ointment i asked our skin-specialist about, & he said that it won't do any good. And that it was just for "our" peace of mind to think that we're doing the right thing for our dog w/ Demodex. But, i'm not sure/don't remember correctly if he was relating his answer to my pups situation where he was in the stage of "generalized" Demodicosis. Since your Rott is in the Localized stage, i think it'll be worth a shot. Let us know if it works. I know in the beginning stages of this whole maddness was happening w/ my pup, i tried numerous types of topical ointments like calendula cream, tea-tree oil, alovera, even cortizol cream, etc.. And i think in the beginning it was actually working, but as soon as i was "gotten" by a peace of s#*! vet, that gave my poor pup that corticosteriod shot, his immune system, as weak as it was already, just had the atomic bomb dropped on it. So even before the 4 weeks (the length that shot is suppose to last) ended, these nasty little devils came back w/ a vengence, s e r i o u s l y ! ! I was like-- !!!
That's when i started going mad, reading anything i could on skin-related diseases.

You also said that after giving the medications your pup is very lethargic? Then YES, that is 1 of the side-effects he's showing to the drug(s). If he's just kinda slower than noraml, "i" would think it's just normal. But v e r y lethargic, meaning he's bumping into walls, isn't sure footing/ wobbly steps, then regardless, his vet needs to know this. Regardless, tell his Vet this ASAP, and be specific, always.

posted 11-24-2003 12:29 PM         

Also, in regard to the supplements. Most vets don't actually know a whole lot about nutrition. They take like one nutrition class in vet school, and much of what they learn is biased by information from the Science Diet people.

Find a holistic vet or do your own research about foods and supplements. The thread "Food for Thought" in this forum is a good jumping off point.

posted 12-03-2003 12:30 PM         

I DEFINATLY DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS FOR TREATMENT. Just going on my readings... from DVM's & Specialists on the internet.