The hotspots are getting worse. 🥲 Thank goodness for the Fullers Earth. Aside from the drying effect, the whiteness fills in the gaps and he doesn’t look so frighteningly moth eaten! He chewed his thigh so badly the skin was bloody and raw.
Yesterday we went back to the bigger town with proper shops and I went back to the pharmacy for more Fullers Earth. An assistant suggested Wound Spray, said she uses it on her Bulldog and on any scratches on her arms when he jumps on her. Looks like what you call Leucillin in the UK. I haven’t seen Luecellin here, but the ingredients look the same—basically a chlorine-type spray. It seems soothing and good for a raw wound. But I am at my wits end. Snowie has not been himself. Usually on holiday he’s one happy chappy. But this time he’s hardly wagged his tail. And has no enthusiasm outside of his walks. He only perks up when he meets other dogs, but he tires easily on the walks, so we’ve kept them short in distance, although he takes ages with sniffing and very slow walking.
We decided to stop the Apoquel yesterday. He’s been on it but getting worse. He has a terrible decaying smell. I can’t help but think the immunosuppressant nature of it stops his body from fighting off the yeast and fungal infections. I’m now treating topically only. Antifungal ointment for the hotspots. Apple cider vinegar wipe down. Fullers Earth for drying out areas.
Amazingly his front paws are doing well. We powder them with baby powder (nice and slippery, I think more comfortable than the Fullers Earth for between his pads) and try to keep them as dry as possible. Booties are working well. I bought 10 more pairs yesterday in pink, beige, and gray! Blue ones were sold out.
After the public holidays, I’ll try to get him back to the vet sooner than our scheduled appointment.
Last night we gave him paracetamol. Difficult to know if he’s in pain cos he’s not showing back stiffness and hardly limping now that he wears the booties. But because of his general moroseness we felt we had to try the pain meds. Not sure if it was the paracetamol or not giving the Apoquel last night, but this morning he was the happiest we’ve seen him all holiday! Despite chewing his thigh in the night. Woke up wagging his tail. Eager to get up and have breakfast. Eager for his walk. Walked so nicely, and we managed a longer walk than any we’ve done this holiday. Now just to keep him from chewing his skin off… He’s sleeping now so I am relieved from guard duty!
Here he is refusing to come in after a walk. He’ll only come for “a consideration”! My husband left his hat on Snowie while he went inside for the treats.
He loves the lagoon. Yesterday he even seemed to enjoy retrieving a stick, but only a couple of times.
This morning we decided to do a “dry” walk, no sea swim. Trying to keep his fur dry. It was a very cool morning. But before we realised it, he’d taken himself down the embankment into the lagoon (we usually approach it on the beach; this was a new route).
Desperately wanting to chew his back leg.
Looking moth eaten. The Fullers Earth disguises the bare skin and acts as a barrier as well as dries it out.
