Question: I saw your response to the person with the Pomeranian puppy with possible mange and have a somewhat related question.
I have an 11-year-old Pom who is suffering from scabbed sores that I suspected may be mange, so I took him to his vet. This started with one scabby-looking bump that worried me, as well as hair loss across his entire back. He’s up to date on all shots, is on Royal Canin food as well as Missing Link, and a full panel came back clear when the vet checked for Cushings and hypothyroidism.
The vet diagnosed him with alopecia-X and prescribed melatonin. He now has the scabby bumps all over the upper part of his back by his neck (almost like a rash, they’ve spread). I’ve repeatedly gotten the run-around from my vet on treatment at this point. She keeps wanting to run more and more tests, and I’m running out of money to do so.
I know you couldn’t diagnose at a distance, but if I sent you a photo would you please look at it and offer an opinion? — Jennifer
Answer: Alopecia X is a very frustrating disease to diagnose and treat. Generally it causes hair loss without a rash or scabs. Most dogs are not ?itchy? with this disease. They are actually quite comfortable. It generally stresses out their owners because they look awful with their patchy hairdo!
Alopecia X is diagnosed by first ruling out common skin problems like parasites, allergies, and bacterial infections. Then, blood tests are done to check for other hormone problems. You have done the necessary initial tests so now you need an adrenal panel to look for the telltale increase in one of the other steroids. Treatment depends on which metabolite is elevated. An elevation in one of the adrenal hormones is the hallmark for alopecia X. A skin biopsy is very helpful in diagnosing this condition as well.
Since your dog has a rash and scabs, he may have a secondary skin infection that will need antibiotics. Hang in there, and do the testing one at a time until you reach a full diagnosis. Your veterinarian is guiding you in the right direction, but it takes patience to get the correct information. I know it can be expensive, but by doing one test every few weeks it can help you afford to get each procedure done. Luckily, this condition moves slowly so you have time to go at a more leisurely pace with the diagnostics.
Dr. Baker
Baker Veterinary Clinic
1801 S. Congress Ave.
West Palm Beach, FL 33406
Read more articles by Dr. Baker | Ask her a question
Source: http://blogs.palmbeachpost.com/pawshere/2011/05/11/pomeranian-has-sores-all-along-his-back/
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