I have a 12 year old, female spayed, Rhodesian Ridgeback mix patient that developed a really bad skin rash when the dog moved from one area to a new part of the San Francisco Bay Area in the spring of 2007. Both locations are similar in terrain, but the new location may be warmer, in general, and possible has more pollution, poorer air quality.
The patient underwent a full work-up including hypoallergenic diet, bloodwork, allergy testing and biopsy. The biopsy was not definitive, but suggestive of possible sebaceous adenitis or SLE. The dog does improve with prednisone. The owners were about to start the allergy shots for 'Susie' when, miraculously, the skin cleared up completely in the fall and winter.
Starting March of 2008, the problem has recurred and is worse and involving nasal planum ulceration, geographic hairloss on trunk and limbs, feet, and pads with scaling, secondary pyoderma, some otitis externa and conjunctivitis.
She is currently on 20 mg pred EOD, cannot decrease dose without marked worsening of the skin. A month's worth of antibiotics helped, but the problem still waxes and wanes without clear overall improvement.
Susie had a combination of dampness and blood def. signs. I have her on a raw Venison food, Tang-kuei and peony, flax oil (doesn't tolerate fish), 10,000 IU Vit A daily, probiotic while on antibiotic, and the pred. Also Pyoben baths. She was on Hill's z/d when she came to me. Owner is using topical green tea when lesions (esp feet) are annoying the dog.
What I find puzzling about this case is how it cleared up last fall, I am hoping it will do so again, but the lesions certainly look more auto-immune than even the most severe cases of atopy I've seen. Have you seen an auto-immune disease triggered by seasonal allergies? What would be the best TCM or holistic approach beyond what I've done.
The dog is fairly sensitive to acupuncture in that she is pooped out for a couple days after a treatment. I've only seen her three times, so far, but have decreased the number of needles and the time they were in place.
Thank you for your thoughts on this unique case.