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Otitis And Pododermatitis In A Dog

by tainab25 - April 14, 2026 View Case Report

Hello,
I am dealing very unsuccessfully with this case.
I have been seeing Ginger Pie 12 yr old FS Bull Terrier for over a year now for chronic otitis. Previously there has been rods found by the dermatologist, currently I am finding yeast only.
She also is suffering from pododermatitis x4 and pustules between her toes.
She also has developed KCS since I have started treating her, controlled with Optimmune.
When she goes outside and rolls around on the grass, her belly and inside thighs get very red.
She is overweight and we have made some significant headway from 95lb down to 78lb and maybe a couple more lbs to go.
We have switched from kibble RX diet to raw Rabbit or cooked Salmon with some shredded raw sweet potato, added Lactobacillus, pretty pure diet now for many months.
She's also been on LDEMS for many months. Last 2-3 Months we added QYT since the ears and skin were not clearing.
I have added Cessorex about 3 weeks ago and switched from Simplera ear drops to Malacetic ear drops + Surolan. The owner has trouble wrestling the dog for the ear meds so variable amounts of meds go in....., last week when I rechecked her, the ears looked much better and less swollen. Unfortunately her paws were really blown up and swollen, her vulva also was swollen with some pustules on the labia.
Her Pulse is slippery and her Tongue is lavender/purplish. I do not usually acupuncture her.
I am at a loss what to do for this dog and am about to throw some cephalexin at her. Please help, thank you, best Tina

by naturevet

April 19, 2026

Hi Tina,

If you try Cephalexin and it helps dramatically, that will tell us a lot. Namely, it will help confirm my suspicions that you have a Wei Qi deficiency going on. These can get worse in the mid-spring months (March and April) as Blood becomes externalized once more. If there is insufficient Wei Qi (that helps hem in the Blood as well as defend against infections), then the pulse takes on an almost Slippery tone. Meanwhile, though, Blood does not flow as effectively and becomes 'scattered', especially at the most distal places in the body, namely the feet. Wind Heat (or infections) take advantage of the situation.

The main formula for addressing that is Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang (or Gold Standard's Galvanex). If this is all allergy, though, then we could see inflammation worsen instead of improving. Starting Cephalexin before using it, and continuing the Qing Ying Tang, will help prevent that from happening.

As for the LDEMS, I'd recommend stopping it. It acts like an icepack on the skin and actually drains Qi and Yang, so will not help a Wei Qi deficiency where peripheral circulation is compromised. Once we see skin issues continue or worsen, even as a dog is moved from kibble to real food, we know they are not especially Damp - at least not anymore.

So, I would continue the QYT and Cessorex, and add in BZYQT or Galvanex, while adding Cephalexin for a week. Then, stop the antibiotics and continue the above trio. If you seen improvements being maintained or continuing even off the antibiotics, you'll know you have your answer. Once inflammation has markedly subsided, you can wean off QYT, too, or at least find the lowest required dose. That will help BZYQT be even more tonifying to Wei Qi. If you get to a point where the dog is lesion-free, you can seek the lowest required doses of BZYQT and Cessorex, too.

Hopefully, that is how it all pans out. Let us know what happens!

Steve

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