709. Neoderm for 2 months thins the 6-month-old shetland dog's skin

Oct 27, 2011
SOME INTERESTING CASES

I was on duty today and the young man came with a 5 kg thin Shetland with a big right perineal swelling of 4 days. Firm but not painful. Around 3 cm x 3 cm. So, what was it? A perineal hernia? No, as it cannot be pushed in. A haematoma or abscess? Likely. Zoletil 50 0.1 + 0.4 ml saline ml IV sedated the dog.

No hyperextension and therefore no need atropine unlike the Westie (pus in ears, consulted Vet 1 with no success, owner referred by an old client to me) last week when I gave him the same Zoletil 0.1 ml IV. He had stiff limbs which relaxed when I gave atropine 0.5 ml IM and gave ear irrigation. Pus and debris esp. right ear. No head-shaking 3 days after treatment

"My shetland's skin disease did not get cured," the young man of 20 years with 4 months left of National Service said. "I read in the internet that he may be suffering from demodecosis. The vet scraped his nose skin but found nothing. He gave me a Neodern cream to apply."

Two front paws near the dew claws were bald. I could see thinning of the skin and the tendons and bones below. Other parts of both the front paw look moth-bitten with hairless squares and circles. Both lower elbows ventral surface were bald.

I saw redness in skin below the front paws but not the back paws, took a hair microscopic exam and showed the young man ringworm. The other hairless area did not have ringworm as Neoderm had killed any fungus and also thinned the skin.

"My dog licks away everytime I apply Neoderm," he said of the hairless elbow and armpits.

"How long you had applied?" I asked.
"Two months," he said. I asked him to stop Neoderm as it thins the skin when used too long. Prescribed anti-fungal tablets and wash and review in 2 weeks. Should recover. Demodex unlikely.

I showed Dr Vanessa the effects of Neoderm. "This is the reason I seldom prescribe Neoderm," I said. "The owner uses it for a long time, thinning the skin."