1182. Intense scratching of face and neck - poodle case review

Nov 16, 2011

I was reviewing a skin disease case and phoned the retired pharmacist.
"My poodle is OK now. 95% cured. Nibbles at front paws and will stop when I scold him."
"You can't be monitoring him 24 hours," I said. "Did you eat the Z/D diet?"
"He didn't like it, so I mix it with the usual dry dog food,"


Some info

Poodle, M, 4 years, landed property
Fed various brands of dry dog food

May 5, 2012
Itchy face, neck, paws, elbows. Skin scraping - no mites. No ringworm. Ears normal.
Medication and an anti-mite insecticide wash.
No further complaint.

Oct 20, 2012
Went to emergency night clinic.
Uncontrollable scratching of lower night all night until it bleeds.
Blood test normal. Skin scraping fungus and bacteria, no mites.
Hyperpigmented skin on ventral neck and dorsal surface of front paws - suggestive of chronic skin disease. Advised skin allergery/atopy workup.

Oct 21, 2012
Treated for bacteria and fungus. Canine Z/D trial for 3 months accepted by owner.
But the dog did not like it. So he did not give 100% when I phoned him on Nov 16, 2012 (today). He said the dog is 95% Ok with hair growth back to the areas. Except for front paws licking occasionally.

This case illustrated the great difficulty of some owners to do the Z/D food allergy elimination trial. "The dog is OK in the past 4 weeks," I said. "This is due to the medication. The real test will be the next 4 months. If you don't try the ZD, the dry dog food allergy may return once the drugs wear off."

Skin diseases are costly to treat but many owners don't realise the importance of review 4 weekly or the use of Z/D or equivalent food trials. The vet may need to keep a record and call the owner but we seldom do as we don't even have time to sit down.



Oct 21, 2012
Case came to me.