Lupus in dogs

have you thought of consulting a vet dermatologist? It might be pricey, but it might give you a solid answer and hopefully an effective treatment plan that will work out.
Good luck- am sending good thoughts your way.
 

Thanks for the suggestion and yes, we are working with a derm vet and have been for several months.  When I dropped Sassy off for the biopsy this morning, the vet did confirm what I thought.  They are concerned it's lupus, but if so, it's likely the cutaneous type, not the systemic type.  They're also thinking it may be pemphigus (sp?).  I'm hoping it's neither of those things, but if it isn't, I can't imagine what it is.  We won't get the biopsy results back until next Wednesday.
 
Dyan - since we have her on the elimination diet, I can't try any of those things, like the oxy drops, etc., but boy, I'd sure like to.  Sassy has a huge appetite, so it's not for lack of eating that she's losing weight.  She was 73.5 today, down from 77 three weeks ago, so I guess I just need to increase her food amount (she'll be thrilled []).  She looks great, but I don't want her to continue to lose weight.

    How long before you know the results from the biopsy? Did you tell the vet about the lump? The largest lump that Jessie has is between a cherry and walnut in size and is on her left side after her ribcage where their belly tucks up, so that's probably close to where you found Sassy's lump. If she has the cutaneous form of lupus, she will probably have to take steroids but it's not supposed to be a life threatening disease like the other forms. There are several forms of pemphigus and some forms are more treatable than others, but it's not life threatening either. I hope that if Sassy has lupus or pemphigus, it is a type that is manageable so she can have a good quality of life.

They said probably next Wed. for results.  It seems like forever.  My husband emailed me and said they did have to sedate her (I left him with her at the vets so I could get to work).  I doubted she be cooperative for too terribly long, especially without us there.  I'm actually relieved they did sedate her for it (for her sake as well as theirs).  They also said to watch for licking of the sutures.  Hopefully she won't be bothered by them or we'll have to get the e-collar.
 
Yeah, I hope it's something treatable and we can get it under control.  I forgot to mention the bump, but was trying to feel it while we waited and couldn't, so maybe it was an organ and the way she was laying.  Poor vet - I've always got a million questions.  When we got there, they said "okay, so this is just a 'drop off'" and I said "no, we had an appt at 8".  The asst. then tried to explain that we were just supposed to drop her off and they'd "fit in" the biopsy, probably around lunch.  I said "well, if you're not going to do it until lunch, we can just bring her back.  There's no reason for her just to hang out all morning".  She said she'd go check with the Dr. and then came back and said they'd do it while we waited.  They didn't have one single patient while we were there, so I can't imagine why they wouldn't have anyway, but I'm glad they did. 
 

Honestly these vets will drive us crazy.  I've been off the computer for awhile.  sorry to hear of Sassy's continuing health problems.  Haven't gotten time to read up on Lupus but I really hope if it is the case that it is treatable.  I feel for you.  Brany as well has lost weight.  The vet said good though as she was a tad overweight.  Just got a quote for a teeth cleaning from my vet and it is over$ 600. with blood work.  Of course the complete blood count done on her for the thyroid doesn't count.  My coworkers nearly fell over when they saw the form.  They gave me their country vets name and I have an appointment set up and it looks like it will work out to be about half that price.  For the money that you have spent Cathy, you would think that they would be a little bit more understanding.  yet my vet did not care when I cancelled the cleaning appointment and I was honest and said I could not afford their fee and that I found another vet that would do it for half the cost.  They just said okay.  So is it possible that Sassy's problems are not allergy related??  By the way, has anyone ever heard of black skin disease.  Just that Brandy has developed some black skin spots where I think she has had black spots in the past, and like you Cathy I got on the net and this disease came up.  Don't mean to hijack your sight, just curous and it came to mind when talking about the internet and how it can scare us so.  Good luck.    

Hi, sorry I should be proofreading before I post.  I meant to say that Brandy has developed black skin in spots where she has previously had a hot spot.  If anyone has this problem, please advise.

Cindy - welcome back.  I have heard of skin discoloration following infections, which I would guess could include hot spots, but I'm not sure what it's indicative of.  Hopefully, nothing serious.  I'm glad to see you back on the board and hopefully someone else can answer your question.

My neighbors dog has skin allergies, her skin turns black in spots...the vet told her it was a yeast infection.

I don't know if his helps, but...
Tyler had the same discoloration you are talking about (I think) from some wicked hotspots. My vet told me it is caused from 'deeper dermal layer damage' (he hurt his skin by chewing it up really badly - duh). She said "to put it in laymans terms - it is kind of like a scar. The fur may grow back a different color."
She further said that sometimes the skin will go back to the original color, sometimes it won't. She did emphasize that it was absolutely nothing to worry about, as it does not tend to mean or cause anything bad (like cancer,etc).
 
I felt kind of like an idiot for making an issue of it, but she laughed and said she took her dog to a derm vet and insisted on biopsy, etc. because she wanted another vet's opinion (besides her own). At least she is a "worried mom" human too!
 
Tyler's skin was a purply black after the hotspots from he** healed and the hair regrew in course, short and black. Looked goofy since it was on top of his hips and he is a shiny, wavy red haired dog. [&:] 
It has now changed to a light pinkish-grey with time and his hair finally shedded out and regrew like normal color and texture. Took about 1 1/2 years. Turns out she was right- I have some good surgical scars that faded with time and others that mark me for life.
just my [sm=2cents.gif]

oops- meant to say "deep dermal damage from injury with infection" I need to preview my posts better. (by the way, Tyler had bacterial and yeast infections)

My dog Jax was suspected of having several of the diseases you mentioned.  We also went to a vet dermatologist and his biopsy was sent to the University of Penn.   We too had  no
luck with any antibotics used to treat his skin infections and yeast.  If you need to know I could call Walgreens for the name of the only drug that worked.  Its a human form only.  Its was like magic for us.  Our vet uses many human suppplements and drugs to save us money.  He was suspected of having Heptocutaneous Syndrome.  A skin/liver disease but was finally diagnosed with Zinc Responsive Dermatitis and is doing pretty good for a year now.  The Hepto would have been the most deadly for him.  I did yeast shampoo baths three times a week for a month to fix that mess and these special strong antibotics used for serious human skin infections.  Considering he throws up most pills he tolerated these okay.    The name of the drug is Dicloxacillin.  If you wanted to talk to her vet about it.  Our vet derm raises Giant Schnausers and had one that had lupus while I was seeing her.  I hope they find what is wrong with your dog quickly.  What are the symptoms?  I mean is it crusting on the eyes, feet ears?  Nose?  I have pictures of my dog if you want to see what the crusted nose and feet looks like.  Take care.

Wow thanks for sharing that Susan.  I will keep the name of the drug in my purse for when the vet calls with the results next week.  The drugs we'd been using the last few weeks (Cipro, Clindamycin and Ketaconazale), I also got a Walgreens, so I know my vets willing to do that too.  That interesting about the final diagnosis and gives me something else to think about and mention to the vet.  Interestingly, Sassy's problem area isn't her face or any part of her head.  It's all been on her tummy, starting below her ribcage, about 6 inches by 4 inches and it was what looked like a huge hot spot in Jan.  After rounds of antibiotics and prednisone, it cleared up a little but came right back.  About 2 inches from where that stops, begins another red, inflamed area that goes all the way down and around her vulva.  She's been on Ketaconazale for several weeks for that and nothing happened.  So, the vets mystified and decided a biopsy is in order.  Did the biopsy give you the answer or was it more trial and error?

Hi Cathy,
Wow I think I studied every skin condition under the sun.  Our diagnosis from biopsy was definite.  We started zinc and saw improvement within days.  He lives on it now for the rest of his life.  He was a healthy dog for 7 years and then had a routine surgery for fatty benign cysts and within 48 hours after the surgery started getting sores in every place they had worked on him.  He did have his teeth cleaned for the first time also.  They assume he had some sort of reaction to something done to him.  Drug, stitches, and who knows what it was.  I think you did the right thing getting help from a dermo.....in the end it costs plenty but I wasted way to much time with vet after vet trying to find answers that they didn't have the training to help us with.  Auto immune diseases can just happen.  The body perceives a foreign intruder so to speak and starts to attack those areas, as in lupus, when they really don't know why it does that.  Its like an over active immune response.  Fight it!  But what is it?  As long as they can do some treatment to improve quality of life you will be okay.  Some dogs aren't that attractive with their scars and lumps and bumps, but I remember when he was beautiful.  Before his treatment worked people recoiled at the sight of him.  I would have too I guess, it was horrid to look at.   I wanted to see pictures on the web more than anything.  I think I found some by putting in google pictures of skin infections in dogs.  Something along those lines.  It helped me nail down what the vet eventually considered also.

Cathy, how is Sassy doing?

Thanks for asking Dyan.  Sassy's hanging in there.  The infection(s) on the tummy don't seem to be flaring up rapidly, which I was sure they'd do.  Interestingly, the yeast infection in the vulva area seems to be less red and angry, but larger.  When we did the biopsies last week, I asked if we should put her back on antibiotics while we wait for the results and the vet said that we could if I wanted.  I decided not to until the results of the biopsy come back.  No sense putting more drugs in her system until we know what we're dealing with.  We should get the results tomorrow and I'll post as soon as I know something.