What is this on his ears?

my first thought would be ringworm, honestly. esp. being that the spots seem to be growing.

 Mange was my first thought - unfortunately sarcoptic specifically as I've seen very similar patterns on a dog at the shelter that had that.  Sarcoptic mange is contagious to people - have you guys had any itchies or rashes recently?

Ringworm is another possibility, as is flystrike if he's outside a lot.  Either way, I'd say a vet visit is very much warranted.

Ringworm was my first thought as well.  What is flystrike?

I don't think it's mange.  He hasn't been scratching at his ears, and both dogs are on Interceptor, which helps prevent mange as I understand.

I'll make a vet appointment for this week.

Thanks for the input!! 

Ringworm -- 99.99% sure.  Tips of the ears, tips of the back toes, tip of the tail -- those are almost always the first places to get infected.  Ringworm is zoonotic (but it's a fungus not a parasite) and will pass to other dogs and people -- I'd have the vet look at it.  Typically it will "show" with a blacklight the vet has -- but it's morphed in recent years to 99 different varieties and isn't always easy to diagnose, but the vet will give you an antifungal -- and I'd have the dogs  sleep on white sheets for a while so you can bleach them.

Sarcoptic mange (never demodex) usually never starts on the ears.  You'll see ITCHING first.  **always** -- the itch from sarcops is literally mind-bending.  The itching causes the hairloss -- it is literally broken off by the scratching, and usually you will see thickened, toughened, almost callous-like skin from the repeated never-ending scratching.

If a dog at a shelter had sarcops AND bald ear tips then quite honestly it had BOTH sarcops ***and*** ringworm.  Not at all uncommon -- simply because ringworm generally will attack the less healthy animal.

You may want to give Harry some supplementation and have the vet pull a blood panel while you're there, just cos he shouldn't have been extremely susceptible.  Yes, it's entirely possible, but if it were ME I'd baby the immune system a bit and plump it up.

Callie, you rock as always.

calliecritturs

You may want to give Harry some supplementation and have the vet pull a blood panel while you're there, just cos he shouldn't have been extremely susceptible.  Yes, it's entirely possible, but if it were ME I'd baby the immune system a bit and plump it up.

What kind of supplementation do you recommend?  Something I can buy myself (herbal and/or OTC), or something I need to get from the vet?

Do you think this could have anything to do with him spending a lot time in water?  We take the boys to the Chattahoochee river almost every weekend, and I have a kiddie pool at home for him to splash around in.  When he gets wet, it seems the tips of the ears are always the last to dry...the water runs down his ears and therefore the tips stay wet longer.

Thanks so much!!  I'll call the vet this am and see if I can get him in later today or tomorrow.

Either something like Solid Gold's Sea Meal (which IS formulated for immune system and coat) or Missing Link (it's good but my dogs don't like it )

But actually I'd tell you to get the bloodwork done FIRST. 

Hey -- what can I tell you --- there's a fungus amung-us -- and anything fungal grows wonderfully well in warm moist areas (yes, ladies, let's ALL groan in unison) and ringworm IS a fungus.  So he'll probably pick it up more easily around water, and it may be worsened because the ears aren't drying well. 

Another SERIOUS thot for you -- since he's black already -- you can get gentian violet at the drug store -- just the 1% is FINE.  Talk to the vet about it -- and you can just paint his ear tips with that.  It is LIKE DYE - no joke (and yeah, it's the stuff in the blue power ear solution recipe -- which is an awesome ear dryer in and of itself and wouldn't hurt INSIDE both dogs ears)

They use that for babies with Thrush (an oral yeast infection human babies and their moms can get) -- ask the vet - it wouldn't be as liver-upsetting as a stronger topical but it's cheap and since they are black it would be easy but you GOTTA do that outside.  You will HATE me otherwise -- and be prepared if you use the solution for him to fling that purple stuff all over creation when he shakes his head.  But it's darned good stuff for any sort of fungal problem and it's about $2.85 a bottle.

Thanks Callie!  I'll definitely ask the vet about the gentian violet.  I have an appointment set for him today at 5:30.  Interestingly, the receptionist I spoke with said she just went through this same thing with her dog. 

I'll definitely ask the vet about doing blood work.  Just out of curiosity, what in the blood work will let me know if his immune system is sub par?  I always want to be informed on stuff, especially when it comes to my dogs' health.

 Maybe we have strange sarcops here?  We've seen it start on the ears in several dogs (and yes they were originally checked for ringworm).

Flystrike is basically what happens when flies bite skin repeatedly - it'd be unusual in a dog as well cared for as your boy, but some dogs seem to be especially susceptible. It's most often seen on pointy eared dogs since their ear edges are more exposed.  it's treated with fly spray or cream on the exposed edges.

Well, we had our vet appt this evening.  She told me several things it could be, including sarcoptic mange, ringworm, she mentioned flystrike but said she seriously doubted that was it, plus a couple of more rare immunity-related conditions.  She did a scraping for mange, it was negative.  She's doing a culture to test for ringworm, but said it could take up to 10 days to know for sure.  In the meantime, she gave me a topical treatment to use, and once the culture results are back, we'll move forward from there.

Thanks again everyone for your help. Ya'll are awesome!!

aerial1313

I'll definitely ask the vet about doing blood work.  Just out of curiosity, what in the blood work will let me know if his immune system is sub par?  I always want to be informed on stuff, especially when it comes to my dogs' health.

It won't generally point TO a slow immune system -- but it can generally point out if he's anemic or lacking anyting in particular, OR if his body is producing a ton of cells to fight infection/bacteria/fungal stuff. 

Generally regular vets don't speak "immune boosting" -- they aren't into supplements - they are into "treatment".  But being proactive is sort of not among their preferred topics, so don't expect the vet to agree with this.

But it will also help you know if there is something underlying all of it that made him more prone to get it.

If it were easier to look into the archives on this board...I could find you a picture that I posted several years ago of the almost exact same ears and they were from Ollie,,,,my sons black Great Dane that used to be at my house all of the time.

He had been tested for Mange several times...it was not mange nor was it ringworm or anything else that they could put a name on.  Ollie had a compromised immune system....which started after he had been given all of his vaccines and HW meds and all.  The white on his ears got to be more and more.  He also had other skin problems of itching and stalf infections.  This went on for a couple of years...changing food... trying anitbiotics, steroids, Benadryll, you name it.   Eventually he ended at a skin specialist and was tested for allergies and was given allergy shots for about 6 months....and everything cleared up.  But I must say.... even afterwards his ears still had fur missing. I wish he was closer now because I would look to see if it grew back or not. 

I remember the vet at the time ( this was before the specialist ) gave Mike a shampoo/soap thing that he had to wash his ear tips with and was told to scrape the scaly stuff a little before rinsing, about 3 times a day.   We did it for a long time...can't remember it helping either.

aerial1313

I'll definitely ask the vet about the gentian violet.

Just a warning.  When Bubblegum was first sick and I ended up taking her to a few different vets before we realized what she really had.... I did mention that I used this stuff ( there is a company that sells the genian violet that is already mixed with all the ingredients for dogs ears ) to clean Bubby ears. and he really told me off about using this.    Point being..... some vets and some doctors just don't believe in the old fashioned...or home remedies or any of it....so if you ask your vet...be prepared for an answer that you won't want to hear.

Thanks Dyan.  It's good to hear about personal experiences.

If my current vet gives me any grief about anything like this (which I didn't bring up yesterday, figured I'd ask once we know for sure if it's ringworm or possibly something else), I do have a vet in my back pocket, so to speak, that I found on the TCVM link Callie has posted a few times.  I won't hesitate to make an appointment with a homeopathic vet if I feel my current vet is limiting my options.  It's not personal, of course; it's about the health of my furkids.  I'll do what it takes to ensure they live long, healthy, happy lives.

aerial1313

It's not personal, of course; it's about the health of my furkids.  I'll do what it takes to ensure they live long, healthy, happy lives.

That vet was not my regular vet ( although she probably would have said the same if I had told her ) but was kind of an arrogant fellow who made me feel like my dog might just be sick because I was doing something that I shoudn't have been.  Tunrs out that there was nothing wrong with her ears to begin with...and he made an enemy.