probable staph pyoderma (dog)
The biggest mistake that people make when treating skin infections is not treating them long enough. If an infection responds to antibiotics and then recurs, it is a really good idea to use antibiotics for at least 6 weeks and possibly 8 or more weeks, to try to eliminate the infection. If that doesn’t work, it may be necessary to treat intermittently, or even to treat continuously, to control some skin infections. Cephalexin is usually a good choice since most of the time these are staph skin infections.
I know of no evidence that staph skin infections from dogs are contagious to humans and there are only scattered reports in which vets worried over potential contagiousness between dogs. Most of the time these are normal bacterial residents of the dog’s skin that just get out of hand because a particular dog has some problem controlling them.
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Hello,
I just read the postings from people whose dogs have staph aureus infections. My female German Shepherd was also diagnosed with a ‘pyoderma’ and was put on almost continuous antibiotics every summer for four years. I was told the horrible sores (puss, red and scalded, peeling) were caused by food allergies and I spent tons of money trying her on different diets, all expensive, from the vet office. I moved cities and visited another several vets and was told my dog had liver disease that caused the skin condition and she was also put through all the tests for Cushings Disease. After spending $2000 and getting no satisfactory results, I spoke to a human pediatric infectious disease specialist (I am a nurse). He instantly told me that my dog had a ‘colonized staphylococcus aureus infection’ which was manifesting as ’scalded skin syndrome’. He said this type of infection is seen in children and sometimes in immunocompromised people.
He gave the following instructions:
- do not use antibiotics (used only for serious cases and usually given IV in hospital)
- buy some Chlorhexadine 4% ($11 in Canada for a large bottle)
- bath the dog using the solution every day for 5 days (her coat is thick so we shaved her belly, bottom and thighs)
- wet the skin, apply a generous amount of the solution, work into a lather and rinse off. Towel dry.
- wash the pets mats and bedding daily for 5 days
- watch for new sores and treat individual sores; if many sores then repeat above treatment
- make sure you wear gloves and wash your hands after treating your pet
Guess what? Our dog’s skin cleared up completely and very quickly! No more smell or sores. No antiobiotics! (by the way, she now suffers chronic diarrhea from the years of antibiotics. We have tried Giardia vaccination and treatment as well as probiotics and nothing is helping.)
The Pediatrician said children/dogs/cats who have colonized staph will continue to get outbreaks for about 4 years and then they will outgrow the skin condition. It is VERY important to also treat the nares (nasal opening) with chlorhexadine as staph is harboured in the nose and possibly in folds of the skin (ie. groin). Our dog would get scabs (like impetigo) on the edges of her nose. I would clean off the scabs (wearing latex gloves) and wash with the chlorhexadine solution (Q-tips help). I also treated our dog’s elbow pads as they seemed to get scabby as well. She would also get sores on her feet, so I’m careful to treat her toes and between the pads as needed.
I now check my dog regularly and have learned to recognize the first signs of a bullae forming. I open it immediately (the skin easily sloughs off) and clean with chlorhexadine. It is such a relief to not be altering my dog’s diet and forcing her to eat food she doesn’t like. She now eats a mixture of home made food (beef heart, liver, chicken hearts, chicken gizzards), leftover meat scraps, vegetables, brown rice and a high quality kibble. Her coat is shiny and beautiful and she is now 14 years old! She has been suffering from this aweful disease since the summer of 2006.
The best part of this is the chlorhexadine treatment doesn’t hurt my dog and only cost me $11.00!!!! Chlorhexadine binds to the surface of the skin and is not absorbed into the body. It is used in hospitals to clean the skin for surgery (it is sold under a number of brand names. I use Stanhexadine 4%.
Please kindly pass this news and advice from an infectious disease doctor (Dr. Jagdis, Victoria, BC) to all pet owners whose dogs or cats suffer from colonized staph infection. It is easy to treat and there is no need to restrict diet or use antibiotics that cause horrible side effects.
Note: My vets would not give me the type of antibiotics necessary to properly treat staph (the type used successfully in humans), saying they were not tested on dogs. This is part of the problem in the case of very serious infections covering large parts of the pet’s body. Cephelexin (spelling?) never, ever worked on my dog and only made her vomit. I would like to see more vets become familiar with the correct antiobiotics for this condition and push to get them tested on dogs and cats.
Best regards,
Diane
[Reply]
shannon Reply:
November 30th, 2009 at 8:32 am
where would you be able to buy the Chlorhexadine? In typical drug stores? I was told that my golden retriever had a staph infection over a year a go. It goes away for a few months with antibiotics, but then returns. They have given her steroids, special shampoo, and also suggested the food change for me also, but it keeps reoccurring. It seems like so much money to pay for antibiotics if they arent going to work. I will definitely give this a try though. I am a nurse also, and never thought of using something like that for dogs, but it sounds great!
[Reply]
Lanette Reply:
February 4th, 2010 at 2:30 am
Thank you SO much for posting this. We have a male German Shepherd, and have been battling staph for almost a year. We’ve been bathing him with Hibiclens, and the infection has almost disappeared. The Vet even looked at his skin and said he looked fine! We had tried several rounds of antibiotics and a round of steroids, none of which had such an effect as the Hibiclens. His coat and skin has never looked better, and he is a much happier dog.
Thank you again!
[Reply]
Diane Hart Reply:
February 6th, 2010 at 5:26 am
Hi Lanette,
You are most welcome! I am so glad you saw my article and tried the chlorhexadine treatment. Staph is turning out to be quite common in dogs it seems. I now know five friends and neighbors who have gone through the same experience with antibiotics and steroids, to no avail except their dog getting worse and getting side effects. Please pass this solution on to everyone you know who owns a dog (or cat)as there are, amazingly, many dogs afflicted with pyoderma caused by colonized staph aureus.
PS: I check my German Shepard, Lady, daily and she is free of sores! She had a small outbreak in December but I got it under control very quickly with just washing each individual sore and finding the sores early.
Warmest regards,
Diane
[Reply]
Hello Shannon,
You can buy Chlorhexadine at most drug stores or you can ask the pharmacist to order it for you. I live in Victoria, BC, and I buy the brand ‘Stanhexadine 4%’at London Drugs. Some drug stores only offer the 2% solution so you can use this if you can’t find the 4% strength (4% is best).
My dog has another infection again so I am busy treating. The trick is to be very vigilant. It is hard to bath her (she is a big dog with a thick coat) so I am now cleaning each sore daily with a moist cotton pad and chlorhexadine. I pull out loose hair, remove any scabs and loose skin and then scrub each sore gently, working up a lather. I let it sit for a few minutes and then dab the sore dry with a kleenex. Be sure to wear gloves, wash your hands thoroughly after the procedure and dispose of all cotton wipes and kleenex properly (put in a plastic bag as you’re working and then in the garbage). Clean each sore daily for at least 5 days, even if it looks healed, and alway inspect all over carefully for new sores. Keep cleaning the sores longer if you see any reddened areas or scabs on the sore. Keep removing dead skin.
Treatments like antibiotics and steroids have serious side effects, especially if used long-term, and should be avoided unless the condition cannot be controlled by the above procedures. Notice I used the word ‘controlled’. This disease will not be completely cured, even with antibiotics, but must be managed and treated until it runs its course (about 4 years). Remember, your pet has ‘colonized’ the staph infection so it will return regardless of the treatment. It will eventually disappear after about 4 years. Be sure not to take you pet around small children (other than family), the elderly and immunocompromised individuals. The family should wash hands well after hugging and petting your pet. Don’t forget your pet may have a fever, feel unwell and be irritable and may need extra love and attention. It is important to give them nutritious, preferrably ‘live’ food (such as meat, vegetables, rice, vitamin supplements, raw chicken necks to give calcium from the bones, etc.). Give them food they love to eat as this is NOT an allergy! Also, my dog used to pant continuously at night (fever?) but since I placed a fan by her bed, blowing right on her, she sleeps peacefully!
Another important tip: The staph infection can be harboured in the ‘nares’ or nose. The new sores originate from the staph that is colonized in the nose. You cannot use chlorhexadine near mucous membranes so try to obtain a prescription for ‘mupirocin’ antibiotic ointment to rub in the nose of your pet. My pharmacist made this into a nasal spray for my dog that I use for several weeks during and after an outbreak. One symptom is a chronically drippy nose or scabbing on the edges of the nares. Human patients who are found to carry resistant strains of S. aureus may be required to undergo “eradication therapy” which may include antiseptic washes and shampoos with chlorhexidine and application of topical antibiotic ointments (such as mupirocin or neomycin) to the anterior nares of the nose.
Another area that may harbour the staph infection is the dog’s elbow pads. Wash these areas with the chlorhexadine as well.
Wishing you good luck, patience and perseverance!
Best always,
Diane
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