Wakka's skin condition has not been good for the past one year.
He started from having desquamation and scabs on his back which then gradually spread throughout his body. After the wounds heal, they always leave permanent pigmented spots on his skin. I also notice that he has warm, red, paper thin skin, would not be as active as before with low appetite but still maintaining a rounded body shape. At the back of my mind, I was thinking of Cushing's syndrome as one of the differentials at that time. However, after consulting a few vets and a blood test done, no one is able to give me a definite diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Some said it is very common in these breed and we can do nothing, some said probably due to hormonal, diet, lifestyle...
Two courses of antibiotics seem to ease his skin problems only for a while. Soon after the completion of the antibiotic, the desquamation and scabs come back again. I tried to change his diet back to the vegetarian diet as he had no problems before that (back when he was still a puppy) but his condition didn't improve at all.
Things got worse in December after I sent both him and Ringo for boarding for a few days when I went to KL. Both of them had bad acne throughout their body and painful red ears. It is either the place where they were boarded was too dirty or the groomer pulled their fur in the ears too vigorously or both!
Since then, I started them on a special regime. Medicated shampoo to bathe twice a week and change them to strict hypoallergenic diet (this is most difficult especially when they gave the innocent "can-I-have-some-snacks" look) together with ointment for a week on their acne and ears. The results are, their ears have healed, Ringo's acne are all gone now and Wakka's skin condition has improved. There are still some desquamation and scabs however his skin is no longer red and warm like it used to be.
I am happy to see that his condition has improved but a longer observation is needed to see if all the hard work really pays off.
Medicated Shampoo
Hypoallergenic food with hydrolysed protien
