Sebaceous Adenitis
Samson in Jun-Aug 2008
Much better now after the treatment in Feb this year of baby oil soak for one hour and then bathed and shampooed with Vet Grade Evening Primrose Oil.
Look at my coat now....
Sebaceous Adenitis and Samson
Diagnosed in June 2003
This cruel genetic disorder is a skin disease most commonly occurring in Poodles. Initially our breeder advised that Samson was suffering from fox mange as there had been foxes passing through the back yard and Samson being Samson just had to investigate and had his nose sniffing into every part of the back yard. The fur started to come off his nose and he would be continually scratching behind his front elbows - they became quite dry.
We owe his eventual diagnosis and treatment to a wonder Vet name Rebecca who did not give up on getting to the bottom of his persisten conditions and out constant nagging that something was not wrong and it was not just excema or fox mange. After the biopsies were done - there it was - Sebaceous Adenitis. An incureable skin disorder where the skin dies and the fur does not grow as it should. It also stems from his immune system. Very uncomfortable for the dog without treatment.
So now we knew what it was we could start the treatment - not to cure - but the ensure his comfort. His regular baths with after having baby oil rubbed into his skin helped soothe the skin. Baby oil (non-diluted) on his skin, especially during Spring and malting time. Once the baby oil is rubbed into his skin in a couple of days time the fur is just basically sitting on top of his skin and comes out very easily and there is just his flesh. It is then that I spray with a water and baby oil combination of about 50/50 to encourage the new fur growth that usually tends to appear with a couple of week. The fur grows back stronger.
It was a couple of years after the diagnosis that we noticed the more than constant licking of his paws which swelled into types of blood blisters. These are painful as Samson at times is unable to put pressure on his paw until they burst and bleed out. We rushed him off to the same Vet Rebecca, who by this time had moved to the other side of Melbourne (Australia) and it was a good four and a bit hour trip to take Samson to see here. She took skin biopsies again from the affected areas of his paws and the results came back that this is part of the original skin disease.
As for the Diabetes, given the research that we have done about symptoms of diabetes, we are of the belief that Samson has been mildy Diabetic for about a year but it was disguised under his skin disorder and was not brought to the surface until we gave hime the back-to-back courses of antibiotics for his paws, then the cortisone treatment. This all led to his attack of Pancreatitis.
This look very sad. Samson maintained his vibrant and playful personality at all times.
He is such a champion of a dog.
About this Site
It's all about Samson and his Diabetes and subsequent treatment. The Sebaceous Adenitis and how he manages on a daily basis and what treatment is provided to Samson for his health and comfort.