What Else Can Look Like Demodex? *update 6/25*

Jackson has developed a patch of rough dark hairless skin on his back. It started out just looking like a smudge of grease, but it's definitely a skin thing. It came on pretty rapidly-- probably within the past week. We have a vet appointment on Wednesday, but I want to know what questions to ask. Any thoughts?

Quite a few things can look like it--Sarcoptic mange, staph and strep infections, pyoderma to name a few. Even an extreme yeast infection can look like demodex.

So what diagnostics can I expect? I'm assuming skin scraping, but anything else?

GingerSnap wrote:So what diagnostics can I expect? I'm assuming skin scraping, but anything else?

Skin scrape would likely be the only thing they'd do initially. He's really too old for demodex. Could be the beginning of a hot spot. Flea allergy could also do it, but usually not that localized.

They will likely suggest a medicated shampoo. I use Nizoral which you can get at any drug store.

Where I work, a skin scraping and a skin impression are two different diagnostics. In Jackson's case, we'd probably do both. Skin scraping tests for things like mites (demodex, scarcoptic, etc). A skin impression would look for organisms like yeast and bacteria (the slide stained like a gram stain or ear swab). I doubt they'll want to do a fungal culture at the first visit, but possible.

crossing fingers that it's nothing serious!!

Poor Missy had the flea allergy then developed the secondary staph infection. 3 weeks of twice-weekly medicated baths later, and it's just about knocked out.

UPDATE: Saw the vet on Wednesday, and they did a skin scraping and started a culture. She said it was NOT yeast, mites, or bacterial. She said the culture (which I believe was for parasites/fungal infection?) could take up to 2 weeks to grow anything... or not. Basically, if something grows sooner, then they'll know what it is, but they can't rule out anything until it's been 2 weeks of nothing growing. So she gave me Animax ointment, which seems to be a broad spectrum anti-everything ointment (antibacterial, antifungal, antiinflammatory) to use while the culture grows. She said that if the culture is negative and it doesn't improve, then the next step is a biopsy.

So for the past 2 days, I've been trying, unsuccessfully, to convince myself that it's looking better, but it's just not. This morning, while putting his ointment on, I discovered that it's actually worse. What was just a patch of dark, rough skin, is now a distinct reddened bump.

So at Sammy's vet appointment today, we talked about Jackson and agreed that this thing needs to come off. Of course my brain jumps to MCT's and I'm worried as hell. Surgery is scheduled for Friday. Please keep good thought for either "it was nothing" or low grade with clean margins.

Fingers crossed that it is an easy fix for Jackson.

Damn. I hope all is okay, and if it turns out to be an MCT it has all the results we want - grade 1, clean margins.

That's worrying. I'm glad they are going to take quick action on it though. I'll hope for good results.

I hope it's nothing serious.

aww crud Ginger. crossing fingers that it's nothing serious.

Just caught this and am sending prayers and good thoughts for Jackson.

Good thoughts for Jackson from us.

Just seeing this now Ginger, I really hope it is nothing serious, will be thinking of you and Jackson, sending healing vibes xx

Hmmmm... his surgery is currently scheduled for Friday, but now the spot on his back is looking better. It no longer feels like a bump-- it's almost like a scab fell off yesterday-- and I think that fur is starting to regrow there. I'm thinking about rescheduling his surgery for next Wednesday, which would be the 2-week mark to allow the culture to fully grow as originally planned. Any thoughts? Do MCT's seem to go away temporarily?

I do know MCTs can change shape, but I don't have a solid answer to your question. Certainly sending wishes that it is nothing serious. When Emmet had his MCT (and other lumps) the vet was able to needle aspirate to see what kind of cells were there...he knew right away. Did your vet try that (before it went away)?

Hugs to you and your boy!

It's hard to say since we know MCTs are the masters of disguise but it definitely wasn't my first thought when I saw it. It seemed much more like a dry, scaly patch than anything bump-like. I was thinking maybe fungus related. Is it possible that it just became reddened because it was irritated by the medicine? If it was me, I'd probably wait for the culture results but you obviously need to do what you're comfortable with. Give that boy a kiss for me!

Skeeter gets something similar every now and then - his are allergy related, especially contact environmental allergies. Some benedryl for a few days and some betadine wipes on the spot usually help. It starts out scaly, then red and bumpy, then back to scaly and peeling, then heals. It can take weeks for the entire cycle to run though.

In my opinion, I would not do surgery unless there was a definite bump that the vet could aspirate or at least see and feel. But, I have never dealt with MCT's either, knock on wood!

I'll be keeping you in my thoughts that whatever it is, it is benign and just goes away!