# Interdigital Furunculosis



## Mick (Sep 7, 2012)

On August 24, 2012, Sasha developed interdigital furunculosis of both front paws. 
Merck Veterinary Manual
Our vet had misdiagnosed it and for two weeks I treated Sasha per her instructions for inclusion cysts. Then I changed the vet. The new vet contacted pet dermatologist from another state and then prescribed the treatment. So now we are doing the new treatment and praying that she will not develop a chronic type. Any experience with this ailment?


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## kukukachoo (Jul 26, 2012)

No experience here, but hopefully someone will chime in with some. What is the treatment, by the way? Is it painful for her?


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## Mick (Sep 7, 2012)

In my post above is the link I found on Internet. The previous vet prescribed Epsom salt soaks daily (which had to follow by the rinse and drying with hairdryer) and a powder of combination of antibiotic and steroid, but she misdiagnosed it. The new vet, after TC with pet dermatologist, prescribed oral cephalexin (antibiotic of wide spectrum), prednison taper (because she has allergies) and topical antibiotic. We are supposed to keep her in a lamp shade collar so she doesn't lick her paws, but every time we try she "freezes" and won't move, sit down or lie down until she is about to pass out. So for the night we put on her cotton baby socks and medical tape over the sock, so that she won't take it off. During the day I watch over her every minute. Every trip outside requires wiping the feet and drying them with hairdryer....
Non-stop fun....


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## pap2labc (Jun 25, 2010)

When I had lhasas they sometimes got these. It was amazing how fast they could come up, too. Once we were at a show and my boy came out of the crate 3 legged lame and there it was. Ok...so...you need to do what you feel comfortable with and probably what your vet says to do because I'm sure that someone will say that doing what we used to do will cause your dogs toes to rot off. That being said, we'd take a sewing needle and clean it in some alcohol, then pop the nasty to release the gunk. Sometimes I'd use the needle to make a somewhat larger hole so it drained well. I then cleaned it up with some paper towels, maybe some peroxide, and then put neosporin in the hole. I'd keep up the neosporin for a few days and the spot would heal and go away. As soon as I got the gunk out the dogs didn't limp anymore and would leave it alone, except for the odd lick. One of my mother-in-law's lhasas did get a BIG one and she took her to the vet. They lanced it with a scalpel and put her on antibiotics. She was fine in no time. I've had many dogs and so far (knock on wood) only the lhasas ever developed them. It wasn't chronic, either. One might have had two or three, some never had any. We did keep them out of dirt and mud, etc., while they had the open wound on their toes. Of course I tried to minimize the dirt and mud when they were in show coat anyway. Oddly I saw more of them when the dogs were in full show coat rather than cut down.


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## Mick (Sep 7, 2012)

Thank you very much for your reply. I probably would have done the same, but when I saw the first one it looked like the infected bug bite that was oozing pus, so I consulted the vet. First they gave me chlorhexadrine wipes to use, but in a couple of days I noticed that she has 1-3 between each two digits on both paws and I got concerned. I went back and was told that she has inclusion cysts or granulomas. Vet opened one in front of me and it had some dark gunk like sebum and a very very long hair folded inside. So I followed the vet's instructions, though I am a medical professional but not in the vet field. Now that I have read up on it, it seem that it is quite common especially in dogs like Sasha, who lick their paws constantly (she is adapted from another family and is a high anxiety dog). It took a 2nd vet and a dermatologist (via phone) to diagnose correctly and prescribe the treatment. The most difficult thing is to keep her from licking her paws. The lampshade collar isn't working, she "freezes" - stands and pants until she is ready to pass out...so I have to keep an eye on her and at night put on her baby cotton socks and tape them over so she can't remove them.


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## Jennifer J (Apr 22, 2010)

My Claire had one on one of her front paws a while back. The vet looked at it and said it had already drained, so all we did was keep neosporin on it and tried to keep her from licking it. Haven't had another one since, hopefully Sasha won't have any more either


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## Mick (Sep 7, 2012)

Thank you for your wishes. So far we don't see the light at the end of the runnel but hope is the last to go, so we hope for the better.


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## pap2labc (Jun 25, 2010)

I think I would have totally panicked the first time I saw one but my mother-in-law (lhasa mentor) looked over and said "oh yeah...that's not bad." Here's hoping your Sasha heals quickly!

I loved the description of Sasha in the cone of shame...sounds like one of my old dogs and a raincoat I put on her once.


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