"japhar81" wrote in message
...
There were scrapings done, and no other symptoms/illnesses other than what
I've mentioned. He has seemed a bit lazy lately.

...........I'd get a 6 panel thyroid test done then, if his demeanor has
changed. Just T3 and T4 isn't enough as these values can be affected by
other illnesses than hypothyroidism.

A discussion of hypothryoidism, testing, etc.:
http://www.vetinfo4dogs.com/dthyroid.html

.........No biopsy? Have they ruled out pyoderma (Staph) infection?

Tets-wise, they did the standard allergy test (no results), blood work (I
didn't get specifics, but it all came back normal),
.........it's good to get a copy of lab work. That way you can take it to
another vet without waiting on the former one to copy it/send it. I don't
think allergy tests have a very good track record in dogs. Personally I
think most allergies are due to an improperly functioning gut.

two scrapings (normal)
and a culture that turned up yeast spots on his back, which were treated
and
went away.

A good article on fungal problems in dogs and how to diagnose them:
http://consumer.vetmedcenter.com/con...M-In_A-fungald
iagnosisFK1JO.xml&dt=K

.........they don't think the whole problem might be yeast? Did they do
slide impressions on many parts of the body? What did they treat with? I'm
surprised they found yeast as the fungal cultures are innoculated with stuff
to kill Candida yeast but let other fungi grow. Malassezia is the yeast
organism most likely to infect pets. Yeast of any kind is usually a
secondary problem, not the primary issue.

...........from another part of the above site:
*Candidiasis
Candida sp. is a small fungus that normally lives quietly and harmlessly in
the gastrointestinal, nasal, and genital tracts in most mammals. Considered
an "opportunist," the organism causes infection only when another problem
weakens the immune system. The signs of Candida infection vary. If the
fungus infects the mouth, then the tongue, gums, or lips may have white,
cottony type growths. Intestinal infections often show up as chronic
diarrhea or weight loss. Infected ears may become inflamed. The genitals may
have a white discharge if the reproductive system is infected. Infected skin
may become moist and oozing, especially around the base of the nails.
Candida can also cause systemic infection, including microscopic abscesses
in various organs, fever, and infection of the bone or brain. Diagnosis is
usually based on identifying the organism, generally by cytology, in samples
from infected tissue....
..
Malassezia
The yeast Malassezia pachydermatis normally lives in low numbers on the skin
and in the ear canal of dogs and cats without doing any harm. When the skin
or ear becomes chronically moist, irritated, or when the immune system of
the pet becomes weakened by disease this yeast may cause problems. In most
cases, Malassezia causes thickened, oily, and irritated skin. The most
common sites of infection are in the ear canal, the throat, the face, paws,
and groin, but the yeast can cause problems anywhere. Infected skin or ears
may smell like rising bread. Diagnosis is made by identifying the yeast
while examining skin or ear debris under a microscope.

Malassezia skin infections can often be cured with creams, lotions or
shampoos containing antifungals such as clotrimazole, ketoconazole, or
miconazole. Skin products should not be used in the ears, but there are many
anti-Malassezia ear preparations available through veterinarians. When the
yeast appears in several places on the animal, or if it is difficult to cure
with topical preparations, treatment with an oral systemic antifungal drug
such as ketoconazole may be effective. In order to achieve a permanent cure,
it is important that we treat any concurrent disease that may have allowed
the fungal yeast to grow out of control to begin with. These diseases may
include allergies, seborrhea, thyroid disease, and Cushing's disease. Dogs
suffer from Malassezia much more commonly than cats. Infected cats should
always be tested for severe immune-suppressing diseases such as feline
leukemia, or feline immunodeficiency virus. People do not catch this disease
from their pets.*

.............I'd do some reading on these issues so you're familiar with
them. It is important you know what might be going on so you can discuss
the next step in treatment with your vets. Personally I would not use
keoconazole without doing further tests such as thyroid. You don't need to
be stressing your dog's body out more than it already is:
http://www.petplace.com/drug-library...ral/page1.aspx
...........On that issue, I would not be getting any vaccinations either
until this dog's skin issues are resolved. Vaccinations require a fully
functioning immune system to work. It's a load your dog doesn't need right
now. While skin issues can drive you crazy, be thankful the problems are on
the outside where you can see them and know something is wrong.

.......If the issue is Malassezia, you may need nothing more than a vinegar
rinse. Dermapet is a good web source for skin issues. In this article they
discuss treatment of Malassezia in the ear using a vinegar/boric acid rinse.
The only dog who did not resolve was one who also had cutaneous problems
with this yeast:

http://dermapet.com/dermapet.pdf

.......I'd still make sure the skin was nourished with the proper nutrients,
such as EFAs (salmon oil plus Vit E) and Vit A. EFAs are important in the
structure of skin cells. And again I'd recommend probiotics. Many times
skin issues need to be addressed from the inside out.

best of luck
buglady
take out the dog before replying