Cracked sack

[Smokersmith]

A delicate one ...

My 2yr old yellow lab is suffering a 2nd bout of issues with his scrotum!!

Basically it appears like red patches of very tender skin that grown and meet all over the bag.

He went to the vets a couple of times earlier in the year when it happened, and 'hibuscrub' seemed to fix it eventually, with no clear cause. The skin seemed to grow back slowly and then it was restored to it's full glory.

Anyone seen this before and understands the cause?

 

[motty]

Very delicate! At least it isn't you that has the problem. Hope that you find the cause and cure.

[Mochastorm]

Is he licking himself?  I know the jokes may follow, but dogs can form an annoying habit of licking away at an area that may be mildly irritated.  Constant rasping with their tongue causes further problem by introducing infection, making the area more irritable, and perpetuating the issue.  If hibiscrub worked in the past then try it again, but I would consider putting a buster collar on the dog.  If like me you kennel your dogs,  while he has the buster collar on he will have to be crated.  Racing Greyhounds can suffer with chafing on their scrotums when run on sand.  The racing men would sprinkle baby powder around the affected area and inside the thighs prior to running. Greyhounds are more likely to suffer this problem because of their massive thigh muscles leaving little room for anything else down there.  Hope you get it sorted.

[7daysinaweek]

I deal with human scrotums on a regular basis and cannot say if animals suffer the same  maladies as do humans, hopefully some other individual will be along to shed light on his unfortunate condition.

Poor lad, I do feel for him!

The following demonstrates how diverse dermatological skin conditions can be and it is a specialism in its own right. I am lucky to work with a former dermatologist once a week and skin conditions can be baffling at the best of times. I have a book which is for diagnosis and treatment of common and exotic skin conditions in primary care and it lists well over a hundred.

Could be a possible eczema or a scrotal dermatitis.

In infected eczema Chlorhexidine which is a active ingredient in Hibiscrub is used to reduce the bacterial load on the skin which contributes directly to the  further formation of infective eczema and if this has worked before it does give some possible weight towards condition. That said nothing replaces a face to face history and clinical examination to give a differential diagnosis and exclude other conditions. Itch is a dominant feature and in its absence it is unlikely the diagnosis is eczema, commonly affects elbows, knee creases, facial cheeks and scrotal creases, generalized dry skin also a diagnosing factor. It can form poorly demarked redness areas and scaly thick formation to vesicles and blisters.

Treatments: emollients for hydration and mildly potent corticosteroid creams.

Lots of different types of dermatitis, contact, allergic etc. Usual presentation of dry scaly (lichenification) of the skin, also can result in blistering (vesicles, bullae) In many cases fissuring of the skin also occurs. In allergic dermatitis the dominant symptom is also itch.

Treatments: emollients cream to maintain hydration of the skin, aqueous cream is a no, no as it gives rise to further skin irritation, also anti fungal creams and use of mildly potent topical corticosteroid creams.

Sebborrohic dermatitis presents as greasy areas of skin with red and flaky dermal skin lesions, affects scalp areas, ear folds, scrotal folds

Fungal infections typically are characterized with scaly red  edges with a clear central area, treatments topical anti-fungal creams  and mildly potent topical corticosteroid creams.

Some good points from mochastorm here and simple self help measures are always good and sometimes what is needed for management.

Would not advise putting any talcum on any broken or inflamed skin as this will only serve to exacerbate condition, good suggestion though to put on collar until things settle as as MS says if he is sore he may be licking at his testis and worsening the problem.

One word of advice if using emollients please be aware of the flammability of these substances that any bedding be away from flammable sources. I know it may seem a bit ott and common sense should prevail however I see effects of these very such things and how quick and fiercely they can combust.

 

Have you changed his bedding detergent, his shampoo, has he been recently incontinent of faeces or urine in his bedding ? these are one of the single most common causes of scrotal, sacral and genital moisture lesions in humans.

Would have him up to the vet for a opinion as skin can be a minefield. If you have ruled out any external factors seeing he has been up to vet a couple of times previous. In humans having subcutaneous skin infections does increase the risk of recurrence and development of infections. If it can be identified the reason for the complaint swift management can sometimes prevent onset and severity.

Hope you can get him sorted!

atb

7diaw

Edited October 3, 2018 by 7daysinaweek

[Mochastorm]

Well I’ve just read through 7diaw’s post and I shall PM him in the future with any dermatological issues I may have, forget the dogs.  This is an in depth and scientific response with excellent advice.  If you arm yourself with this information when you visit the vet I’m sure you will get a successful outcome.

[Big Mat]

Have you changed anything in his diet or different washing powders etc? As a sufferer of skin problems I know that changing even the tiniest thing can effect it.

Perhaps seek another opinion from the vets? Different vets if needs be if yours hasnt seen anything like it before?