Mary and I had a bit of a chat on the realtime chat thing. I don't think clavamox would do any harm, but I'm not sure why it was prescribed for what seems to be puppy acne.
Might be worth asking--you're the client and you're the advocate for your dog--so ask why an antibiotic as opposed to keeping the area clean and dry and waiting for a bit.
The link below talks about puppy acne.
http://www.acnetalks.com/pimple/Acne-Ba ... y-Acne.htm This is from a great dane site--but gives good info on puppy acne. Danes are really prone to it.
Puppy Acne
Puppy acne is very common and you normally see it from 3 - 18 months of age especially in the giant breeds. It shows up on the chin and lips, sometimes the vulva area, and in chronic cases you will see pimples along the back and rump. Normally it is treated with an antibiotic, usually Cephalexin (Keflex or Cefa-Tabs) which can be a real problem in this breed. (See antibiotic reactions).
How To Handle Puppy Acne
The best way to treat puppy acne at first is NOT internally with an antibiotic, but by altering the outside environment and boosting the immune system. Then if after 3 weeks that does not do it, you can resort to an antibiotic. When an antibiotic is used they generally want to use is Cephalexin, which can be a problem for Great Danes- as many are sensitive to this drug and it can throw them into an HOD-like reaction. So if we can avoid this by handling the Puppy Acne naturally by boosting the immune function and treating it externally, the puppy will be better off. Because antibiotics destroys the beneficial bacteria in the gut you MUST use a probiotics (BacPakPlus) twice a day on their food to keep the gut in balance and free from loose stools.
The Blackwatch Feed Program for your puppy now comes with the supplements in a kit and you can add them to your holistic dog food and not disrupt the balance. The kit lasts one dog 2-3 months.
There are two kit options:
Puppy Kit#1 - Baby Growth 8 - 12 weeks of age, this kit includes Colostrum for those weak new immune systems
Puppy Kit # 3 for 12 weeks - 12 months (all breeds).
Externally:
Wipe the acne with a 2% solution of OxyEdrops (mix 1 cup distilled water + 1 teaspoon of water). Wipe the acne 2-3 times a day. Also take internally - instruction are on the label. On a black dog it may turn the hair brownish but that will change when the hair grows back after the acne clears up.
So why is this puppy acne (staph infection) so common?
Staph infections are only the tip of the iceberg. Staph is a secondary infection because of a weak or immature immune system.
At first puppy’s immune system is very week and will gather strength with age provided their body is given the nutrients necessary to do this job. But just as it starts to develop we knock it back down with an onslaught of vaccines, wormers, cropping and antibiotics. At the same time the rapid growth, hormones and teething of the large and giant breeds, and this is more than the poor body can handle at this young age.
When the immune system becomes weakened, the good bacteria of the gut does not grow and multiple, protecting the lining of the gut from pathogens (bad bacteria, yeast, fungus etc.) and then we start to see the a domino effect such as Puppy Acne, Vaginitis and Demodectic Mange.
Why Are Probiotics So Important?
The use of beneficial bacterias (probiotics) are critical to maintaining a strong immune system, so if using an antibiotic you must ALWAYS feed a probiotics at the same time, to keep the gut reseeded with good bacteria. The antibiotics will kill off the good AND the bad bacteria, but as you reseed the gut with good bacteria (probiotics), it will take hold even though some is lost due to antibiotics. Give probiotics AM and PM when you are on an antibiotic. (See Blackwatch Puppy Feed Program)
An Illustration: Think of it this way….you have a new apartment with few nice pieces of furniture, and the longer you live there the more you will add to your collection of nice furniture to make an environment of harmony and balance. But along comes your new roommate who brings his flea market furniture, a lava lamp, some crates, bricks and boards making demands on your space. Before you know it…your "Feng Shui" interior is in chaos!
This is like the environment of the gut…in the beginning it has a few good bacteria (probiotics) living there, gaining strength and multiplying in harmony and balance. Then along comes other factors like stress, vaccines, antibiotics, diet, and rapid growth, teething, all making demands on the body, it can’t handle all this at once and there is chaos on the weak immune system.
The role of good bacteria is to keep the bad bacteria (pathogens) and the yeast/fungus in check, and stops them from causing chaos in the form of secondary infections or a systemic yeast infection, therefore keeping a good balance within the digestive tract.
The best preventative measure is always a sound feeding program and the use of functional foods such as Nzymes, Oxydrops and BacPakPlus Probiotics or 4 in 1 Probiotics.
