# Help! open sore on anus- vet said not perianal fistulas or anal glands



## I_Love_Kinz (Dec 30, 2011)

Hi all - I know there are a lot of threads regarding similar topics to this however our 4 yr old GSD has been to our vet and the veterinary ER in the last 2 weeks where both said his issue is not perianal fistulas or a problem with his anal glands.

I've posted a picutre of our current issue below - open sore at 5 o'clock on the right -this open sore was NOT present sunday 3/25 when we brought him to the vet ER instead this area was severly inflamed but not open. Also after this picture was taken I went to gently clean up the area with a baby wipe and on the LEFT side white puss leaked out of a pin hole size at 7 o'clock

I would really appreciate any suggestions/ opinions - i have no problem bringing him back to the ER and I've already left a message with our vet (who isn't in until Tuesday)

BACKGROUND:
He's had food allergies all his life (gets injections monthly from us) and is on a hypoallergenic diet.
- Oct 2011 we noticed he had that anal glands smell and chronic loose stool.
- Dec 2011 there was blood and mucous in his stool and he was straining. He was on cyclosporine for 3 months but his stool never improved. Our vet ruled out perianal fistulas and has diagnosed him with Crohns Disease/Colitis. 
- March 2012 After stopping the cyclosporine he had acute diarreah and alot of blood. We put him on a bland diet and he was put on prednisone and metronidazole (flagyl). This worked amazing - within 2 days his stool was firm there was no blood and no smell. After a week on the Metronidazole our vet left him on just a maintenance dose of prednisone and his stool became loose and bloody and he was still straining and trying to go up in up to 6 different spots


I would really appreciate any insight into what this might be and if there are any solutions to help make that area less sensitive and more comfortable for him (he keeps trying to lick back there- he hasn't tried to scoot recently)

Thanks so much - K










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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

Hi, welcome to the board. I am not sure what I am looking at/seeing. I can tell you that my female GSD has a weird "alien" that we once had removed - it was a furunculosis/boil/fistula type thing but it didn't have the draining lines and it was not in the right location. I use Desitin when it comes back. She also gets one below her nose/above her lip. 

I wonder if your dog could have SIBO/ARD Overview - EPI * Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency has some good information on it. Or even the EPI part...

My girl had the B deficiency part which was causing loose stools and now gets a monthly B shot with bouncy poop.  Fasting test through Texas A/M GI Lab. 

A regular fecal to check for giardia, coccidia, etc, has been done right?

Just tossing some thoughts out before I log out. I am sure others will be along as well.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

I have a dog(non GSD) that had something similar to this. Hers was at the 3 oclock position and it was an abscessed anal gland. She had to have a procedure to drain it, etc. I was not allowed to put anything on it, so be very careful what you put on it no matter what it is. The way it was explained to me was that her poop wasn't firm enough(she had some straining too prior to this) to express anal glands causing the problem. The vet also told me that this was the first case he seen like this with a bigger dog--it is not common. Good Luck


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

sorry but that IS a fistula and open hole like that is called a fistula..

Did the vet give you any antibiotics? Say 'why' he has an enflamed butt area?

I can say what the red 'thing' is right by his anus, but those holes are fistula's.

Fistula's can develop for a variety of reasons, infected anal glands, the gland 'stuff' backs up, has no where to go, so tracks begin/expand and push the fluid out. Blown anal glands will also produce fistulas. 

Alot of PF dogs have other issues, allergies/ibd / sibo. 

I see your in MA, are you near Angell Memorial? 

If my dog, this is what I would do,,shave up the area, take him to someone who is 'savvy' in fistula's. Keep the area clean, pack some Desitin into those fistula's.

He DOES need to see a vet tho, they should have him on an antibiotic, they should shave up the area, go from there..

I'd take him to Angell to..
You can also look here
perianal-fistulas

There should be a section with vet's names in your area that deal with fistula's.

Been there done that with TWO dogs..My vet who's become fistula savvy from my own dogs is Chris Ficke at Chester Vet/ Chester CT.. 

Definitely back to the vet


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

Yep, this IS a fistula. This was my first thought, but linked your thread to the PF list for confirmation. Go join, it's here: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/PF-L/messages

Join the PF list and they will help you through all the things that your vet doesn't know. If you don't have a vet that you can bring info to and will listen, then you will need to find a new vet. There is a treatment, a remission is possible, but not with a vet that doesn't have a clue!

Best of luck!!


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## I_Love_Kinz (Dec 30, 2011)

Thank you all so much for your replies

I put desitin on the affected area and joined the PF yahoo group

Currently he is on California Naturals Lamb & Rice - I think we will be switching him to a Fish & Sweet potato food

We live 45 mins south of Boston - I am definitely going to look for a vet that specializes in PF


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

_There is a recall on that dog food right now._

ATLANTA (AP) — Diamond Pet Foods is voluntarily recalling its Diamond Naturals Lamb Meal & Rice dry dog food because it may be contaminated with salmonella. 

A statement from the company Friday said no illnesses have been reported and no other Diamond products are affected. 

Pets that eat the food or people who handle it could become infected with salmonella. Healthy people infected with salmonella should watch for the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. 

Pets with salmonella may have decreased appetite fever and abdominal pain. 


The product was distributed to customers in 12 states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia. It is possible those customers may have distributed it to other states. 

Customers who have purchased the following Diamond Naturals Lamb & Rice products should stop feeding it to their pets and discard it: 

— 6-pound bag with the production code DLR0101D3XALW and best before Jan. 4, 2013; 

— 20-pound bag with the production code DLR0101C31XAG and best before Jan. 3, 2013; 

— 40-pound bag with the production code DLR0101C31XMF and best before Jan. 3, 2013; 

— 40-pound bag with the production code DLR0101C31XAG and best before Jan. 3, 2013; 
— 40-pound bag with the production code DLR0101D32XMS and best before Jan. 4, 2013.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

I don't think Diamonds and California Lamb and Rice are the same foods(made by the same company)


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

llombardo said:


> I don't think Diamonds and California Lamb and Rice are the same foods


OMG OMG...I am so sorry, your right.

I feel so bad causing more stress to the OP. Thank you for catching that!


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

Courtney said:


> OMG OMG...I am so sorry, your right.
> 
> I feel so bad causing more stress to the OP. Thank you for catching that!


No problem, I seen it, thought about it, and then I went into freak out mode for the OP


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## Elisabeth (Dec 25, 2011)

I agree, definitely looks like a fistula with another small one forming where you said white pus was coming out, meaning that there is likely infection going on which would cause increased irritation back there. I would be cautious with flagyl again though, it can have neurological side effects and there are safer alternatives out there. I'm guessing that the irritated area on the top of the anus might also be a fistula formation or the skin might just be that irritated because of the loose stools, since the cause for perianal fistula disease is thought to be autoimmune in many cases the body has a hard time healing and the skin wouldn't be able to recover like it should. Or maybe a combination of the two. 

The pf group will help you figure out the best protocol for your dog and give suggestions, diet change to a different protein/carb combo definitely a good idea, the simpler the better. 

In the meantime to help with pain mix some adult oragel (20% benzocain) with the desitin making that about 1/3 of the mixture and it'll help numb the area so it won't hurt so much. Ask the vet you end up going to for a painkiller like Tramadol (not Rimadyl, too harsh on the system), the less pain your dog is in the happier and less stressed out he will be, which will help him get better faster. You can also give benadryl to help with irritation as well, I've used the regular human dose but my vet said that if I needed to I could use a higher dose, although it can cause drowsiness. 

Good luck and hope to see you on the pf list!

Elisabeth


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