Thanks to Sam's post on Ear Vasculitis, I started a little research project of my own, as Katie had similar symptoms. In fact, Sam and I have shared emails, and it turns out that Katie and Mo have had almost the exact same symptoms. Upon reading that ear vasculitis has now become a breed associated problem with Jack Russells (and though we all know Ratties are NOT JRT, they are cousins on the family tree) , my suspicions that this was Katie's problems grew.
Here are some of the symptoms both Mo and Katie displayed:
- Hair loss on the ear tips that then extends down the ear
- Skin lesions - reddish brown scabs sometimes in clusters
- Small (tear) on the ear tip that scabbed and sloughed off . (Both Sam and I thought at first this was a nip from playing with our other dog) Tears and dying skin can occur all along the ear tips and ear margins.
- Ears are not itchy
Sam's vet first diagnosed ringworm, then ear margin dermatitis. Sam then took Mo to the Vet School at Illinois, where he was diagnosed with ear vasculitis.
I took Sam's information and my research from the internet and Katie to my vet. (actually I saw my normal vet's partner). He examined Katie, took my literature and retired to his office to do some research of his own. Quite some time later he returned with his medical books and a photograph that looked exactly like Katie's ear. Diagnosis in that case was vasculitis. My vet feels confident that this is ear vasculitis, but wants to go ahead and biopsy Katie's ears in the next few days for a definitive diagnosis. I will post the results of that biopsy when I have them.
What exactly is ear vasculitis? It is a disease resulting in reduced blood flow which actually causes the skin on the affected ear to die and slough off. It also causes the hair follicle to die, resulting in alopecia (hair loss) on the ears. If left untreated, large areas of the dogs ear margins can die and leave notched ears. Vasculitis can also attack the mouth, the face, the footpads and the tail. So far, Katie's is limited to her ears, as I understand is Mo's.
Fortunately, it sounds like both Mo's and Katie's condition has been caught early and we can keep the ears from becoming permanently disfigured. Ear vasculitis can also be a sign of systemic problems (i.e. auto-immune, bacterial, fungal, etc). Katie had bloodwork that has all come back normal and the ear biopsy will help indicate if there are any autoimmune changes.
According to Mo's vet and Katie's vet treatment can consist of a drug called pentoxifylline, or a drug called dapsone, along with predisone and ointment. Sometimes antibiotics if sores have bacterial infection.
Below are photos of Katie's ears:
At the onset of the problem (lesions were Even though lesions improved, hair loss
helped using steroidal and antibiotic cream continued to worsen
 
New lesion formed recently (note it appears as a small tear. we first thought this was a little nip from playing with Dixie)
I am forever indebted to sjwinfrey (Sam) for posting about this diagnosis. I believe we will find that this is the same condition Katie is suffering from. This site is such a wealth of information. I hope this may help someone else who may have a pup suffering from unexplained sores and hair loss. |