Some of you may have read previous postings about Gus's itchy paws.
Well the antiobiotics etc have finished and the problem is back again . Have just got back from the vets (again) and he has to go in for a skin scrape tomorrow and I am really worried. We have to leave him there for a couple of hours - he will be so scared , he hates going there .
What exactly does it involve and do they generally find anything or are they pretty inconclusive ??
Any one had this done ( or their dogs ??? :D )

It is not necessarily conclusive if they do not find anything; he may need a blood test done and sent away to be allergy tested if the skin scrapings prove negative.

Lel,

I think you will be more concerned they he is, hard to believe I know.

No experience of skin scrapes though Sorry

Karen

You may have read we have to take Molly to skin specialist vet next tues and not sure what they are going to do - I have it in my head it is blood tests to start with. Gus will be fine I am sure and please let me know how he goes in case Molly has to go down the same path. I feel like you panicky xx
The vet said something about putting her out while they did the allergy test so am a bit confused but have a whole list of questions to ask the specialist when we go before she does anything :p

Gina

Skin scrapes usually, initially involve scraping the top surface/layer of skin with a scalpel blade and tapping the recovered debris onto a slide.  By using a high power microscope the vet may see mites/and or other possible reasons for the problem.  I'm fairly sure that mange mites live under the skin (as they do as scabies in humans) - but dont worry too much....Easier said than done I know - when the vet kept Lana back for the morning to drain a haematoma I shed a tear on the way home :rolleyes: - When I picked her up she wasn't at all bothered, I think she even liked it!!!
Sarah

Yesterday the vet said we could have him home by dinnertime but today (becasue they are busy) we cannot pick him up til after 3.30 :(
The house is so quiet without him - no sloppy kisses when i come home , no chasing the cat.... its much too quiet and I dont like it :(
Just hope they find something now so we can start to address the problem .

Aw lel, know exactly how you feel its just not the same around the house without them is it!  Fingers crossed for you both, hope they sort the problem soon....Not too long now by the time you have made a cuppa and ate half a pack of biccie's you would of had that phone call to go get him ;)
Sarah

Well my lovely boy is home at last - he's flat out on the sofa. :)
He was a bit groggy when we picked him up so he's had some dinner ( as poor love wasnt allowed anything all day) and is now resting.
We wont know the results for a few days but Vet has taken a scrape and also done a blood test for fox mites - although after having a read of some of the symptoms of this I dont really feel its going to be fox mites . But I suppose we have to eliminate everything :(
He's been given a supply of Medrone which is only to be given when really itchy and a months supply of Rilexine - so I am off to do a google of  both medications.
Just hope something shows up so we can treat it
lel

Lel,

Hope the blood tests show something.

Karen :)

hi, molly (11 month staff) had a scrape when she went to vets a few weeks ago for her flakey skin,she never had to stay in they done it there and then,i couldnt watch, other half held her but she was fine results came back clear x

Lel  in your other post you asked about "fox mites" (sic) & I presume you mean fox mange? Well it can be very serious, especially in older dogs. I know several who have been very ill & two that were pts as a result of fox mange. it is certainly very debiltating & some types of dog do not respond to treatment.It kills foxes....I see many many sick mangy ones & it is just one of the unpleasant side effects of having foxes in close proximity & unfortunately something that the idiots do not take into consideration when they start feeding wild foxes & encouraging them closer to humans.

Well the vet mentioned fox mites and we said ok do the scrape and the blood test while hes there
when I looked up fox mites it mentioned mange- but since he only has itchy paws and is not balding , lethargic etc I wondered why she did this test ? Are there varying degrees of this ?