i need some info on hepatocutaneous syndrome, my 8 yr old sheltie has just been diagnosed with this. she has been ill for a while now with ulcerated vulva and around her anal area,also mucusy eyes and has lost weight and has thrown up what looks to be like feaces. i have taken her back to the vet several times and have been prescribed anti-biotics and creams for her, i was told today this disease is rare and uncurable,and her qaulity of life isnt looking good. i am hoping someone might be able to explain this in more detail to me,as i was too upset to ask the vet alot about it as he said we need to think about letting her go, i totally trust my vet and have no doubts about his ability.but i was just wondering what i can do to make her more comfotable or is it just prolonging the enevitable? i dont want her to be in pain all the time,she obvioulsy is right now but am hoping the drugs will help this.can anyone give me some advice on this condition???

So sorry to hear about your dog and her illness. I will try to explain some things about this disease, which is rather uncommon, I think.  Your vet must have taken blood-tests, and maybe also had an ultrasonography done, to give you this diagnosis. In the meantime, the antibiotics and creams were given in case there was an infection causing her symptoms.
The word syndrome means it's an illness in one organ, which is giving different symptoms in other parts of the body. (very basically explained)
This explains the ulcerations, which is one of the symptoms of this disease, when the actual illness is located to the liver (hepar). This illness affects the liver, which makes it both full off lumps, and also full of hollow parts. Since the liver is a vital organ for the body, you get very ill when it's not functioning as it should. The liver is where most of the cleaning of the blood is being done, so whithout it the blood gets full of residue products that turn poisonous when not disposed of.  It's enough to say that this is a very unpleasant and painfull process, affecting the whole body and in the end all the organs.  Unfortunatelly the antibiotics and creams will do no good at all.  There is no cure for this disease, and no way of making your dog feel better even for a while.
I'm so sorry, but I agree with your vet, the best thing you can do for her, is to let her go. IMHO this is a privilige we have, to be allowed to spare our dogs the sufferings we humans sometimes have to go through.   By taking her to the vet's, you have done everything you could for her, noone could have done anything more to help her. 
Will be thinking of you and your girl.
Karen

thankyou for your information, the vet has not done blood tests but has done swabs of her infected areas and thats the diagnosis he came up with, everytime i feed her she throws up her bowel contents,but have managed to keep some food down today by feeding her table spoon amounts hourly,but i think ive made a decision to let her go,i cant bear seeing her like this,its not fair. i have an appointment with the vet on thursday,so i think this will be the day when i have to end her suffering.thanks for your kind words.

Again, so sorry for you both. Seems you are doing what's best for her, and you, in the long run. I'm sure she is grateful to you, for helping her in this way.
All the best, Karen