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View Full Version : Cradle cap-like "scabs," allergic reaction?



sqrlmum
08-20-2013, 09:53 PM
Mr. Kingsley is a super-happy FAT and sassy Eastern Grey boy of about 8 weeks old (his nickname is "Tank" for good reason). At about 6 weeks, I noticed that he has scab-like occurrences on his sides. Some are down near his back knees. The closest thing that they resemble is a seriously bad case of cradle cap.

I pulled a few off, and they are almost exactly like scabs. A little hair came off with them, leaving pink but healthy skin underneath. The 'scab' is a yellowish color, just like cradle cap. It doesn't smell, and he didn't seem to mind that I was pulling them off. I liberally applied Neosporin to them and they did not come back.

I assumed it was from his older furbrother & sister biting him, but they've since moved out to their big pre-release cage outdoors. The hair has not grown back in the places that I pulled the 'scabs' off at. He has more of them, and they do not seem to be multiplying too much, YET they do not seem to be resolving on their own. I've applied Neosporin a few times, but they don't come off on their own. I've also given him a warm bath in an attempt to soak them off (he loved that! Silly boy!), but they have stayed put. I've found a few more, but it's not spreading badly - or so it seems. It can't be mange as the only places the hair is missing where I've removed the 'scabs.'

I also don't think that it is an allergic reaction to the bit of detergent I use in his fleece, as it would be all over his back or his tummy (none there at all). I also don't think it's from him scratching himself as they appear where he cannot scratch. It *may* be from him biting himself as he can reach with his mouth, but wouldn't they appear in other places he can lick or bite? Has anyone heard of this before? I have never had a baby with a skin issue. I'll try to post pics in a bit. The good news is that they absolutely do not seem to bother him and are not interfering with elimination or eating or growing. But ... what ARE they?

This is seriously the most challenging bunch I have EVER had! :eek

Starfish
08-20-2013, 10:00 PM
Typical question: any pictures?

sqrlmum
08-20-2013, 10:05 PM
Typical question: any pictures?

Yes - he is sleeping, so when I do his night feeding I'll snap some. Sweetest baby ever.

sqrlmum
08-20-2013, 10:49 PM
OK - he got up, so we did what we could with the snaps.




The first is when he first arrived, which was the day his eyes opened. King of the grub!
The second is the bald spot where I took off a previous 'scab.'
The third is the cradle cap 'scab.' You can hopefully see that it is flaky and yellow in color.
The last is Mr. Kingsley in all of his glory less than 4 weeks after he arrived.

farrelli
08-21-2013, 01:15 AM
Hopefully Jackie will weigh in in the morning, but my dog used to get those and it was fungal.

farrelli
08-21-2013, 01:43 PM
Bump. Anyone have any idea for this? If it is fungal, what drugs might work?

Shewhosweptforest
08-21-2013, 01:54 PM
:wave123 One of my babies was getting bumps...which we took to be fungal....she was much younger ....what I did was bathed her in diluted chlorhexidine gluconate per Uni's advice and I also bathed her in another medication but the bottle is unmarked...Nancy in NY sent it to me ..I'll check my pm's to see what it was....anyway within a week it was gone ....you could also dab it on:thumbsup

The chlorhexidine gluconate came from tractor supply:thumbsup

farrelli
08-21-2013, 02:05 PM
Would Capstar be the ticket?

Shewhosweptforest
08-21-2013, 02:06 PM
:shakehead I could not find the name of the other solution..Nancy would know and here's the info she sent me about it....hope it helps:Love_Icon

Shewhosweptforest
08-21-2013, 02:28 PM
Here's a pic of what Sweet P's scabs looked like

sqrlmum
08-21-2013, 10:34 PM
Thanks, all. I do not believe that it is Pyoderma due to the fact that it is literally like light green dandruff flakes stuck to the skin. The skin around the flakes is not red or disturbed; it's like the hair just got matted together with the flakes. It really reminds me of what my old Beagle used to have - he was allergic to fleas and had the same green crusty dandruff-like flakes on his back.

It resembles this, which is a mild case of cradle cap: http://chekyang.com/musings/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/blog2009babyP1000883babycap.jpg

I have to take Toby, my seriously malnourished Esbilac baby, to the rehabber tomorrow so I will take Mr. Kingsley along with me so that she can assess the flakes/'scabs.' I'll follow up here after I see her. Thanks again!