the black walnut tincture is supposed to be taken orally, just happens to work topically as well. It is for humans, dose like you would for a child, about 1/4 adult human dose, and like anything do not use internally for long periods of time. I am not a dr, so please do what you think is best, it is just a suggestion. I always try natural approaches before harsh medications...and this is what I would use, you can find info by typing it in google.

Whatever you do... I agree with Elaine, prevention is key! once you get a handle on it keep it clean and dry so it dosnt happen again.

http://www.ThunderBullies.com

I'm glad your girl is better for having it done but I want to avoid that if at all possible. I don't think our girl's pocket is too deep to care for.

I appreciate the comments and suggestons! She hasn't been off of the cephalexin in over 3 weeks now so I doubt it is bacterial. I've read so many people having good experience with the Malaseb Pledget wipes I was surprised that they irritated her. I talked with the Vet today and she agreed with what I was already doing. I've stopped using the wipes and I am using the Neo-Predef powder only. This powder does not have an anti-fungal agent; however, it does give her some relief as it has a soothing effect and seems to be helping somewhat already. It will not cure the yeast infection completely, in my opinion. The vet said we would re-evaluate after the weekend to give it some time to heal a little. The vet said she wanted to try at least two topical anti-fungals before any oral anti-fungals because the orals are hard on their system. I'm afraid the infection is already too deep to be cured by topical anti-fungal alone. I'm confused and afraid to try any 'home' remedies for fear of aggravating it even more. The vet agreed that yeast can be resistant to meds. I just wonder how many different topical anti-fungals are there? The Mometamax uses Clotrimazole for the anti-fungal. The Malaseb Plegets use Miconazole. The plegets also have Chlorhexidine Gluconate - a chemical antiseptic and ethanol - I guess to promote quick drying. It just sounds too rough. Also, it's not even strong enough to require a prescription. So what is the best topical anti-fungal? Panalog and Animax seem to be the same. They both use Nystatin as the anti-fungal. We haven't tried it yet. But it's a 'wet' medication. Anyone ever had oral anti-fungals? Are they dangerous?

and then wound up having the tail amputated. The vet that performed the amptutation told me after wards that the tail pocket was so deep I would have never gotten the problem taken care of. My girl would be on antibiotics about once a month for the last 4-5 months prior to the amputation. She is a very mild mannered bully and she put up with me flushing her pocket every couple of days and applying meds even though I could tell I was hurting her. I finally made the decision to have the tail taken off. She if fine with no more problems!

Mike

yes, they can be very hard on the digestive system...I've taken them myself too, but some dogs tolerate it...helps to give with food or on a full stomach.

My 2 year old girl, Sophie, has had a few of these due to her curly "tight tail". Finally we started cleansing the area with Pledgets (medicated wipes) and applying Panalog. Worked great, thank goodness, because the vet was talking about having to amputate her tail. Now I clean her off every day with a Pampers baby wipe for sensitive skin. Seems to be helping. Good luck!

- clean with an antibacterial soap/warm water, do NOT scrub... it will get raw a sore.
- dry very well, dry again half an hour later or so to make sure it is good and dry

if tail pocket feels wet still(raw/oozing etc), do not apply powder. Get a good antifungal/antibacterial, I like Black Walnut tinture, can get at health stores. But it is dark in color (black/green), and will leave some stain on the dog if they are white, it comes out in the bath later. It is a liquid, get some in there (wear gloves so you dont stain your hands), spread it around good getting every 'nook and cranny' wait about 20 min and dry with a rag you dont care about... this stuff seems to KILL any bacteria it touches while leaving the skin soft and supple, doesnt seem to sting either. It also worked on a really bad hotspot... after one application the whole thing stopped oozing, no new scabs returned and the hair didnt fall out. I am sure there are other good antifungal's out there, but I really like that one. Anyways...rambling.. lol the key for the tail pocket is DRY! keep it clean and DRY!

http://www.ThunderBullies.com

and it started out to be fungal...with localized infection it could now be both fungal and bacterial. I agree with the washing, and rinsing very well...putting dog in the tub or shower and using a water "wand" to rinse well is very helpful (install one if you don't already have one)...pat dry.

I am not personally familiar with the walnut product mentioned here but I agree that dry is better than any wet-type medication, and that's why I use Gold Bond Medicated Powder...and the vet suggested the Neo-Pred powder, but if its not working, you should try the above product. If the problem is severe though, oral meds are likely needed to get ahead of the problem, as well as treating it topically. Phone the vet's office and tell them you need another refill of the cephalexin...that its improving but not cleared...they should agree to do this without charging another exam fee! While wrinle infections are no stranger to "bulldog vets" its something that any good vet should be familiar with and be able to treat effectively. Once you get this raging sore pocket healed, or mostly-healed, you will need to establish a routine for cleaning it weekly or semi-weekly to keep it under control, especially in the summer months ahead. PREVENTION is the word.