I have been breeding, showing pomeranians for 33 years(1977). I experienced bsd when I first started with very expensive top show winners from Japan but ignorantly, I thought it was because the dog was getting old. Then, sometime in 1994, I read in the Pom Reader about bsd. I then realized the bsd that I have had. From then on, I resolved not to ever ever have it again. I think I am been quite successful in this resolve.
The biggest problem at that time and up to now is that the best show winners eventually have them. Those fabulous fabulous soft coated dogs win all the time in Asia and this is what the judges choose even if the AKC standard considers a soft coat as a major fault. The dilemma is how badly you want to win. Do you want to stick to lower risk dogs that does not have those winning coat or win with high risk dogs? In my case, I rather lose than get bsd. It is like a fly who so much attracted to light. They know that the light will kill them but they are so attracted to it that they still go near it and get burned.
.....OR PERHAPS, by very very careful selection, breed to outside dogs that are more than 5 years old who still have his coat and at the same time, have the qualities that you like. I think this is one of the reasons why I wanted to join this group...I can get in touch with people who have older dogs without bsd that I can borrow or swap with!
Therefore, I think it is very important that all judges, whether they be AKC, FCI and KC be well informed of the bsd. They should be made to realize that their awarding the ribbon to the wrong dog is giving the wrong signal to pomeranian stakeholders or wannabees.
Such is what I basically wrote in my Facebook Group on Black Skin Disease. For any Facebook member who wants to join this Group, simply tell me and I will invite you.
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With an ongoing group which is increasing in number very quickly, it would be a matter of time when passions get out of hand. I want people to keep the right perspective regarding this matter. There is a tendency for this to lead to
…a leech mob hunting for the wicked witch who may not be a witch after all.
OR;
…there may be another pendulum swing!
…at the same time, I would like pomeranian fanciers to face reality and get out of that DENIAL stage.
What I want to do is to for people to be informed and be mentally satisfied rather than being cowed in blindly following a cult leader, if at all. I want people to ask questions and use their human mind which God has given them. They should not accept things that is said to them because they were told so even the person saying it is an expert. They should ask logical questions to satisfy them mentally. They should also read and research and not wait for spoon feeding like a baby.
I remember when I was working for Bank of America handling a problem Borrowing Account in the mining industry, our Foreign Consultant in that business sector from the US wrote a long study on his assessment of the situation. I telexed him back to say that he was wrong because it was simply not consistent explaining the inconsistency…now, I do not even remember the details. When my boss saw a copy of the communication that I have sent, he commented that I was out of place because I was not a mining expert. I retorted that what he said simply was not logical. The following day, we received a telex saying, and I clearly remember the exact words:
“Que lastima, you were right and I was wrong!”
I also remember when I was just starting in pomeranians, when a dog had a bloody stool , the ALWAYS conclusion of the veterinarians was it was parvo. Later on, I learned, that a bloody stool usually could be due to the following reasons:
…HEAT (Bathe the dog in cold water)
…INFECTION(Bacterial, Giardia, Coccidiosis)…in which case I would now give Albon and Flagyl with IV fluid
…WORMS…in which case, I would deworm.
…perhaps, there are still many other reasons other than parvo.
Now, we have tests that we can do to do an analysis, if it is parvo… if this is at all necessary.
And so, now we talk about bsd or HAIR LOSS due to bsd or black skin. I am not aware of any test that will conclusively say that a case is black skin. Just like parvo, there are many other reasons for hair loss and looking at a book entitled: DOG OWNER’S HOME VETERINARY HANDBOOK, it makes mention of several diseases resulting to hair loss and they are briefly as follows:
HORMONE-RELATED DISEASES WITH HAIR LOSS: Cortisone excess, Growth hormone-responsive alopecia, Hyperestrogenism, Hypoestrogenism, Hypothyrodism.
OTHER DISEASES WITH HAIR LOSS: Acanthosis nigrans, Color mutant alopecia, Demodectic mange, Nasal solar dermatitis, Pressure sore, Ringworm, Sebaceous adenitis, Deborrhea, Viteligo, Zinc-responsive dematosis.
…and they forgot to include FUNGAL DISEASES which is mentioned in another section of the book.
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I like to take back what I earlier said in Facebook about my initial bsd experience…re Japanese pomeranians. Some did get hair loss but I did not do anything to find out what it really was. On hindsight, 30 years wiser, I wish I had blood tests on them to rule out thyroidism as a possibility…so that I could be absolutely certain it was bsd.
I would now like to suggest a protocol for hair loss and this is what I will do and doing now regarding a recent problem.
My best dog today, Ph HOF Am Tha Ch Canton Bravestar had some hair loss resulting from some red-blacking spots around the body something that is sort of greasy. With a change of new help, this was undetected for some time. 
We would clean this up and it will vanish only after a few days it will come back. Without intermediation, it multiplies so quickly into more and bigger spots…greasy. There is some thinning of hair in the affected area. In frustration, I cut off the hair in the affected areas and shampooing with tea tree oil shampoo and applying some fungal ointment. The result is unsatisfactory. He is about 5 ½ years old.
I remember that I have a few experiences like this before. Detected early it was easy to cure with simple shampooing and fungal ointment. Detected late, it becomes unmanageable. I have used various ointments that has burned the skin making the dog truly like a bsd when he may not have been. Now, with Bravestar, I have to know for sure or lose him forever in my breeding program.
I consulted a vet and he had thyroid test done. The test was negative. He said that it is bsd and suggested castration. No! If it is bsd, then let it be so but no castration! I will then not breed him, if it were truly so. Just keep him as a pet.
I want to have proof that this is bsd but there is no test. I know bsd is usually a clear skin with hair loss…but this is the case of dark brown spots causing the hair thinning. I then consulted my Pekingese friend who is a human doctor(since I cannot get the right answers from vets.) Dr Raymundo Lo who is a pathologist suggested that we do skin scrappings for fungal culture. Accordingly, I had his skin scraped with blade until it became pink (without making it bleed). After a longGGG sleepless wait, the result is out. I have a written report from a human laboratory that says it is:
FUNGUS: Candida parapsilosis
My vet now tells me that this is the treatment:
ORAL: Fluconazole(Generic name) …Deflucan(Brand Name) 50mg capsules
2.5mg/kg two times a day for 8 weeks
SHAMPOO: Nizoral Shampoo at least 2 times a week; (from experience, I find tea tree oil shampoo to be more effective)
OINTMENT APPLICATION: 1 times a day but I will make it 2 times; (from experience, I find fungal spray such as biopirox to be more effective)
It is very important that the right dose and frequency /length of time be faithfully done to achieve results.
Perhaps, many of the pomeranians that has been branded as bsd could have had fungal problems as well. Since this is something acquired and NOT genetic, I would still be using Bravestar for my breeding program.
Accordingly, if anyone has some problem connected to hair loss, I would suggest the following protocol:
1. If the skin is not clear, there must be reasons. Make sure your vet do these:
…rule out mange by skin scrappings and view under a microscope.
…rule out fungus by skin scrappings and have fungus culture done.
…clear the dog from dandruff because that would kill the hair folliciles. The skin must have some problems if the skin is not clear and I am inclined to think it is not bsd. Mange, Fungus, Dandruff are not hereditary diseases but acquired. AN ACQUIRED PROBLEM IS NOT GENETIC AND WILL NOT BE PASSED ON TO THEIR PUPPIES GENETICALLY…but left uncured, it may contaminate them! Therefore, rule out these possibilities first!
2. Have a thyroid test done which is really a blood test. Kinda expensive but do it to be sure. If found to be thyroid positive, stop using the dog for breeding. Many breeders still use thyroid dogs for breeding. I will NOT!
3. If the dog is negative for items 1 & 2, there may be other reasons as mentioned it the book that I quoted and I will be really really scared. I will research some more. Until I am mentally satisfied, I will treat the situation as bsd. Stop using the dog for breeding. Accordingly, rather than leave a question mark in your head and have sleepless nights, I suggest you make sure that your vet do the above protocol…..and more. Do not castrate the dog…but if you really want to do that, wait until you are absolutely sure it is bsd. Imagine what regret I would have had if I had Bravestar castrated!
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In my next blog, I will be talking some more about bsd. Action plans and strategies. What to expect from certain breedings.
November 27, 2010
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