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Treatment

Your veterinarian will recommend switching your dog to a high-quality high protein diet. Supplementing the affected dog's diet with egg yolks (three to six yolks per day) or anabolic protein supplements is usually recommended. Your dog will also be given medical prescriptions to improve liver function.

For treating the associated skin disorder, your dog will be treated with supplements of essential fatty acids (omega-3 fatty acids) at double the normal dose. Zinc and antioxidants might also need to be supplemented in your dog's diet under the supervision of your veterinarian.

It is possible in some cases for a condition of sepsis to result from the skin lesions. Your veterinarian will prescribe topical medications to be applied to your dog's skin to prevent or alleviate microbial and fungal infections, to help the skin heal and to provide pain relief for your dog as the skin recovers.

Medications may also be prescribed to treat the diabetes mellitus, but this condition is treated mainly by managing it with diet, to prevent complications or worsening of the diabetes. Be sure to regularly monitor your dog's eating and behavior so as to keep tabs on its diabetes mellitus symptoms. If you suspect this disease is not controlled, call your veterinarian as soon as possible and discuss the signs you are seeing.

Living and Management

You will need to return to your veterinarian every month to assess your dog's need for amino acid supplements and treatment for secondary infections. Every three months a chemical blood profile, complete blood count, urinalysis and electrolyte panel should be performed by your veterinarian. Your dog's diabetes mellitus will be assessed and treatment will be adjusted as necessary during these visits.

With consistent treatment, some dogs will enjoy a long remission from the symptoms of skin disease. Some dogs, however, will be unresponsive to the therapy and will continue to suffer from progressive symptoms. For these dogs, euthanasia may be the only answer.