Has anyone heard of Wells Syndrome

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Lisa and Witn (GA)

Member Since 2009
Mischief's body is covered in small crusty nodules. She had a biopsy and my vet had to consult with a dermatologist about the results because they were very abnormal. The dermatologist told her that it could be Wells Syndrome. Has anyone heard or has experience with this?
 
Good golly - Lisa, no I've never heard of it before and I'm sure my vet hasn't either....but I don't think that's what hers is. When I looked at the link that Scoobs posted above, my jaw dropped. I have a dog with those same 'lesions' - the vet hasn't been able to identify them. They're definitely not 'small crusty nodules' at any time in their life cycle. That said, Doc's always had what I would describe the same way that you did - small crusty nodules. They couldn't get anything out of them to see what they were when they tried to biopsy, just skin layers. He's got lots of them but they don't seem to itch, some disappear, others reappear. I think they're an allergy, possibly food allergy but I've never been able to change his diet long enough to tell. Since they don't bother him, we just live with it.
 
Good golly - Lisa, no I've never heard of it before and I'm sure my vet hasn't either....but I don't think that's what hers is. When I looked at the link that Scoobs posted above, my jaw dropped. I have a dog with those same 'lesions' - the vet hasn't been able to identify them. They're definitely not 'small crusty nodules' at any time in their life cycle. That said, Doc's always had what I would describe the same way that you did - small crusty nodules. They couldn't get anything out of them to see what they were when they tried to biopsy, just skin layers. He's got lots of them but they don't seem to itch, some disappear, others reappear. I think they're an allergy, possibly food allergy but I've never been able to change his diet long enough to tell. Since they don't bother him, we just live with it.
Is your dog a dalmation by chance?
 
@scoobydoox - No she's an older 'Shih Chi'...Shih Tzu/Chihuahua mix...as best as we can tell. She was found 1.5 years ago laying on the side of the road, lady thought she was dead. She was literally skin and bones with sand burrs buried in her skin everywhere...she was dying from not only starvation but the poison of the burrs. She was so weak she couldn't lift her head and only the tip of her tail but it wagged. She actually died on the vet's table but they brought her back. When they stabilized her and she was strong enough to stand a bit, we became her 'medical fosters'...until she was strong enough to go to her 'forever home'. Can we say 'foster failure'? She's hypothyroid, old, grouchy, her hips and one leg were broken in the past and healed badly so she walks strange and takes pain meds often, bad teeth....and we wouldn't give her up for the world. One of those "not worth a plug nickel and wouldn't take a million dollars for her" :) Her immune system is shot so she's prone to anything happening. She's always had these lesions - note the black spot at the end of the swelled areas in the link. I thought they were from the burrs still left which some were but these others aren't. I treat them when they appear but vet had NO idea past 'some kind of cyst'. Bathing often seems to help...
 
Mischief's body is covered in small crusty nodules. She had a biopsy and my vet had to consult with a dermatologist about the results because they were very abnormal. The dermatologist told her that it could be Wells Syndrome. Has anyone heard or has experience with this?
This is interesting. My Regan (Rosa's twin) came up as slightly hypo-t on her last annual blood work but the vet couldn't find a thing wrong with her apart from noting a couple of what appeared to be scratches (non-infected but slightly scabbed areas). We thought she'd been fighting with our tabby baby, Licorice, especially as she seems to develop new areas that are slightly scabbed on and off. She is prone to skin allergies - most notably to Frontline. I will mention this to our vet and see if they think it's worth doing additional testing for this or something similar.
 
It completely stumped 3 vets at the clinic we go to. Even after they received the biopsy results they still did not know what it is.
 
I have to say Regan appears to be completely comfortable and healthy in herself. But I would like an answer - if I have to pay for a dermatologist, I will do. We'd assumed she'd been getting into slapping matches with Licorice, but the patches we've noticed would match with what the dermatologist suggested to you. As it happens, I see the owner of the clinic we go to for Rosa and she's always very interested in learning anything new, so I will definitely mention it to her and ask her if she thinks it's a possibility for Regan.
 
I'm glad to hear Mischief doesn't seem to be feeling any ill-effects. Fortunately, Regan doesn't either. Here's hoping they both stay healthy for a long time to come! :)
 
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