This week in the at the Vets, I’d like to share the curious case of Beta – my own much-loved German Shepherd. At eight years old, Beta is usually a fit and healthy dog. But recently, she gave us quite the medical puzzle.

It started with a persistent high temperature that lasted 4 days. Alongside this, she developed polyuria and polydipsia – in simpler terms, she was urinating and drinking far more than usual. It’s a classic combination that can point to several underlying conditions, from infections to hormonal imbalances.

We decided to run a full set of blood tests and urine analysis, but thankfully, all her results came back normal. She was started on medication to support her through the symptoms, but ultimately, Beta seemed to recover on her own – the fever settled, and her drinking and toileting returned to normal. We suspect her high temperature was caused by a virus which in turn made her very thirsty.

However, just as things were returning to normal, Beta’s week got worse. She developed a new problem – this time with her skin. Seemingly overnight, she broke out in deep pyoderma, a bacterial skin infection that goes beyond the surface layers and causes painful and itchy sores. We confirmed this with some in house testing. This can happen when the skin’s natural defences are compromised, but again, the exact cause wasn’t clear.

We clipped and cleaned the worst-affected areas to monitor the progress much more easily and also started some antibiotic treatment. As any dog owner knows, there’s nothing quite like a patchy haircut to knock a proud dog’s confidence – but Beta took it all in her stride.

Thankfully, she’s healing well. Her coat is starting to grow back, her skin is much improved, and her energy is returning. While we may never know exactly what triggered either episode, treating each condition as it came – with plenty of patience and care – proved to be the right approach.

Beta’s ordeal has been a reminder that even with all our tools and tests, some things will remain a mystery!