Dog Lover

[southerngirl]

There is some stuff you can buy at the pet store for hot spots, my dog had them before and it worked great for her. Here are some sites http://www.petsmart.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=3827235&sr=1&origkw=hot spot

http://www.walmart.com/search/search-ng.do?search_query=Hot+spots&ic=16_0&Find=Find&search_constraint=5440&se=kaos&

 

[tigerlily46514]

//

Dog hot spots are a result of a skin condition officially called pyotraumatic dermatitis. It is a bacterial infection that develops and rapidly spreads in the skin. Hot spots will be warm to the touch, and painfully itchy for a dog. Hot spots emit pus and smell badly. Hair loss from around the infected area is common. Because dog hot spots are so painful and irritating many dogs will bite and scratch the area causing the infection to spread.​

Hot spots are most common in dogs with thick coats such as Golden Retrievers, Cocker Spaniels and German Shepherds. However, hot spots can occur in any breed. A common cause for hot spots is moisture getting caught next to the dog's skin, making an ideal spot for an infection to start. Moisture can become trapped by matted fur, a dog collar, or simply thick fur. Many times chronic dog hot spots stem from an allergic condition. Though some dogs are simply more prone to hot spots than others.//​

http://www.doctordog.com/hotspot.html


Catherine, on your follow up visit, you should ask your vet if those scabs were hotspots.

 

[tigerlily46514]

Here's some links on care of hotspots,
i have no idea which ideas here are best...there are 100s of them out there...

http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/dog-care-hot-spots.aspx

^i can not believe the ASPCA recommends using a shock collar to treat hotspots? what??!!



http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?aid=1330

^Catherine, that one mentions hotspots on the head....

 

[tigerlily46514]

CharmWolf, are mastiffs more prone to hotspots? I just noticed, several of the sites i was reading, made mention of mastiffs with hot spots....and had photos of mastiffs hot spots before and after treatment, etc....or, could just be coincidence that i saw a few mastiffs on those articles..

 

[charmedwolf]

Catherine- Usually if the sores are already on their way to healing then some vets won't recognized them as hot spots. They usually get to see things at their worst but not always when they are healing. My first Mastiff Duke, had reaccuring hot spots on his head that didn't seem to bother him. They healed up quickly but always had a odd appearance compared to if he was able to scratch and bite at it.

I have no idea if Mastiff are more prone to hot spots. Moose never got a hot spot that I recall, Duke used to get them all the time on his face but never for long and Kratos tends to get them after going swimming right behind his elbow area. If I spot them now I try and treat them at home.

I use Hydrogen Peroxide on a wash cloth every day til the area starts to dry up. Then I use Bag balm on top of it so the fur grows back quickly.

 

[sara]

When Oliver had hot spots, I used a hot spot remedy that had tea tree oil and other stuff in it. Worked like a damn. My vet advised it before trying antibiotics, as he doesn't like using antibiotics until absolutely necessary. We shaved the area, and put the remedy and bitter apple on it (so he wouldn't lick it) and it cleared up right away.

Here's the day after I got him. The hot spots are on his hip and tail. the hip one isn't bad at this point, but we'd shaved the one on his tail.

I ended up shaving the other one too, so I could get it dry and clean. It took a couple of weeks, but it cleared up.

These 2 hot spots were caused, according to my vet, by a bite from another dog, there was seriously deep scar tissue. Oliver got into the habit of licking it, and it probably itched when it was healing, we just had to break the habit (which bitter apple worked well for!)

 

[Catherine]

UPDATE, UPDATE>.......my baby is feeling better. The spots are cleared up and shes eating again....yiipppeeee....Im soooo relieved.
They must have been hot spots by all the info here and what I researched. I will be more diligent in brushing here now too. Shes never had these before.
My other dogs have had them but I just dont remember them scabbing and spreading so quickly as they did this time. WOW....do they ever grow fast!!

Thanks everyone for you wonderful input.

Wag, wag.....

 

[tigerlily46514]

SO GLAD THAT YOUR PUP IS DOING BETTER SO SOON!

Also, so encouraging to hear of Sara's dog only having the one bout of hotspots, cuz i was sort of getting impression, it can be ongoing struggle for some dogs, but, good to know, not for ALL dogs.

well, this thread has made me more vigilant about doggie grooming, too!!
I bathe my dog every week or two during shedding season, (not all year long, i only bathe buddy THAT frequently ONLY during his spring 'blowout', cuz bathing really helps knock that fur all off all at once, just TONS of fur all washes right off, even AFTER i've just brushed him extensively,
so this frequent bathing during shedding season also saves on vacuuming )

and i found myself worrying last night about letting him go to bed when his thickly-furred hip areas were still damp, way down by the skin........
so he did get blow-dried last night, on low low setting, til dry, before he layed down for the night,
cuz of this thread!!

 

[Dogster]

SOOO GLAD she's better!!!!!