my dog has hot spots, help!

[chefker]

My poor basset hound has hot spots (red patches where it seems like the fur wore off), in his rear hindquarters, like where the top of his inside leg starts. These are NEW hot spots, and I'm wondering if maybe he got them from laying outside, or what causes them. We've had some warmer days, and Ivan likes to lie in random piles of leaves outside, which I've tried to discourage, since there are probably ticks and God knows what else in the leaves!

The spots look SO painful, is there anything I can do for him? I wonder if I should call the vet tomorrow just in case. Poor little guy!

[jesvet]

If they are spreading quickly take him in! A lot of those need antibiotics. When they are very mild you can do some topical treatments but I don't think they work nearly as well.

[wendstress]

I have a golden retriever.... Goldens tend to get lots of hot spots.

The best home remedy that I have come acrossed for hot spots is GOLD BOND POWDER. I've followed this approach, and it works! However, if you do try it for a day or so and see no improvement, get to the vet because it could be something else.

It's the warm sticky time of the year and if you have a Golden the season for those darn nasty Hot Spots. If you have never seen one they are a sore that appears on the dogs skin usually around the neck or armpits. the center of a hot spot is moist or perhaps crusted over and devoid of hair. The hair surrounding the spot is sticky and matted and is in varying degrees of loosening from the skin. Around the ring of moistened hair you'll notice a border of redness.

This area of redness is actually the edge of the spot and the area that itches like the dickens to the dog. Stopping the progression of the red border is the key to getting these things under control before they get out of hand.

Keep a close eye on your dogs coat and look for small areas that feel like they got a small drop of tree sap in their fur. When you feel that the light should go on in your mind that something nasty may be starting. Take a close look at the skin under the sticky spot to see if the skin is red and the fur is coming loose, the sure sign of a forming hot spot.

If the area of irritation is small (less than the diameter of a pencil eraser), pull away the loose hair and douse the area with some Gold Bond powder.

If the area is a little larger (dime or nickle size diameter), carefully trim the fur around the spot to about 1/8" in length. Then apply some Gold Bond powder making sure the powder gets all the way to the skin in the area of that itchy red border. You have to stop the itch, and dry out the spot so it can scab over and start to heal. Keep the dog dry until the spot has scabbed over and started to heal.

For larger spots you may have to make a trip to the Vet for treatment. The dog will need a larger area trimmed up, a shot of hydrocortisone to sooth the itch, and a anti-biotic to prevent secondary infections.

The best thing you can do is keep an eye on your dog and get after any spots as soon as you detect them. Treat them when they are just forming so they don't get a chance to run and spread. Left untreated, a tiny spot the size of a pencil eraser can grow to the size of a silver dollar in a matter of hours.


Good luck!

[chefker]

Thanks ladies! I ended up calling the vet, who does want me to bring Ivan in today, so we have an afternoon appointment. They said it could even be that his anal glands are blocked, so he's biting that area. They will check that, and express them if they're blocked. If it's something else like an infection, he may end up on antibiotics.

These spots popped up all of a sudden (like in the past 2 days we've noticed them), so hopefully it is something we can nip in the bud.

[whitlockan]

Let us know how Ivan turned out.

I know my old dog....my parent's dog......would get hot spots ALL THE TIME, and she would pick and pick at them. They finally had to put an antibiotic and a soft cast on her leg to get her to stop so they could heal.

Oh yes those anal glands, I know spitz (American Eskimos) are very prone to having those expressed every few months. Just an FYI, the vet can show you how and this is something you can actually do it at home if that is the case, I wouldnt recommend it because it has a horrible smell but also they can be surgically removed. Rockets got so bad they got infected and had to be removed but it was worth it, now they dont have to worry about those nasty things.

[chefker]

The vet saw Ivan yesterday, and thinks Ivan has a skin infection. So, he's on antibiotics for that, plus an antihistamine to control itching. While we were there, the vet did check Ivan's anal glands, and sure enough they were pretty full, so he expressed them. I don't think Ivan was too happy with this! He was down in the dumps all evening after that. Hopefully he's feeling relief though, from the glands being un-blocked.

I think Ivan's in much better spirits today; this morning, the little stinker stole a piece of Irish soda bread right off my plate that I was going to eat for breakfast! ;)