moosepup Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 (edited) Bloody hell. So I took Moose off to the vet to get neutered on Thursday. Picked him at 5pm. No problems, surgery went well, only has 1 stitch (small balls!) and all is fine so I trot off home with him and some painkillers in tow. Friday he's fine, eating, drinking, pooping, being a menace as usual. Well this morning I notice that some of his hair is clumped together in a spot on his lower back. I think nothing of it and go and have a shower. When I went back into my room I see that this small clump of hair is now on my bed! I check his back out and see he has a large red sore spot and his hair has fallen out!!!!!!!!! My immediate thought is that it's a burn from the hot water bottle they gave him on Thursday (after reading that other DOLers horror story about a HWB burn). I rang the vet immediately as we already had an appt for Zoe so I took him along too. Now the vet isn't sure if it's a reaction to the anti-inflamatory injection he got (although she has never seen a reaction like this) or if it is indeed a burn from the HWB. The skin looks bright red and sort of leathery. There is one spot that is about 1cm x 1 cm (maybe a bit bigger) and 2 smaller spots directly below it. She decided that we should start treating it as if it's a burn straight away so I've got some antibiotic tablets and some silver sulphadiazine burn cream to put on it, and an elizabethan collar. I now have 2 bucket-head dogs. Taking him back on Monday. Anyone else have opinions on what this could be??? Or experienced it themselves?? I'm so distraught. Even though he seems perfectly fine! I know this is a pretty poor picture but he's lathered in cream atm so can't take another one just yet. Edited July 4, 2009 by moosepup Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 I am amazed that a hot water bottle could give such a small round burn. You would think that if it was a HWB then it would be over an area say, as big as your hand. I would be inclined to think that if they gave an injection in or around that spot, then that would be highly suspect. Do they wipe the area with something before they inject? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moosepup Posted June 6, 2009 Author Share Posted June 6, 2009 If it was the size of my hand it would cover his entire body. I presume it was one of those mini HWB. The vet did check with the nurses that were on duty that day (it was a diff vet that actually did his op) and they said that the kettle was only half-boiled and the HWB was wrapped in a towel. Not too sure if the area was wiped before injection, I suspect not. Does a reaction to an injection look like this?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Who paid for the treatment cause if it was caused by the HWB then the vet should supply the meds to fix it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moosepup Posted June 6, 2009 Author Share Posted June 6, 2009 I paid for the meds, although she didn't charge a consult fee. She also didn't charge for some of the diagnostic stuff she used on Zoe (eye issues). At this stage I'm not going to kick up too much of a fuss (especially as it hasn't been proven that the HWB is the culprit). If it gets worse (touch wood it doesn't) then I will consider my options. Thanks STITCH. This is how upset he is... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puggy_puggy Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Do your dogs ever fight? Could be a bite mark. Have seen many spots where dogs have nipped eachother and the fur has fallen out in a clump. The spot is usually brownish/blackish. Zinc cream is good for things like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 ?hotspot? as in wet excema? or a 'burn' from bleach or similar? Dunno.... The AB's and cream will sort it ,anyway.. poor little man... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moosepup Posted June 6, 2009 Author Share Posted June 6, 2009 Hi puggy_puggy. They play with each other but they don't fight. Zoe is 10 years old, a few teeth short and placid as hell. It's a HUGE mark for a bite so I'm pretty confident it's not that. Plus it's bright red. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowgirl Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 This is how upset he is... OMG! He looks terrible ... and obviously in pain! . Little bugga has no idea how worried and upset your are about him Hope he's okay . Give him a little cuddle for me, he is such a cutie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakway Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 ?hotspot? as in wet excema?or a 'burn' from bleach or similar? Dunno.... The AB's and cream will sort it ,anyway.. poor little man... Hot Spot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moosepup Posted June 6, 2009 Author Share Posted June 6, 2009 Not sure about it being a hot spot because it's dry, not moist. And not sure where he would've got it from?? Thanks yellowgirl, definitely giving him lots of cuddles. You're right, he is SO not concerned even though I'm a mess! I'm just shocked with how bad it looks and it just kinda popped up outta nowhere. I really hope it just gets better and not worse. Check out my bucketheads! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puggy_puggy Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Check out my bucketheads! They look very impressed with thier new headwear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moosepup Posted June 6, 2009 Author Share Posted June 6, 2009 They look very impressed with thier new headwear. Their reactions were quite funny... Moose is fine with his, happy to run around with it on and even figured out how to get into the water bowl with it on. Zoe however will NOT move once you put it on. When I first put it on she sat in the kitchen like a statue for the next 10 minutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loraine Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Goldengirl's dog had a burn from the vet, done by a HWB. http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?show...57&hl=burns here is the linky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moosepup Posted June 6, 2009 Author Share Posted June 6, 2009 Goldengirl's dog had a burn from the vet, done by a HWB. http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?show...57&hl=burns here is the linky Yep that is the thread that sent me into a panic. I felt so sick when I found the spot on him this morning. The thread is why I was kinda pushing it onto the vet that I thought it was a burn even though she wasn't 100% convinced. I'm hoping that because we've started treating it straight away as if it is a burn that Moose won't end up like poor Beau. It hasn't gotten any worse over the day and I've just got all my fingers & toes crossed that it heals and doesn't spread. It's making me think that vets probably shouldn't use HWB with dogs, especially while they're recovering from sedation, as if it's burning them they won't be able to move. They should use a less direct heat source to keep them warm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rappie Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Please note that this is not a comment specific to this case: The few incidents that I am (personally) aware of burns sustained during a surgery are usually not during recovery, but in smaller animals who have advertently got a wet back (from surgical prep solutions) while in a cradle and then spent a period of time lying on top of a heated mat, rather than the use of a hot water bottle. The wet patch in contact with reasonably direct heat over a period of time can cause a fair bit of heat. As I said, I am NOT commenting specifically on this situation, only the cases that I have seen (thankfully few). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moosepup Posted June 6, 2009 Author Share Posted June 6, 2009 (edited) Hi Rappie, that sounds plausible re. him having a wet back but they definitely used a HWB as opposed to a heat mat. Like I said, I'm not positive it's a burn but I've sure never seen anything like it. If it is a burn do you find that they generally respond well to the silver sulphadiazine cream and antibiotics? PS. How cute is the pup in your avater?? Edited June 6, 2009 by moosepup Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 When my avatar girl (now gone, but not forgotten, bless her cotton socks) had a series of surgeries, I'm sure I remember there being a heat mat on the operating table. Is that standard procedure? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moosepup Posted June 6, 2009 Author Share Posted June 6, 2009 When my avatar girl (now gone, but not forgotten, bless her cotton socks) had a series of surgeries, I'm sure I remember there being a heat mat on the operating table. Is that standard procedure? Oh I see, they use the heat mat during surgery... I may need to ask the vet about that on Monday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 I don't know, Moosepup. I know they use them in recovery, and I'm sure they used a heat mat for the duration my girl was on the table, but I don't know if that's standard procedure. As Rappie said - she isn't and can't say for your instance, but it would make sense to me if it was caused this way because wouldn't the dog be on its back with back legs splayed for that op? And perhaps some of the antiseptic ran down and pooled in that area? Just guessing. Like Rappie, I don't want this to seem as though I am pointing fingers - just trying to help puzzle it out for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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