What Is This?

[Scottsmum]

Before I start I will state that I have been to the vet.

Just wondering if there are any educated guesses as to what this might be?

Came up very suddenly - I'm not dumb enough to say "overnight" but it sure as heck wasn't there when he had a bath on the 30th November. I first noticed it on Wednesday. It seemed to get a little "angier" before I could get to the vet. These photos were taken after the vet visit - hence a little more aggravated due to examination. It doesn't appear sore, he's not chewing at it obsessively.

The vet wasn't too concerned. She clipped it a little bit, gave it a wash with some hexawash (or similar) and sent me away with some neocourt. Re-visit in 7 days. She did rule out ringworm - which is what I presented with / suspected it was - because "older dogs don't tend to get ringworm". She was more concerned with a bald patch on another leg which he's had for a while.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzQ-pEjoICGIRzNiTWg1bnhrRklrUmNUZzQxOUhCb0Jta0tF/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzQ-pEjoICGIaGxLRTNXV2JHLS02dkVXaVRXeEtuemhkcVp3/view?usp=sharing

The little squares on this blankie are about the size of a 5 cent piece for scale.

So.... Hit me with your best bet (and before anyone says it, I have been thinking for a while it might be time for a new vet. Think I'll explore my options in the next few weeks).

[pheenyx]

Looks very much like a Hot spot

[Loving my Oldies]

Looks very much like a Hot spot

As inexperienced as I am, that was my first thought too. It looks very angry.

Good luck with finding a new vet and quick healing.

[Scottsmum]

LOL. That didn't even cross my mind!

[Yonjuro]

Ouch, looks like a hot spot to me.

Mim on this forum had a good remedy. Dab with 3% hydrogen peroxide solution (available from chemist and some supermarkets) then dab with betadine liquid. The thing with hot spots is to try and keep them dry, which is a problem as they are sore and the dog licks them for relief which only makes it worse.

Vets will often prescribe steroids and antibiotics. My opinion is that you can probably avoid this by trying Mims method as it will dry it very quickly and then begin to heal faster than with creams.

[Ranga]

Maybe a grass seed?

Looks quite 'angry' doesn't it? Good luck finding an answer and hope it clears up soon Scottsmum

[persephone]

looks like a perfect hot spot . clip/clean /keep dry routine :) betadine is excellent ! Try & stop dog licking at it /do not cover it ..the little bugs LOVE moisture/warmth .

[tdierikx]

Clip the rest of the fur off it and get yourself some Curash powder or EDP powder to help dry it out. Neocort is OK for the first day or so to get it to settle, but after that you want to dry it out to make it go away.

T.

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

I had to google hot spot

I didn't think they occurred in short haired dogs... but they can. Dog chewing itself because it's itchy or bug bites are the usual causes. So if you can stop the dog from being itchy... or getting bitten...

http://www.petmd.com/dog/care/evr_hot_spots_what_are_they?page=2

If my dog gets a hole in her skin (mostly cuts) - I put aloe vera on it. I also put aloe vera on her grass induced tummy rash - which she will aggravate by chewing and licking - but it doesn't go like a hot spot.

Aloe vera is toxic in large doses but most dogs won't eat lots of it because it tastes horrible even by a dog's standards. It promotes healing, it dries on (ie doesn't stay moist and gooey), and I think it has antiseptic antibacterial properties but I'd have to check that with Dr google. Honey also has antiseptic properites but it tastes great, and it stays sticky. So you'd have to bandage that if you used it - which isn't good for the hot spot.

[CavsRcute]

Almost 100% that it is a hot spot.

Needs to be dried out. Found that Curash or Betadine is best

[Scottsmum]

So should I follow the instructions vet gave me? (Neocourt x 2 daily, 7 days)

[denali]

So should I follow the instructions vet gave me? (Neocourt x 2 daily, 7 days)

The neocort keeps it moist- it will clear it up but youll find the drier it is the faster it goes- so IMO i would say no.

I wouldn't.

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

neocort worked on my dog's rash but it wasn't weepy. Aloe vera and keeping her off the grass also works.

[Dogsfevr]

Don't clip there is no need to remove the hair with a hot spot ,the hair regrowing just annoys the dog again & they will lick .

It is very easy to treat a coated breed even easier a short coat .

I would vet wrap to try & minimize the licking ,keeping it dry is a must BUT we have also used neocort at times to give the dog some relief but we didn't do it everyday .

We use the medi puff powder for drying but if you want to use an ointment dermotic for ears works a treat for nasty hot spots & tricin for eyes/ears

[ish]

A couple of days dabbing peroxide on it and it'll dry out and heal up. I used to use curash powder but find the peroxide quicker

[Ivory & Beau]

Good old purple spray they sell for horse wounds! Works a treat for hot spots. Apply every day for about a week and they go poof!

Our younger Lab had some nasty, stinky, itchy hot spots a few months ago. Shaved area, washed in salt water and kept the area covered in purple spray.

Cetrigen

Edited December 14, 2014 by english.ivy

[Kirislin]

I wonder if hot spots are similar to rain scald on a horse. Horses can get some pretty yucky skin infections under thick winter coats. They get all pussy and the hair peels off. They look disgusting and are painful, but once you wash them with an idodine based shampoo they clear up really quickly. That's what I'd be inclind to do with that if if came up on one of my dogs.

[persephone]

I wonder if hot spots are similar to rain scald on a horse. Horses can get some pretty yucky skin infections under thick winter coats. They get all pussy and the hair peels off. They look disgusting and are painful, but once you wash them with an idodine based shampoo they clear up really quickly. That's what I'd be inclind to do with that if if came up on one of my dogs.

it is a similar infection, I think ... and I vote betadine scrub as the BEST thing for the horse version ..dog version , scrub, then apply betadine solution. The betadine works almost instantly to kill bacteria/fungal infection ..and by doing it a couple of times a day , the skin gets a chance to heal cleanly :)

[VizslaMomma]

Always worries me about applying cream to these types of sores.

With the Vizslas, I have always felt it increased their time to recover.

I prefer the dry the site type of procedures as others have indicated.

Edited December 15, 2014 by VizslaMomma

[cavNrott]

I've never had a dog with hot spots but a friend who had dogs with these problems said she used the original brown coloured Listerine on the offending areas and it cleared up the hot spots quickly.