My dog has a "hot spot" on his back...?

The vet recommended an over the counter medication, but that seemed to irritate it more. The lady at the feed barn recommended a skin conditioning spray, it seems to relieve it for a while, but I have to use it every couple hours. His "hot spot" isn't getting worse, but it's not getting better either. Some one told me that bacon grease will help. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

My dog has a "hot spot" on his back...?
Mix douche powder with white Vaseline, until it makes a thick paste..apply liberally on the area, as often as needed..It promotes healing, has mild anti-fungals, and antibiotics, and is very soothing.. An old vet gave this remedy to me many years ago, and it is good for many skin problems..It will work
Reply:Your dog has a superficial pyoderma, a skin infection known to veterinarians as pyotraumatic dermatitis and to dog owners as hot spots. Hot spots are surface skin infections caused when populations of normal skin bacteria grow and overwhelm normal resistance. They are generally circular patches that lose hair, can be swollen, may exude a smelly pus, and can be painfully itchy, causing the dog to scratch, lick, or bite to the point of self-mutilation. Untreated hot spots can spread and provoke a normally even-tempered dog to growl or nip when touched.





These troublesome sores can seem to arise in a matter of hours with no warning, but they do tend to follow a pattern that helps in predicting their occurrence.





Dogs most susceptible to hot spots are those with heavy coats and histories of allergies, ear infections, flea infestations, irritated anal sacs, and grooming problems such as hair tangles and mats, but any dog can develop this infection. Dogs in warm, humid climates may develop hot spots when they shed their undercoats if the dead hair is trapped next to the skin, and dogs with behavior problems may mutilate themselves by licking and thus encourage an infection to become established.





The most common locations for hot spots are the legs and feet, flanks, and rump — areas that can be reached by licking or biting — but these localized infections can also appear on ears, neck, and chest if the dog is continually scratching.Two approaches are neccessary for dealing with hot spots: treat the sore and remove the underlying cause to prevent recurrences.





Veterinary dermatologist Lowell Ackerman recommends the following treatment in his book Skin and Haircoat Problems in Dogs:





trim the hair around the sore to prevent further spread of the infection and expose the edges of the lesion;


wash the area in a mild water-based astringent or antiseptic;


be prepared to use antibiotics or cortisone if the washing does not give results.


Ackerman recommends against the use of ointments or creams because they can seal in the infection and hinder recovery. In severe cases, a veterinarian may suggest the use of an Elizabethan collar to prevent mutilation and give the spot a chance to heal.


Prevention


If the underlying cause is tangled or matted hair or trapped dead hair, put the dog on a regular grooming schedule either at home or at a grooming salon. Collies, Old English Sheepdogs, Shih-Tzus, and other breeds with long hair that tangles easily should be groomed at least twice a week so that snarls and mats do not form. Never bathe a dog with matted or tangled hair — comb the snarls out first. Clip mats if you cannot easily comb them out, and make an appointment for professional grooming every four-to-six weeks if you cannot keep the dog mat-free on your own.





If the underlying cause is allergies, begin an aggressive campaign to rid your home and yard of fleas and work with your veterinarian on a plan to reduce allergy triggers for your pet. Household dust, plant pollen, lawn chemicals, and diet can all cause allergies or can build to a crescendo of allergies if the dog's sensitivities cross a threshhold. Frequent vacuuming, supplements to keep the skin and coat healthy, air purifiers, and baths in skin-soothing herbal or medicated shampoos with aloe, oatmeal, jojoba, or eucalyptus can help. Next step is over-the-counter antihistamines such as Benadryl or Atarax — with a veterinarian's approval. If these don't work, then steroids to reduce the inflammation and the immune system reaction to the allergen and perhaps antibiotics to cure the infected hot spot are the next course of treatment.





If the underlying cause seems to be behavioral — if your pet doesn't have allergies or fleas or a more serious skin condition, but is so bored, stressed, or lonely that he maims himself with constant licking or scratching, he may need more exercise, playtime, and attention. This can be the easiest or the hardest treatment to implement because there's no pill or ointment for long-term success; the requirements are time, consistency, and perhaps an investment in training books, an obedience school, a dog sitter, or an animal behaviorist


Hope that was of some help to you and best of luck! Boy my hand are crampin!
Reply:Bacon grease does not sound like a good idea, especially if the skin is broken. Then you're just asking for an infection! And if he likes bacon, he'll just lick at it (also not good!!!)





Perhaps try a different vet. What we do at our clinic is clip away the hair, scrub with betadine (kills germs), spray with medication that also soothes skin and dulls pain, then if it's bad we give a shot of antibiotics.





If it's in a spot where he can lick it, he may need to wear a "lamp shade" because licking it won't help it heal.
Reply:Dazzlingstarz had an excellent explanation. To that I'd like to suggest calling the vet back and letting him/her know that the medication made the problem worse. Perhaps he or she will have an alternate medicine to suggest.
Reply:You can use Furazolidone Spray to treat the hot spot. It is a broad spectrum antibacterial aerosol that is available from vet supply companies and also, some feed stores carry it. The spray contains 4% Furazolidone and works very good in the treatment of bacterial infections of superficial wounds, abrasions and lacerations in dogs.





I would advise you to clip the hair around the hot spot and use this spray a couple of times a day.





From your question, I am not sure if you actually took the dog to the vet, or just called him for suggestions, but often, if the hot spot is very large, the vet will give an injection of Prednisone for the itching and also an antibiotic. The itching causes the dog to lick and chew and to cause further damage. Beware of the Pred. though....it will cause increased water consumption and urination.





Definitely....no bacon grease! That would only make the dog want to lick and chew more at the area.....the idea is to stop him from the self mutilation.
Reply:Remove the hair by cutting and shaving-Then wash it off with a mild soap and water- Use benadryl for the itching. Check with the vet for the right dose- Then apply medicine from the vet. It's always worked for my dogs. They only seem to get them right at the top of the tail. Those nasty spots can drive the poor dog nuts.
Reply:DO NOT do the bacon grease- your goal is to 'dry' that spot up.


Cut away hair around it, and try this product...I've cured hot spots with this and it takes away the itch instantly. It is called


"Best Shot M.E.D. Topical Solution", and they have a shampoo by the same name as well. Does NOT sting, no alcohol, a natural product that I SWEAR by.





Spray the solution on the hot spot three times daily and I guarantee you'll see improvement within three days, then just spray it once or twice per day until healed. It is an antiseptic that also has healing agents for the damaged skin...it has aloe vera gel, eucalyptus oil, chamomile, and is an excellent treatment for skin allergies, hotspots, eczema, and sebhorrhea. Cost is about $10 per bottle and it CANNOT be found in pet stores, I usually buy it at dog shows when the vendor is there but I have ordered it before as well with no problem...





You can order it online at :


www.bestshotpet.com





I'd also ask your vet for some Clavamox oral antibiotic to help with any skin infection from this, do a round of the Clavamox with this spray and the shampoo and I think you'll have it solved.





(When you bathe, make SURE that you get that dog DRY TO THE SKIN...otherwise you're gonna make that hotspot worse and maybe cause others.)





Good luck!