HELP! Hot spots!

[Seijun]

Problem: Shilo has a "hot spot" on her rump. Unfortunately, even under the effects of Ace, my mom and I can't get near her wound to treat it. She becomes very aggressive if we start to get near the sore, and she becomes even more aggressive if we try to muzzle her. We don't have the money to take her to a vet, and we don't have anything strong enough to knock her out to where she wouldn't be awake enough to bite. Will the spot eventually heal if just left alone? She doesn't lick at it as much as she did the first day or two, so I was hoping if we left it alone it would just heal on its own. Please help me out here--I really do not want to get bit by this dog. I've seen her eat through cow bone, she would have no trouble biting my fingers in two.

~Seij

[Malamum]

The main thing you need to do it get it as dry as possible and get as much air to it as possible.

We have one of the dryers/forced air blowers that dog groomers use, at home and when either of my two have got a hot spot they get a few minutes of the dryer every few hours. I also make sure they spend extra time out in the sun and fresh air.

We also use a drying anitseptic powder that we sprinkle on the area.

The hot spots are obviously quite painful so our dogs don’t like us getting right in and touching them either. The blower and the powder has enabled us to treat them without having to actually touch the painful area.

[JackieMaya]

Maybe you could get one of these collars so that he at least couldn't lick the hot spot. I had one for Pooh Bear and it worked great. They only cost $18.93

[img]http://www.vetamerica.com/ProductImages/2897.jpg[/img]

Here's the website: [url]http://www.vetamerica.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=116[/url]

[Seijun]

We don't actually have to touch the sore spot to get her mad. We had clippers borrowed from a relative, and the second they headed in the direction of her rump, I found myself with my hand inside her mouth. I don't think we've actually touched her wound once. She doesn't want us anywhere near it. I'm going to try buying some sprays for it, but even that is going to be a struggle to get on her. She's even starting to get upset when we touch her collor because she thinks we are going to start trying to go near her wound again. I put her back in her pen after we gave up trying to put a muzzle on her, and now she growls at my mom whenever she walks towards the pen. I'm really afraid that we are going to lose her trust completely if we can't find an easier way to get this done fast. She still wags her tail when I go near, but she's not at all happy with my mom now.
I thought about those special collars, but it would have to be made of titanium to survive her. She would tear one of those collors to pieces in seconds. She has never liked anything to be around her head.

~Seij

[Malamum]

Can you put her outside in the sun with a fan or something on the area?

The main thing to do is keep as much fresh air circulating around it so the sore dries out.

I don't know if I would use a liquid spay. I'm no expert, but when our dogs have had them I've tried to keep them as dry as possible and it seems to have worked.

That is why I go for a powder rather than a liquid spray. I think in the US you can get one call Gold Bond or something like that. I tend to buy a lot of it as heaps of it gets wasted trying to get it on. Indy would not let us get close enough to put the powder right on the wound so I would just sprinkle it as close to the area as I could get whenever he walked past. Once he realised that I wasn't actually trying to touch the sore he would let me put it on with a bit more control rather that just throwing the powder at him. :wink:

[Seijun]

I was worried about putting her out, whenever she is out in the open she is mobbed by flies. Fly spray doesn't really keep them off that well.

I can't remember seeing anything on powders. Are there any specific brands/kinds that I should look for? I looked breifly on Google for powders but didn't find any. Are the powders easy to lick off? If they are, then she will deffinately take advantage of it. She's licked so much already that she has actually rubbed her lip raw.

~Seij

[Malamum]

Oh I didn’t think of flies – you don’t want those getting on it. Maybe sit outside with her for a bit so it can get some direct sunlight on it but you can keep the flies off her????

I’m just trying to think of ways you can keep it as dry as possible. The reason the vet shaves the area is so it can breath and it will heal quicker. If you can still get lots of air in there by another method it should still work. I found the dryer worked wonders for us. If were close you could borrow it. Maybe try your hairdryer on the cold setting???

Here is a link to the exact powder I used. I don’t know if you can get the exact same brand where you are but you should be able to find something that does the same thing. Here I can get it from the supermarket or from any chemist.

[url]http://www.mailchemist.com/products/products_view.cfm?ProductID=4191[/url]

Good luck. I really feel for you as I was at my wits ends the first time Indy had one. I could see how painful it was but he wouldn’t let me do anything for him. Now I know what sets them off I have been able to prevent them and neither dog has had one for ages.

[hicksstar]

Our Rottie also suffered from hot spots and malamum's advice is spot on. The area needs to be kept as dry as possiable and this is difficult as you can not get near her to treat her. They can spread like wild fire, start off a small patch and within hours your looking at a huge sore. We found with our dog that it was food that brought his on, anything with preservitives in it. We cut out most meat products and fed Bonnie Dry food (made with Kangaroo meat no additives or preservitives) and vegies, pasta, rice, eggs and yoghurt etc.
This helped him, when he had a flare up we would scub with iodine dab dry with guaze and apply anticeptic powder or cream.
I know this is not of much help as you cant get near her. Is someone able to distract her with food whilst the other person gets some powder on her back. Maybe if she relises that you arnt going to hurt her she may relax a little. Start of be just tring to get near her and praising her for that.
Good luck.

[courtnek]

if possible, get some Gold Bond, and put her in her crate backwards...maybe extra special treats will help, but you want her butt to the door. turn a fan on her and dry the spot out as best you can. then throw gold bond on it even if most of it spills. she should not be able to turn around. hard as this is, once she gets used to the cooling affect of the gold bond she may let you treat without hassle. she is in pain right now, the gold bond and fan will help that.

also, a distance muzzle can be made with a leash.loop the handle around her nose and then quickly wrap the rest of it around and loop it thru her collar. its what people do in an emergency.

[Seijun]

I'll try to get some Gold Bond.. Are there any popular stores that carry it? WalMart maybe??

[u]If hot spots are supposed to be kept dry, why are there so many [i]sprays[/i] advertised for it? People use it and say it works..
Just wondering... If there is any chance a spray could work, that would be the easiest and safest thing for us all right now. What about a spray with the fan? Lets the moisure evaporate, but also gives the spray a chance to do its work.[/u]


I can try the crate idea, but I would probably only be able to get her in ONCE (once she knows what I'm doing, getting a second chance is impossible) and I can't keep her in there until it heals--I would have to let her out sooner or later, and she would be right back to licking it again.

Treats aren't going to help this time, I tried already.

I'll try to get a fan out there tomorrow, if we can find enough extension cords. I have no idea when I will be able to get anything for her in the way of medicine, depends on if I can convince my mom that I need something for this dog NOW.

I tried the makeshift muzzle, but I was met with snapping teeth as soon as it got near her. A few times I started to get it on, but the second she felt it go around her muzzle, she turned into a 4-legged tornado. It's like trying to work with a completely wild animal that weighs almost as much as you do. I feel like beating my head into a brick wall :x Nice dog, but d*** impossible to work with when it is most needed :x :x :cry:

~Seij

[gooeydog]

Is her crate wire, or one of those closed plastic types? If you decide to use it, I'd be very hesitant to just put her in and try dealing with the spot, as she'll more than likely try to turn back around on you. If the crate is wire, put a lead on her (make SURE her collar is tight enough she can't slip out!), thread it through the back, and then get her in, pulling the lead tight as she moves into the crate. Then you can have someone hold the lead and keep her head forward while someone else puts meds on the spot. You can do the same with a fence (thread the lead through and have someone hold it to keep her head secure), but that won't keep them from moving their back end away from the person and closer to their teeth :o

You may want to take her out for a little walk before and after the "event" so that she'll not associate the leash with just getting the hot spot treated.

To keep her from licking, either get a collar to keep her off it, or keep her on a lead and stop her everytime she starts. The more she soaks the spot, the worse its going to get.

[JackieMaya]

[quote name='Seijun']...I thought about those special collars, but it would have to be made of titanium to survive her. She would tear one of those collors to pieces in seconds. She has never liked anything to be around her head.

~Seij[/quote]

The nice thing about these collars is that they CAN'T chew on them. Pooh Bear chewed up his cone after his surgery, but he wan't able to do any harm whatsoever to this collar. I really think it would help.

Good luck!

[Malamum]

[quote]If hot spots are supposed to be kept dry, why are there so many sprays advertised for it? People use it and say it works..
Just wondering... If there is any chance a spray could work, that would be the easiest and safest thing for us all right now. What about a spray with the fan? Lets the moisure evaporate, but also gives the spray a chance to do its work. [/quote]

I really have no idea. I’m not saying a spray wouldn’t work, I was just going on my own past experience.

I guess it may also depend on what the cause of the hot spot is. In my two dogs it was not food related. All times that the dogs have got hot spots have been when we have extended periods of rain in humid weather. The dog has had a cut or a scratch, got soaked in the rain, it’s been very humid and the cut/scratch has then turned into a hot spot. Then as the rain kept up for days on end they were constantly damp, they have very thick fur so the sore couldn’t breath and so on….viola a horrible hot spot.

Since we have had our dryer we have never had another hot spot. When it rains and the dogs get wet they get thoroughly dried with the dryer. I’m actually so fanatical about it that they have learnt they are better of just saying inside and staying dry.

I guess that was why I was so focussed on staying dry and using powders etc in our cases any type of moisture was not our friend.

[JackieMaya]

[quote name='Seijun']I'll try to get some Gold Bond.. Are there any popular stores that carry it? WalMart maybe??[/quote]

They have Gold Bond at all department stores: Wal-Mart, Target, Walgreens, etc.

[quote name='Seijun']If hot spots are supposed to be kept dry, why are there so many sprays advertised for it? People use it and say it works..
Just wondering... If there is any chance a spray could work, that would be the easiest and safest thing for us all right now. What about a spray with the fan? Lets the moisure evaporate, but also gives the spray a chance to do its work.[/quote]

I don't know if they have the same thing for dogs (or if the horse spray would work), but I have Furazone spray for my horse. If he gets a wound, I spray it on (it's lovely yellow) and it's a dry spray. Wonder Dust is another horse wound powder that I have.

[Seijun]

The fence idea is great, I could try that (and would right this minute, but unfortunately, I have rotten luck, and it's RAINING today!! AURGGGG :evil: :evil: :evil: )


I know she couldn't chew the collar, but she would tear herself and it up with her front paws. Not sure how strong those collars are, but a simple thin plastic one would not last. Do they have them in heavy-duty plastic? If so, that might work, if we can get it on her. It would have to be a snap collar--something that could be put on as quick as possible.

~Seij

[courtnek]

I like the leash through fence idea. take her for a walk, and when u come back thread the leash through the fence and tie it, fairly tight so she cant turn around. the "dry sprays" are ok. they really are dry, but I didnt see one from gold bond, just the powder. maybe a spray diaper rash spray would work. it just needs to dry the area out, and thats what diaper rash sprays are for.