[nagdu] hot spots

[Katrin Andberg]

A friend of mine who bred goldens for years swears by Listerine for hot
spots.  You clean the area with Listerine mouth wash and the ingredients dry
out the skin and clear up the infection.  

 

If you take the dog to the vet they will normally shave the area with a 40
blade (surgical blade) to remove the hair around it, and then normally give
either prenisone tablets or a steroid injection and then sometimes an
antibiotic either oral or cream.

 

Hot spots can grow very quickly so you don't want to take a "wait and see"
approach.  The are also called "moist dermatitis" and you can notice them
from a distinct foul smell of the skin, and the skin is wet, oozy and damp
to the touch.  Usually the skin is warm to the touch as well.  Last year one
of my dogs had them on his face for months after going swimming in a gross
pond, he had to be on oral antibiotics and steroids for nearly 3 months to
clear up the skin infection and I had to keep shaving his face to keep them
from spreading.  It was not pleasant for either of us.   

 

Katrin

 

Katrin Andberg

 <mailto:katrin at maplewooddog.com> katrin at maplewooddog.com