Hot Spots :(

[Lyn]

I took Bubba to the vet yesterday because he has a raw itchy spot at the base of his tail. Turns out it's a hot spot. The flea population has been crazy here this year. I've been buying the Advantage drops, washing his bedding and vaccuming and emptying the vaccum bags outside. Plus bathing Bubba occasionally with flea shampoo. He's also on the Heartguard that's suppose to kill fleas, or prevent the eggs from hatching. But apparently all this isn't enough because I'm still seeing fleas on him. 

So now Bubba has a shaved bum and I have cream that I need to apply every 8 hours for a week. I also bought more Advantage and put it on him while we were at the vet's office. Yet he's still chewing. I'm going to pick up some flea powder, or spray to put on the other areas that he's chewing since the Advantage alone doesn't seem to be working. He doesn't need more hot spots. I'm hoping it will help.

I feel so bad for him, but I don't know what else to do. My poor baby.

[GYPSY JAZMINE]

I haven't had that problem...knoc k on wood!!!...My guys are on Heartgard too & I've had no fleas but still have pulled a couple of ticks off of each of them over the summer....good luck!

[SeraphWolf79]

I'm so sorry your pup has to go through that.  My rottweiler Ben had hotspots for several years, and nothing I did seemed to relieve it.  During the winter months it would pretty much heal up and go away, but come spring time, they'd reappear.  I tried creams, going to the vet, the flea/tick drops...*sighs*  I wish the best for you and your baby!  Poor guy 

[brandon]

We went through hotspots a lot with our sheltie and always coughed it up to fleas, and he got many baths. We never got him completly dry after bathing him.. Doh! I didn't know that would cause hotspots until recently.  I bought NeoPredef Powder from our vet for a recent hotspot after not drying bava completly.. I like it, it dries up the area immediatly and healed up quickly.

The vet also said gold bond medicated powder works well.

The powders seem like a good idea to me because why would you want to put moisture on a hotspot when moisture is the problem.

[Lyn]

I really hope this is the last hot spot he gets and it's not a reaccuring issue because this really sucks.

I did go and buy some flea spray and it is helping thank god. But he's still chewing every once in awhile. I'm worried that once I'm sleeping he's going to chewing the heck out of himself and noones awake to stop him. I phoned my vet and he said if he doesn't stop chewing that he will need to wear one of those plastic collars. I bet that will go over well.. 

I think I'll go pick up some of that gold bond medicated powder. Maybe that will help make him less itchy. The vet did give him a shot that was suppose to help with the itchiness. Antihistamine?? I can't remember now.. he said he was too young to give a steroid so he gave him that instead.

[Lyn]

Here's Bubba's bald butt. lol The hot spot is almost gone...

[BabsT]

Are you sure it is fleas?  Zero would get them in high humidity...i would give him benedryl to relive the itching...hope he heals up nice

[Lyn]

I'm pretty sure it's from the fleas. Although I'm wondering now if it could be from me not drying him off completely after a bath. Or possibly a combination of the 2. 

I guess I'll have to see if the itching continues after all the fleas are gone for the season. We are still battling them here even though there has been quite a few colder days lately. I need to pick some Advantage drops up for my cats now since they have them too.   

I think I do have some benedryl.. I'm tempted to give it a try and see if it helps his itching.

[Hudson]

Fleas almost always the culprit - no matter how good we are, the fleas are better.  Bonus is the dog's autoimmune genetic thing.  Four newfs, two never had hot spots, one bad, one awful. A good treatment we have found is to make a very strong tea (from bags/leaf only - not instant), let it cool and daub it on hot spot.  Seems to help dry things out and calm things down.   If I succeeded in getting the picture attached, its Tug wearing a T shirt (Eliz collar and big dog means dog cannot get through door) to prevent worryinig hot spot.

[tonyc]

looks like Cody's last hotspot around his neck, cept a LOT tamer. caused by a flea bite indeed. tho he was frontlined monthly during summer. this is the hotspot that made the vet go: "EWWW WHAT IS THAT?" stupid vet...

LOST OUR BUSINESS.

[NoDogNow]

Do any of you have those electronic bug repellers in your house/yard? 

My sister bought them for both inside and outside when her rough collie got one of these 'hot spots' after moving into a new house--she's never had another problem. 

Just a thought.

[lilysmom]

I use the sulfodene for hot spots.  It dries it up and stops the itching.  It's also good for abrasions and hair loss.  I use it on Lily's paws.  She has hot spots there and it's not from fleas.  I don't know what causes it, but I found this stuff to work really good. Hope that helps.

[Lyn]

That pic was taking the same day I found the spot. I just happened to notice the spot because his fur was all pussy and stuck together. I parted the fur and the smell made me gag. He went into the vet that afternoon.. the vet said that the hot spot had just started so luckily I caught it before it got too too bad.

We have had our first frost here already.. so the fleas should be done now. Unfortunately my cats still have some.. so in turn so will Bubba. I'm going to do 2-3 more months worth of flea treatments so make sure they are all gone.

Bubba is still scratching though. My vet recommended switching him to another kibble.. so I'm still in the process of doing that. I think Bubba's allergic to quite a few things.. the poor boy. 

Edit.. I forgot to ask.. The sulfodene, do I need to get that from the vet? The hot spot is gone now.. but I will keep the tea tip for future use, thanks. And I will look for some electronic bug repellers.. Bubba needs all the help he can get. Might work to keep those nasty spiders out too. Although that's for my benefit. lol

[waffles717]

[Molly is going to the Vet tomorrow,i want to ask him she get;s Get;s Callaul;s too. i was told it is from her size? she is Big,She get;s them on her Elbow's,I Have Using a Cream,I Will ask,Him See what he,Says?Molly&MaGGie!!!Kisses!1111

[coonie1970]

Here is a picture of Judges hot spot. It was posted in the spring but most of you likely havent seen it. It was so bad I cried when the vet shaved his head and reveiled how bad it was. He made out OK and hasnt had another. Hope we never have to go through that again.
Coonie