# Hot Spot Help...



## gsdlove212 (Feb 3, 2006)

Well sheesh! I don't know if it's her coat or what, but I have NEVER had issues with hotspots with my stock coats! Gianna had a pretty yucky hotspot on her rump a few weeks back. Took her to the vet, shaved it, antibiotics, and some sort of steroid injection. Healed up nicely, though it was not a cheap visit! I was recommended to use the brown Listerine and Gold Bond...so when she got 2 small ones on her chest...I began that treatment there. It is almost healed up but now she has another one on her rump (other side). The treatments are working and I have not seen her licking or messing with them. BUT is there ANYTHING I can do to decrease their occurances? Her undercoat is incredibly thick, and I do brush her....she likes to "attack" the brush so its a chore and maybe I need to get some help so I can thoroughly get her rear end britches with the undercoat rake to thin it out some. Would that help? Supplements? She is primarily RAW fed, and I do some supplements already? Please tell me this isn't going to be a lifelong battle!


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

It is her coat! 
The extreme temps you have been experiencing are probably causing havoc on her skin.
I think the moisture that gets trapped in the undercoat is usually the cause. 
I hope Gia gets over this, and it never recurs!


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## puppymamma (Jun 26, 2009)

There is a homeopathic hot spot drop that you can add to the water that one of my friends swears by. She says she is afraid to stop using it because her retriever has been hot spot free for 6 months.


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

Work to get the undercoat out. I had some good moisterizing and antibacterial shampoo at one time... can't recall name. Hopefully just temps and her undercoat. 

Mine got them in reaction to allergies and to flea bites. Even one little flea bite would get her going so be sure you have none of those around. They were hateful to battle when I lived in Texas. 

Work on the grooming slowly and consistently so she learns it has to be done. I know that they can be a pain especially about brushing around the backside!!


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

puppymamma,,,can you get the name of the stuff your talking about?? I'd be interested in trying that on my male aussie.

He gets 'fungus' sores that resemble hot spots but much worse,,Right now he's battling 3 of them and I just cleared up 2 others ,,,every year about this time,,I use an antifungus on them, which helps, and usually shave right around the spot area.. 

Once they scab over, the scab is like road tar,,if you peel it off it's clean new skin underneath,,,he's a weird dog, the vets are stumped so I do my own medicating with him))


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

If there are continued hotspots, is this really just about coat? Diet?

Max gets 1 hotspot a year, roughly in the same spot.....


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

I would try to get as much undercoat out as possible... Have you ever tried a Furminator?
If you can dry her really well whenever she gets wet that should also help. It might be a good idea to invest in a forced-air dryer.

For various skin issues I have had good results with a line of products called Douxo. They are available from vets or online from vet supply sites (I've bought it from Entirely Pets after my vet recommended it.) They have one group of products called Douxo Calm which is supposed to be good for hot spots. They have a shampoo, a spray, and a spot-on gel.

Here is the info:
http://www.sogevalus.com/calm_gel.html


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

Lisa, not sure if you were asking me,,,but Jag's "thing" has always been worse around this time of year,,I've had scrapings done, and they all tend to be some sort of "fungus"..we figure maybe picking it up outside, rolling around??? 

He doesn't have a thick coat more a working line coat, thin, no undercoat, he never ever gets them on his stomache or legs,,it's always either on the side of his face, his shoulders or back area. 

They start out like an eruption,,of pus, oozy nasty crud,,I clip the area down, keep applying the antifungal stuff, within 3-4 days, it scabs over (like road tar! thick black black scab) and for experimental purposes(LOL) I pulled the scab off as within a day,,(one day open oozy, nasty, next day scab) and underneath is clean new skin...fur always grows back..never same spot

I've tried switching diets, still the same,,he's one of my weird projects,,the result of a merle/merle breeding,,also had weird things show up in his ear canal,,(vets first thought he had ruptured ear drums) she said it basically looked like someone hit him on both sides of the head with a 2 x 4...alot of broken blood vessels..yet he has always passed his baer testing..

One of those weird cases WE seem to get))


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

Tell me about those weird cases!!

I was just asking in general, since I had never heard of the coat and time of year as a reason for hotspots. Learning something new all the time!

Poor Jag...genetics at it's best?!?!?


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## gsdlove212 (Feb 3, 2006)

When I had Gia at the vet that is what they said plays a role as well. Moisture getting "stuck" between the undercoat and the skin causing irritation and creating a "good spot" for bacteria and fungus as well as irritation. That is why it is important to treat the area in a manner that keeps the area clean and dry and shaving helps facilitate the treatment by assuring that it "stops" the cycle so to speak. Obviously I can't shave her to prevent them, but I was wondering if something might help to prevent them. I guess I will need to get a second arm in helping groom her.


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

I guess that really does make sense, never thought about it before. Good luck with the grooming!


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Alison, I'm sorry you are going through this with Gia. Must be a challenge to be in a warm humid climate with such a thick coat. I sure can't believe how thick Gryff's undercoat is, keeps him warm and comfy in -30 temps, and tons comes out when I brush him, and it isn't even shedding seeson yet. 

My spaniel mix got the occasional hot spot as he got older, not sure what it was called, but I had a topical cleaner/disinfectant I got from the vet, specifically formulated for hot spots, and after a few applications, they always healed up. It was a clear yellow liquid, with a strong smell, and a Cocker Spaniel on the label . . . 

So far the best brush I found for brushing out Gryff is a slicker brush. Hope Gianna gets better and overcomes those hot-spot nasties!


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Oh, wanted to add . . . (sorry, short attention span here!)

A very experienced GSD person was saying that if you give your dog a warm bath, they will blow their coat two, three days later. He competes at National and world level, and always bathes his bitch before a spring trial to shed the winter coat, look sleek and athletic, and be more comfortable in the spring season overall. 

I tried it once with Keeta, it didn't work . . . but who knows what mix she is and what kind of coat she has? Might be worth a try with Gianna.


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## gsdlove212 (Feb 3, 2006)

Well I can definately do a warm bath....Gia LOVES the tub! Anytime I go in the bathroom she hops in the tub and sits...smiling and so proud of herself with that "Can I PUH-LEAZE haffs a bath mama?" look


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Get some pics!! She is the cutest wetdog!


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Aww, too cute Gianna!!! Gryff doesn't know yet what a bath is . . . he'll find out once spring thaw followed by Spring MUD get here!


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

Use warm water and a good doggie coat conditioner. Furminator makes a deshedding conditioner that works well, but I have found most dog conditioners work. Take a zoom groom and work it in well after you shampoo. Then rinse with warm water. Don't do this in your bathtub!!

If you can afford to get a dog blow dryer, you can blow loose coat also. Also dries coat so you don't have wet coat lying against your dog's skin... not good for hot spots. I couldn't live without forced air dryer. You can get the coat dry down to the skin.


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## gsdlove212 (Feb 3, 2006)

haha Jane you mean like this........









I will try to get some soapy puppy pics as well as some drying puppy pics!


not sure why that pic is so darn small.....hmmmmm maybe I need to grab it off of the other computer and save it form there to photobucket instead of uploading a copied pic form my facebook.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

AWWW, her pic needs to be bigger!







she looks so cute.


> Originally Posted By: Samba Take a zoom groom and work it in well after you shampoo. Then rinse with warm water. Don't do this in your bathtub!!


Samba, why not in the tub?


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

> Originally Posted By: onyx'girlSamba, why not in the tub?


HAIR!!! Just make sure that you have a good screen where the water drains - you'll have to empty it multiple times!


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

> Originally Posted By: onyx'girlAWWW, her pic needs to be bigger!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## gsdlove212 (Feb 3, 2006)

Jane I am assuming so the hair doesn't clog your drain. However, I am used to having to clean out the drain multiple times during bathing sessions. Not to mention if I bathed her outside, she would be covered in sand before I could get her dry LOL


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I have a screen, that was what I was thinking, but I found brushing a long coat with a rake while hosing gets all that loose fur out much easier there is no tangles. I would take the clumps of hair and toss them up on the ledge, looked like a litter of puppies when I was done!


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## gsdlove212 (Feb 3, 2006)

haha so I went in the bathroom camera in hand....here ya go guys































my silly pup!


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Silly girl!


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

Precious!


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

What a sweetheart!! Love her dark and rich colours!


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

Oh yeah, the hair thing in the tub is what I was referring to. If you have to, you have to, though. I manage to clog the drains but a screen is very useful.


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## puppymamma (Jun 26, 2009)

Sorry it took me so long - I've been working so much lately. I believe that the hotspot remedy is made by homeopet. Not sure if its available in US or not?


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## lauramichelle (Mar 11, 2009)

My Ranger is a long, very thickly coated GSD as well. He has been getting a few hotspots. His is very much due to moisture. 

I had great luck treating his at home....I shaved away as much hair as possible around it and put neosporin on it 2x a day for 5 days and it completely healed up.


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