Hot spots on one of my dogs-what can I do

[wade3504]

One of my dogs has a hot spot on his rump. What can I do for it that doesn't involve taking him to the vet for steroid shots as I don't want to give him steroids? Are there any natural remedies?

 

[Minimor]

I believe tea tree oil is a good remedy. Overall, though, you may want to look at changing your dog food; hot spots are often caused by food allergies--allergies to grain in the dog food.

 

[Genie]

I clip the area, wash it with a soap , like dettol, and spray with the "tamed iodine" or Schrieners spray.

We had an older Irish Setter that would develop these hot spots in her later years. The clipping and cleaning with antiseptic soap and a spray always helped her.

 

[wade3504]

He is a longer haired dog that we got about two months ago. We are going to change his food and get him clipped. We have been keeping it clean with a mild soap and water and I have read that it needs to dry so not to use any creams on it. He is not a happy dog right now.

Thanks for the advice so far.

 

[vickie gee]

Vetericyn (sp??), Happy Jack, MTG all seem to work well for our large male dog that gets them occasionally.

 

[Lizzie]

Clipping is a good idea and changing to a good quality food, as others have said. A food allergy is probably most important. Make sure he has no fleas.

Many years ago, in the '70's I believe, I read a little blurb in Dog World about hot spots. The writer suggests bathing in plain old Murphy's Oil Soap. Later when I had my own grooming parlour, I tried it. Works like a dream. Get some MOS at your local grocery store. Mix some with warm water and shampoo the dog. Leave it on for five minutes and rinse. It will leave the dog slightly tacky. Do this every other day. Then every two days until you see hair beginning to grow. In my shop I've seen dogs with almost no hair left and the owner ready to put them to sleep. I used this trick and in time, the dogs became well again and grew lovely coats again.

I inherited a Shetland Sheepdog with a huge spot on her rear. I used it on her too and it worked. I don't know why it works, but it does.

Lizzie

 

[Katiean]

My little 1 3/4 pound 13 year old Yorkie would get hot spots. I would clip him down and I used Sargents sulfadine. When he itched beyond reason and would chew his hind end there was a spray that I got at PetSmart (I cant remember the name of it) that worked great.

 

[Blue rose]

Black tea, just steep the tea bag for a minute or two then dab on the hot spot two or three times a day. This has worked better then any thing else on our long haired dogs and is very cheap! Diet can be a huge factor with corn being the most common culprit, but of course there many things that dogs can react to.

 

[wade3504]

Thanks everyone. We ended up using Witch Hazel as someone on another board had suggested that, I had also read about that on other sites, and had Witch Hazel on hand. Within two days of starting the witch hazel and taking him off of the food thats main ingredient was corn (never realized that would be the main ingredient in dog food) he is back to his old self and healing with no problems.

 

[jyuukai]

Corn is also the main ingredient in cat foods, learned that the hard way when my cat developed an allergy to it and tore all of her hair out. Certainly not the ingredient i would pick for a carnivores diet, either cat OR dog

 

[Danielle_E.]

We have a golden retriever who use to get hot spots. Clip around the affected area, scrubbing with antibacterial soap and putting a cortisone cream (you can get over the counter at drugstore) helps to get rid of them) As other have said, change food. Go to a no soy, no corn, no wheat ... Good protein dog food with no fillers and you can eliminate the problem. A good brand of dog food is Blue Buffallo or Wellness.... Make sure the first ingredients in the food is meat.