My dog almost chewed thru his tail today, What is a "hotspot" and how do u treat one w/o a vet. or pet store?

Answer 1

allergic spot or lots of fleas in that area
get advantage flea killer, clean and bandage the area
show vet if it doesnt look better in 2 days

Answer 2

Hot spots are usually created by flea bites or allergic reactions thus the dog will bite the area until it bleeds and becomes an open sore.
2 things to check for first, does the dog have fleas or any other kind of insect, like lice etc.
also check anal gland as well.

If determined that dog is chewing because of allergic reaction or flea infestation then you will need to get rid of the fleas first. Then shave the area to clean it of all hair. Use an anti bacterial soap first to clean the area well and get rid of anything that might cause infection. After doing this there is a product
called Scratchex that works really well to keep it from itching and will heal the sore up pretty fast. It is yellow liquid. I have used it many times for hot spots and it has always worked great.

If it is anal gland problem which I doubt because if this was the case the dog would be licking its bottom or rubbing it on the ground.
Most dogs express their own anal glands when they poop.
Others do not. Such as poodles. A experienced groomer can do this for you unless it is an impaction, then you will need to have a vet do it.

If this is not immediately treated it will become infected and the dog will just keep chewing it and making it sore over and over.
Some dogs have allergic reaction to flea bites and will chew til they are raw.

Also you can use benadryl which will help. You will need to consult with a vet on the dosage which is based on the size of your dog.

If it gets to awful the dog may need steroid injection, as well as allergy medications to stop the itching.

At the worst case scenerio, and depending on where the hot spot is, such as on the tail, you might want to consider getting an elizabethan collar for the dog so it cannot reach its tail.
You can usually get these at vet supply stores, or from local vet.

Hope this helps ya

Answer 3

This really would have been a question to place to your Veterinarian since he had the opportunity to exam the dog and his tail and could have pointed out anything physically or medically wrong that would cause the animal to do this. If the tail had been injured at all a dog or cats natural instincts (if left to their own devices) will cause them to do there best to get rid of the injury - ie: chew their tail off. We see this a lot when there is an old injury that involves necrotic (dead) tissue. There could have been a skin condition that simply drove your dog 'crazy' with itching, itching so bad that he chewed it off - but I feel like that would have been one hell of a skin problem and I find it hard to believe you wouldn't have noticed anything like that. Lastly, dogs can be a little OCD (just like people) and have their nervous habits. We see it most commonly expressed by feet licking - they will lick their feet until their feet are red, ulcerated, bleeding, etc...And it's just an anxiety problem. It's possible this might have been something along those lines. Ultimately though, your Vet has the best capabilities of answering this for you. Good luck with the little guy!

Answer 4

A hot spot can be caused by a number of problems that's why a vet should look at it. A vet can give them an injection to stop the itching and inflammation.
I implore you to take your dog to the vet. When it comes time to pay tell them you can't pay all at once and make payments, I don't think they can legally do anything as long as you're paying something.
If you can't afford to treat your dog, you really shouldn't have a dog or any animal. I know it's hard. Maybe your local shelter has a low cost clinic or call them and see if they can refer you someplace or to a vet that may give you a discount or allow payment by a "sliding scale" depends on your income.
Good luck. And give your puppy a hug for me. I love animals. I used to be a vet tech. My philosophy is once a vet tech always a vet tech.

Answer 5

A hot spot usually refers to a flea bite or any kind of spot that itches.
When my dog was going crazy chewing on her tail I discovered after a long time that she had impacted anal glands. As soon as her glands were expressed she was fine. You pretty much have to have a vet or at least a groomer do this. If you can possibly afford to take her to the vet for this procedure, do it. I feel terrible that I let my dog suffer so long when there was a simple remedy available.

Answer 6

A Hot spot is a flea bite, rather than going to the Vet you can go to most pet stores and get a hotspot shampoo and Anti Itch spray with benzocaide

Answer 7

You can go to a hardware store in my area and get a blue spray it is tincture of violet spray it will cure it right up. I would call around and ask for it. Hot spot is usually from a flea bite or an itchy spot that the dog chews to relieve the itching and eventually pulls the hair out causing a big sore spot.

Answer 8

Clip off and then gently shave off fur at site-Clean with a gentle anti bacterial soap, like Dial. Use Neosporin or an anti biotoc cream. Severe hot spots will need a specialized antibiotic spray or cream fom the vet. My dogs get them all time-worse in the summer and fall. This really works- That chewing and gnawing at the spots will drive you ( not to mention the poor dog) nuts. Good Luck

Answer 9

Hot spots are a moist dermatitis caused by excessive moisture under the fur on the skin. The area needs to be shaved and gently cleaned, Keep your dog from licking the area. Do not bandage, a bandaged placed by untrained person can cause severe side effects. Air will dry the lesion, you can apply triple antibiotic ointment if you want two times a day for 7 days.

Answer 10

Well, you could get something to rap the tail up with and keep it hard so that your dog can't chew through it.