A lab with hot spots?

Question

Sooo, um... my black lab that I rescued from starvation is apparently having some troubles with her legs. I had posted a question before and thought she possibly had mange, but no. It's hot spots... On her left back leg, it's a huge spot of fur missing and it's all irritated 'n stuff from her chewing on her feet. And on her right back leg, there's a round almost penny-sized irritaed spot... They're both all oily 'n secreting (sp?) nasty fluid... Ack... It was a couple nights ago, that I noticed all this, b/c her left back leg was swollen. Since then, the swelling has gone done and maybe even gone away completely... Yes, /I know/, I should bring her to the vet, unfortunately, we don't have money for a vet right now... At least she's better off now than she was at her previous owner's house. If she was still there, it wouldn't be taken care of at all, /and/ she'd still be starving....

So, anyway,.... I bandaged her up yesterday and put some... um, *runs to check*... "Bacitracin Ointment" -First Aid Antibiotic- on her legs. Today, I unwrapped the bandages, and put her in the tub so I could wash away all the fluid and I put some Peroxide on it. I dried her off and rewrapped her feet with some more antibiotic. It doesn't really look to be doing much better, but then again, it's only been a day.... Does anyone have any tips for treating hot spots? Any good medicine that works? Or any other things I can do to help her feet? Thank you. =) Oh, and I hear it can be the dog food that causes hot spots, but I feed her Nutro, which is high quality, sooo.... ?

Thanks so much for the advice. ^^ See, I wrap them up so that she doesn't continue to chew at them and lick off the medicine, and so the medicine doesn't get onto everything (carpet, chair, etc). I forgot you can buy the cone collars at a petstore. I remember seeing them at Petsmart. =) I'll see about getting one. Hopefully they're not too much. I think I'll go look on their website. =P And I'll shave the area, thankfully we have clippers already. =P

Answer 1

You don't want to wrap it. The moisture will be trapped and it will get worse. Wash it with iodine twice a day, and an elizabethian collar is in order!

Answer 2

I am so sorry to hear that your dog is having problems.
I don't think you should wrapped her legs up,
go to petsmart or one of your local pet stores and get her the plastic collars that will prevent her from chewing on er sores. I am sorry i don't remember the name of collar but it is coned shaped it looks terrible but it will keep her away from sores,
also depending on where you live, you should make sure it wasn't a spider bite or some sort of insect.
i live in Florida and we are prone to the recluse spider, they are very dangerous, there bite actually will eat away the flesh and cause serious damage or even death.
if your problems persists, take you dog to the local humane society, they are very good and will usually work out a payment plan if needed.
good luck and i hope she gets better soon.

Answer 3

These troublesome sores can seem to arise in a matter of hours with no warning, but they do tend to follow a pattern that helps in predicting their occurrence.

Dogs most susceptible to hot spots are those with heavy coats and histories of allergies, ear infections, flea infestations, irritated anal sacs, and grooming problems such as hair tangles and mats, but any dog can develop this infection. Dogs in warm, humid climates may develop hot spots when they shed their undercoats if the dead hair is trapped next to the skin, and dogs with behavior problems may mutilate themselves by licking and thus encourage an infection to become established.

The most common locations for hot spots are the legs and feet, flanks, and rump — areas that can be reached by licking or biting — but these localized infections can also appear on ears, neck, and chest if the dog is continually scratching.


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Treatment
Two approaches are neccessary for dealing with hot spots: treat the sore and remove the underlying cause to prevent recurrences.

trim the hair around the sore to prevent further spread of the infection and expose the edges of the lesion;
wash the area in a mild water-based astringent or antiseptic;
be prepared to use antibiotics or cortisone if the washing does not give results.
I recommend against the use of ointments or creams because they can seal in the infection and hinder recovery. In severe cases, a veterinarian may suggest the use of an Elizabethan collar to prevent mutilation and give the spot a chance to heal.

Answer 4

I agree with a lot of things other people are saying: check for fleas or other insect bites and any food allergies. Dogs cannot be allergic to food that they have never eaten before. Also make sure your dog doesn't eat anything with artificial coloring. A lot of dogs are allergic to those colored milkbones. Hot spots are also a sign of boredom, so make sure the dog is entertained.