My dog has a red-swollen looking area on his side near his tail that I noticed today. What can it be?

Question

The spot is itchy and the hair is falling out. He becomes upset when I try to stop him from scratching. He is a pekingnese and about two years old. He is an indoor dog and has all of his shots. Since it is the weekend, I am wondering does it require emergency care or can it wait a few days before going to the vet. I would also like to know what it could possibly be.

Answer 1

Red itchy spots on dogs are usually caused by an allergy or flea. They are called Hot Spots and are not serious if taken care of. You should shave the surrounding area, if your pet lets you without biting =), and keep the area clean. At Walmart they sell a product called Hot Spot Be Gone or something else. It will stop the itching and heal itself. If the spot is severe, the vet will give your dog a shot of steroids and a antibotic. Your dog may be allergic to a treat, food or if you changed something lately like carpet cleaner or air freshener....or a pollen outside. So it could be anything. But make sure he/she is on flea medication and has not fleas. But it is not anything to worry about unless it gets extremely bad!

Answer 2

Sounds like it could be a hotpsot!! Go to the vet to make sure. They will shave the area and treat it. The dog needs to be checked for fleas also...which can make the hotspot start in the first place. Other causes are allergies or other irritation to the area.

Answer 3

It could be fleas. They like to hang out in the rear area. It could also be mange. This needs to be taken care of at the vet. Mange is a microscopic parasite that lives in the hair and causes hair loss. But if your dog is eating pooping and peeing then it can wait for a vet

Answer 4

I'd check with your vet, but it sounds like a hot spot. My dog gets them fairly frequently. We got a medicated spray from our vet to treat them, the spray was only about $14.
My dog has really bad skin allergies, and to keep him from getting hot spots, we've added vitamin E, Omega 3's, and chlorpheneramine to his diet -all of which you can get at walmart, costco, or your local grocery store pretty inexpensively. I'd probably skip the trip to the emergency vet, but I would take the dog in as soon as they're open again.
Good luck!