Hot spots?

[Spangksb]

Looking for information on "hot spots"...I have often read about hot spots and since we are first time Newf owners and hadn't had a problem with anything like that, I never gave it much thought. Today, I noticed that Ozzy (9 mos)has a really smelly, crusty spot of hair under his ear and there is a "sore" under the hair.

Ozzy went on his first swimming trip this week; I am thinking maybe this is related to that.

Does this sound like a hot spot? Would this be from being swimming and staying wet for an extended period of time?

We cleaned him up and put on Neosporin. Hope this helps. Any info or suggestions are appreciated. Thanks!

SARA AND OZZY

 

[Greg L]

Hey, great minds think alike. I was just logging on to see if anyone knew anything about them, and here's the topic.

I noticed two spots on Fezzik this morning. On the way over to the new house we swung by the vet's office. He wasn't there but the receptionist said that she knew what to do. She grabbed the clippers and shaved around the area (a bit enthusiasticly if you ask me) and said to scrub the raw area down and cover it with an ointment (regular antibiotic type).

So now I have a partially bald, greasy dog. Ah well, if life was calm and orderly if wouldn't be any fun.

Greg

 

[GAD]

Greg - I love the name Fezzik.

Is it from The Princess Bride, or is there a more original source?

GAD

 

[Lynne]

The most important hot spot preventative is a good flea control regime. So many Newfs are VERY allergic to fleas! The saliva of even one can get them chewing or scratching themselves raw. So, if you're not already, start by regularly using Frontline, BioSpot, or another good flea control product. Obviously, fleas aren't the ONLY cause, though. Getting rid of all that dead undercoat helps, too, especially if they're swimming or it's rainy or humid. Our Oliver suddenly decided to let his puppy coat loose during a rainy period. When I could finally rake him out, he had sores on his upper (soggy!) chest. Getting the undercoat out and applying Neosporin Cream had him cleared up shortly. Hot spots are NO fun!
Lynne