Chow Chow hotspots and hair care questions

[Baggios_Friend]

Hello All, Its a pleasure to discover this very informative forum.

My chow puppy, Baggio (m), just completed one year, and i have a couple of questions regarding some recurring problems.

1-About a month ago I discovered a circular patch of hair that shriveled to a few remaining soaking wet follicles and an inflamed red spot on his visible skin, very moist with discharge. So it was obvious that it was a hotspot, but was it caused by his constant biting of himself or was it caused by something else i never knew. First time i had this problem it happened in his front left leg, so i followed instructions, cut hair around it and added antibiotic cream and cleaning it daily. It recovered smoothly. The second time it happen was on his back near his tail, but this time it was different, same shriveled hair follicles, empty patch of hair but no inflammation or any discharge, so it looked like he might have just bitten his hair off? Anyways i followed the above steps and its recovering, but he constantly bites around it causing to be constantly wet from his mucous.

2-Second issue i discovered lately was a small area just on the border area of his tummy hair (smooth) and his side hair (rough), where i can visibly see some very small white fungus like scar tissue, (at first it looked like a small incision), as i proceed to check it out the hair just falls off like a diseased area, it was very small circumference but very worrying how easy chunks of hair was falling like. So i proceeded to clean and do above steps.

But now, i am very worried that i have missed something and that this fungus or whatever is happening can cause severe and extensive damage. I hope i didn't write too much, i would much appreciate getting any tips from experienced dog owners to solve this problem, thank you.

[rmb]

poor baby. Skin issues can be so hard to diagnose. My Chow's hair loss turned out to be sebaceous adenitis which is being treated with a tube of Dermoscent each week between his shoulders. He will always be susceptible to bacterial skin infections because of this condition. It took a doggie dermatologist to diagnose, after over a year of trying to figure out why his hair was falling out. If you have access to a doggie dermatologist, I would recommend - to avoid treating his issue incorrectly. Good luck : )

[Rory's Dad]

The 1st two are definitely hotspots. They are not caused by his biting at it, but are worsened by it. Usually an allergic reaction, most likely to food. You can try to find the cause by reviewing his diet. Most often its going to be an ingredient in his regular food (check for wheat or grains, meat byproducts, etc). My Smooth is very sensitive to dairy. A bit of Cheese as a treat is OK, but if I go just a little too much, he will break out with hotspots.

Once you figure that out, or even in the meantime, you want to alleviate the area. A vet will probably subscribe a steroid spray. I find a soothing natural, like oatmeal spray, works just as well to prevent him from chewing on the area. You could also try a drying powder, like corn starch, or a medicated powder like Gold Bond (yes the same powder used for us people, and its a ton cheaper).

[Constantina]

You know what worked with my Chow's démodéx mange and hotspots which turned out to be caused by a fungus issue due to her compromised immune system? Shampoo with Ketoconazole and Chlorhexidine. You have to commit to using this once a week though. I got mine through Amazon or Allivet. I also get the wipes to apply on the area between showers. The. Brands I use for shampoo are Ketoseb, phytovet or Ketochlor ( depends what they have Available. Best wipes? Pet M.D. The weeping sores dry right up and hair grows back fast.

[JammyJoy]

Hello, skin issue is hard take advise, much better you should go to vet to take advice of your chow skin to give him the right medicine.

[Sophie03]

Hello All, Its a pleasure to discover this very informative forum.

My chow puppy, Baggio (m), just completed one year, and i have a couple of questions regarding some recurring problems.

1-About a month ago I discovered a circular patch of hair that shriveled to a few remaining soaking wet follicles and an inflamed red spot on his visible skin, very moist with discharge. So it was obvious that it was a hotspot, but was it caused by his constant biting of himself or was it caused by something else i never knew. First time i had this problem it happened in his front left leg, so i followed instructions, cut hair around it and added antibiotic cream and cleaning it daily. It recovered smoothly. The second time it happen meilleur crédit was on his back near his tail, but this time it was different, same shriveled hair follicles, empty patch of hair but no inflammation or any discharge, so it looked like he might have just bitten his hair off? Anyways i followed the above steps and its recovering, but he constantly bites around it causing to be constantly wet from his mucous.

2-Second issue i discovered lately was a small area just on the border area of his tummy hair (smooth) and his side hair (rough), where i can visibly see some very small white fungus like scar tissue, (at first it looked like a small incision), as i proceed to check it out the hair just falls off like a diseased area, it was very small circumference but very worrying how easy chunks of hair was falling like. So i proceeded to clean and do above steps.

But now, i am very worried that i have missed something and that this fungus or whatever is happening can cause severe and extensive damage. I hope i didn't write too much, i would much appreciate getting any tips from experienced dog owners to solve this problem, thank you.

poor chow chow, you must find a solution

[willy66]

Hello All, Its a pleasure to discover this very informative forum.

My chow puppy, Baggio (m), just completed one year, and i have a couple of questions regarding some recurring problems.

1-About a month ago I discovered a circular patch of hair that shriveled to a few remaining soaking wet follicles and an inflamed red spot on his visible skin, very moist with discharge. So it was obvious that it was a hotspot, but was it caused by his constant biting of himself or was it caused by something else i never knew. First time i had this problem it happened in his front left leg, so i followed instructions, cut hair around it and added antibiotic cream and cleaning it daily. It recovered smoothly. The second time it happen was on his back near his tail, but this time it was different, same shriveled hair follicles, empty patch of hair but no inflammation or any discharge, so it looked like he might have just bitten his hair off? Anyways i followed the above steps and its recovering, but he constantly bites around it causing to be constantly wet from his mucous.

2-Second issue i discovered lately was a small area just on the border area of his tummy hair (smooth) and his side hair (rough), where i can visibly see some very small white fungus like scar tissue, (at first it looked like a small incision), as i proceed to check it out the hair just falls off like a diseased area, it was very small circumference but very worrying how easy chunks of hair was falling like. So i proceeded to clean and do above steps.

But now, i am very worried that i have missed something and that this fungus or whatever is happening can cause severe and extensive damage. I hope i didn't write too much, i would much appreciate getting any tips from experienced dog owners to solve this problem, thank you.

I will just try to use durags from this store whenever I bring him outside so the damages wont be so visible.

Welcome to the forum, and it's great to have you here. I'm sorry to hear about the issues you're facing with your chow puppy, Baggio. It's always a bit worrying when our furry friends have health concerns, but you're doing the right thing by seeking advice and taking care of him.

Hotspots: Hotspots can be quite bothersome for dogs. It's possible that Baggio's constant biting could have triggered them. It's excellent that you've been proactive in treating them by cutting the hair, applying antibiotic cream, and keeping the area clean. If he's still biting and it's staying moist, you might want to consider using an Elizabethan collar (cone) to prevent him from further aggravating the area.

Skin Issue: The area on the border of his tummy and side hair does look concerning. Hair loss and unusual skin changes can have various causes, including fungal infections, allergies, or other skin conditions. Cleaning it and keeping an eye on it is a good start. If it doesn't improve or gets worse, don't hesitate to consult your veterinarian. They can do tests to determine the exact cause and recommend appropriate treatment.

[DashiDashJason]

You should ask a vet about that thing you think is fungus