who uses what to treat hot spots?,,,

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Aimee
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who uses what to treat hot spots?,,,

Post by Aimee »

i would really love to hear what you all use to treat hot spots. my vet has shaved the area, provided a steroid shot and 7 days of anti biotics. but no cream? i want to help my babe heal as fast as poss. thank you so much everyone i love this site. it provides so much support for my first chow!
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JH
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Post by JH »

Our male chow used to have severe hot spots every so often, (usually 3 or 4 times a year). The vet would shave it down, give him a shot and then a course of Keflex and Prednisone for a week to 10 days. I would put him on AvoDerm food for a week as well. That became standard operating procedure for us.

As he got older, he really didn't like going to the vet that much, so I just ordered and kept a supply of the Keflex and Prednisone on hand at home and would treat him myself whenever he would get another spot. I would shave him down and wash the spot with hydrogen peroxide to clean it and then start him on the course of antibiotics.

The breeder that I got our new puppy from gave me a tip about Listerine mouthwash. She said it works wonders on hot spots. I tried it recently on our 11 year old female, and I was shocked at how fast it worked. I put some into a small spray bottle and sprayed it on the spot 2-3 times a day. It was gone by the second day-completely dry & normal. The benefit of the Listerine is that it does double duty as a lick-deterrent. The dogs won't lick it, so it is easier for the spot to heal.
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vicster605
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Post by vicster605 »

I went thru the same thing you did with my older girl Kearra. $100 later and months for her fur to grow back in since the Vet shaved part of her tail and a big spot out of her pants.....and shes black so it looked terrible.....
When I went to Chow Fest and stayed in a Motel....the room was very warm and the Ac wasn't cooling it off fast enough....Kyra my younger Chow started chewing and chewing her back.....when I realized what she was doing she had chewed a big hot spot about the size of a half dollar and had it bleeding......and several other very red places.
Our Judy.....had posted about her salt water remedy which is just salt water....not too much just to taste........and I had salt in the room so I mixed it up and applied it to her back......she stopped chewing......the next morning expecting her to have at the very least one nice sized hot spot....I checked her out.....GONE completely GONE......not even a red area.......Thats what I'm using from now on :wink:
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sengeoz
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Post by sengeoz »

Aimee,

Following the shot combined with the antibiotics, your pup shouldn't need cream applied. The steroids will stop the need for her to chew or lick.

However, I don't bother with the vet for a hot spot, which thank the Chow gods are few (usually associated with someone about to come in season or someone who sat in the rain and I didn't catch that they weren't 100% dry afterwards)... - don't like the idea of a steroid injection and don't like giving antibiotics unless there is a real need. Why pay money for something you can take care of yourself?

I use original formula (yellowy colour) Listerine to bathe the area - small sharp scissors to clip back the fur (if needed) - pat dry and apply a topical corticosteroid cream - here in Oz, the common cream is Neocort & comes in a tube from the vet, but doesn't require a vet consult.

Clean with Listerine & apply cream 2-3 times a day. Works for us. AND address the issue that caused the hotspot in the first place.

[Edited to insert missing word]

Cheers,
Judith-Ann
Sengé Chows, VIC (Australia)
Aimee
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Post by Aimee »

thank you so much for sharing with me. hmm there seems to be many reasons why this hot spot could have occured in the first place! seems the listerine is the way to go!
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bama
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Post by bama »

If hot spots are a chronic problem, you should take a close
look at what you are feeding.
Could be allergy to a particular food.
Grains commonly cause hot spots.
If there is no grain in their diet, then by process of
illimination, I would change meats, then observe.
Making sure your furkids get daily probiotics and
fish body oil are important in keeping their skin
and coat healthy.
There are many archived threads concerning hot spots in the
health section of this forum.
Good luck
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katschow
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Re: who uses what to treat hot spots?,,,

Post by katschow »

My chow had suffered with "hot spots" for a few years....would go to the vet, get pills, cream.....never worked...and she would lick the cream off....I made up my own treatment...and it worked so well....I told the vet...and now she tells her other patients....Vicks Salve....bath the area with some hydrogen peroxide...let it sit for 2 or three minutes...then rinse with sterile water....(I use the water rinse for eyes you get at the pharmacy)...then apply liberaly some Vicks on the hot spot and a little on the surrounding tissues....the menthol cools the itch....and the smell keeps the dog from even thinking about licking and chewing...whithin three days....the hot spot is almost gone....my dog would actually chew a spot on her tail down to the bone...it was gross....now when I see her licking or chewing a spot...I just dab a little vicks...and the hot spot never fully develops.
Herrybraun
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Re: who uses what to treat hot spots?,,,

Post by Herrybraun »

I love such type of hot spots conversation.
Uxinha
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Re: who uses what to treat hot spots?,,,

Post by Uxinha »

Hi,

though the post is a bit older I would like to share my two cents.

Merlin, my male Chow (getting 9 in April) used to have hot spots at least twice a year since I remember. The first years we went to the vet everytime, ending with a partly shaved Chow, a lot of medicine (first injection at the vet, later antibiotics at home) and a quite high vet bill. But the last years it has gone worse with Merlin getting a hot spot every couple of weeks.. So I started researching and treating at home by cleaning, with hydrogen peroxid and shaving/cutting the fur around the spot. I also tried the Listerine trick, which worked as well to cure the symptoms.
But I could not help myself feeling that there must be a reason...the simple answer of the vet (we have changed quite some time ago) "Chows asways get hot spots, it's like that" was not satisfying.
After a long time researching at the internet I found the hint to try to feed salmon oil because of the omega-3. So I bought it, fed it daily and Merlin did not get a single hot spot ever since! This last for nearly two years now - not one hot spot \:D/

So maybe this advise could be helpful for some other Chows - just try it, it is simple and not risky at all :)
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Trooper
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Re: who uses what to treat hot spots?,,,

Post by Trooper »

With ongoing skin, fur issues, Trooper is taking natural supplements, like salmon oil, flax seed oil for omega's, kelp powder and evening primrose mixed in with pure pumpkin. He gobbles it up at breakfast. Allergens are out there, this tends to help counter the reality. All good items for even us for skin, hair, nails. Question: has anyone used a cream Dermacton? When I google, it has such excellent reviews for all things coat/skin for Dogs.....love to hear back, thx
Chow Tribe
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Re: who uses what to treat hot spots?,,,

Post by Chow Tribe »

I think hot spots are allergy type thing.Chows seem to develop alopecia lots.
I have a spray called Dermacool HC; it has a mild freezing and antibiotic.Too much prednisone is not good for a chow;they can get Cushings Disease.
Peroxide dries out and inflames skin;if used too much.Look it up.I like what trooper says;there is a reason your chow gets them.Try and figure what his diet is lacking.Two of my girls have severe allergies and I use whatever supplements it takes.Sometimes allergies are caused by yeast infections in your dogs system
kerry1974
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Re: who uses what to treat hot spots?,,,

Post by kerry1974 »

Help please
My 7 month old Chow has a suspected hot spot. Last week.Vet treated for eczema, gave steroid injection and antibacterial wash with some cream and flea treatment. We bought an inflatable collar to prevent the nibbling. Today was left alone for a few hours where he had managed to get the collar off and has made the area bold.
Please can anyone suggest some natural treatments?
kerry1974
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Re: who uses what to treat hot spots?,,,

Post by kerry1974 »

Help please
My 7 month old Chow has a suspected hot spot. Last week.Vet treated for eczema, gave steroid injection and antibacterial wash with some cream and flea treatment. We bought an inflatable collar to prevent the nibbling. Today was left alone for a few hours where he had managed to get the collar off and has made the area bold.
Please can anyone suggest some natural treatments?
chow315
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Re: who uses what to treat hot spots?,,,

Post by chow315 »

DOES IT HAVE TO BE LISTERINE I USE A DIFFERENT MOUTHWASH?
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