# Do hot spots equal no more swimming?



## zeyadeen (May 10, 2017)

love your picture they look so beautiful and peaceful..I had the same issue with cherry, as she spend a lot of her time in the pool, so a friend suggested that i get her a dryer, once she is done playing with the water we dry her fully, especially the areas around her tail and bottom plus her armpit as those are the areas she is getting those hot spots and thank god since we started ensuring she dose not lay down or sleep wet the hot spots are history ...that's my experience  and best of luck


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## puddles everywhere (May 13, 2016)

The chlorine is hard on their skin so be sure and rinse them and yes, a dryer will be the best way to get them good and dry. Be sure and wash out the ears with a quality ear wash or OTR swimmers ear as if you are getting hot spots, you will also have ear infections. Be sure and blow those feet dry!
BTW a hair dryer from walmart isn't going to cut it, get a doggie hair dryer as it's the skin you are trying to dry, not the hair


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Once his hot spot heals, he should be able to go swimming again. Chlorine can be harsh on their coat and skin, I would rinse him off real good after swimming, then dry him, whether you're using a dryer or you towel dry him. Wipe his ears out real well to be sure they are dry also. 

I have a small beach at the end of my street where I have always taken my guys swimming in the InterCoastal Waterway, it's salt water. I normally rinse them off when I get back to the house, towel dry them then let them air dry the rest of the way. I wipe their ears out to make sure they are dry. My guys have never had hot spots........ not sure if I've been lucky or what it is. 

I also feed Purina Pro Plan for Sensitive Skin and Stomach, it's salmon and has lots of Omega 3s. It's really good for the coat and skin as well as for dogs with sensitive stomachs. My guys had sensitive stomachs and that's why I started feeding it. 

You may want to take a look at what you're feeding your boy along with rinsing him off after swimming and drying him.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

I would look into boosting your dog's immune system. Supplements. Added food to your dog's diet like salmon, tuna, and sardines. 

And once that is sorted out, you should see fewer infections with your dog. 

Swimming - these dogs should get to swim. About the only common sense thing I can think of which is a must need after swimming is bathing your dog at least once every 3 weeks, and making sure your dog does not go to sleep at night with any dampness in the coat (in the coat, not just the top coat).


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## joro32000 (Feb 25, 2017)

One of my goldens Rufus is prone to hot spots, though this year luckily he only had it once so far. He loves swimming in our chlorine pool and does it multiple times throughout the day (especially this hot summer). I don’t dry him, but he rolls over in the grass a lot after swimming. 

I found the vet prescribed ointments completely useless (they actually aggravate his condition) for hot spots. The ointments are too greasy and keep the skin moist instead of drying it. When I applied the ointments/antibiotics as prescribed by vet, his hot spots lasted for weeks without improvement.

I switched to peroxide (NOT recommended by vet) and it does wonders. I apply it twice a day, the crust on affected area forms within 2 days from discovering a hot spot. After a week all signs of hot spots are gone. I heard a golden bond powder is as good as peroxide, didn't try it yet.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Nooooo! It shouldn't mean no more swimming!! 

Just make sure to dry your dog thoroughly - and I mean with a hair dryer (or a dog dryer if you want to invest). Don't let him lie around damp. Towel off in between swims (like if he's swimming through the day and you're hanging out outside) - it takes me 2 towels, and I have a dog with not heavy coat who dries quickly. So you want to get them pretty dry. Then, when it's all done for the day, blow dry - paying special attention to armpits, under the legs, under the tail, behind the ears. Those are all nice humid areas - perfect hot spot territory. It can take a while, but getting them really dry is key.


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

I would run his Nutriscan through Dr Dodds and check his food intolerance. Also I would go to a specialist to check his spine and make sure there is no injury. Dr Dobias has indicated that hot spots can also be associated with spine and muscle injury. https://peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/11016093-hot-spots-diagnosis-and-treatment-the-natural-way


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## Lambeau0609 (Aug 3, 2015)

My dog swims in a chlorine pool many times a day. He's been lucky so far no hot spots yet and he is 3 yrs old. But i do keep him outside after a swim to have him air dry or dry him off good with a towel. I dont use a hair dryer since I would be spending my whole day drying him since he swims about 6x a day. I also have his hair cut shorter than most Goldens. Especially in the stomach area.


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## magiclover (Apr 22, 2008)

I completely agree with getting a pet dryer. We have a cottage on a lake and our dogs swim all the time. One of my girls used to get hotspots which were horrible. My male has a super thick coat and it took forever for him to dry. I did some research on Amazon for pet dryers and bought one last year. It is a lifesaver! I cannot believe it took me so long to get one. Well worth the investment!!


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Lambeau0609 said:


> My dog swims in a chlorine pool many times a day. He's been lucky so far no hot spots yet and he is 3 yrs old. But* i do keep him outside after a swim to have him air dry or dry him off good with a towel. *I dont use a hair dryer since I would be spending my whole day drying him since he swims about 6x a day. I also have his hair cut shorter than most Goldens. Especially in the stomach area.



This is a good point, too. Keeping them out in the air is really helpful. When we are field training in water, we don't put the dogs up in their car kennels in between their water runs - we towel them off and then tie them out near us. 

I should look into a dog dryer - it's true, using my hair dryer takes a good 20 minutes minimum, even after towel drying.


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