# Gold Bond makes him nuts/Hot spots



## Pointgold

I use Listerine first, then lightly dust on Gold Bond. Teabags, cooled, also are useful. Gentocyn spray, an rx med from your vet may be prescribed, but it will sting some dogs. There is a good commercial preparation called Cool-Spot which works well.


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## Heidi36oh

So far mine done really good with the Gold Bond, never any problems.

Actually Chloe had one 2 days ago and it already scabbed over and is ready to fall of. It was not a very big one.

Wonder if he has something else going one, could be some other cause to have so many spot's.

I think you're doing the right thing taking him to the vet!

Keep us posted!


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## jonesyboy

Thanks for the replies. 

Doesn't the listerine sting?? With the high alcohol content in there I would imagine it would. I had thought of trying it, but Jonesy is not very tolerant of being messed with, especially if it's the least bit uncomfortable for him. If it stings I think he'd go nuts again and I doubt he'd let me clean it very well. I like the tea bag idea, but somehow I think he'd try to eat them. He's 13 months and still very puppyish.

Another question - are hot spots always wet looking?? The ones on his back legs really aren't wet looking at all. They're pink/scaly/hard skin and there is a little scabbing at the edges, where his hair is still full. Unfortunately he did get a good lick/knaw at them on Sunday when we were out for a while, before we noticed they were there.

Has anyone ever used a comfy-cone?? Do dogs like them any better than the plastic ones?? They certainly look more comfortable.

Thanks again.

Sue


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## BeauShel

Are you shaving or clipping the hair down to the skin the area that has the hot spots? Because if it is a hot spot it will be gunky and the cutting of the hair helps to air it out. If you dont, it will spread. The listerine doesnt sting and will help to dry it too. My Beau has two of them right now and they can come up over night. 
The comfy collar is easier on them and makes it easier for them to get around. 
You do need to take him to the vet to get some antibiotics because if there are several he probably needs to get on some to combat the infection in his system.

Good luck, I hate hot spots.


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## cinnamonteal

Hi! My guy is getting over some really big hot spots right now. We're using the spray from the vet. It seems to sting for a second, but then he's over it. I've also had a lot of luck giving him benadryl. It makes him way less itchy. Clipping his fur down has made the biggest improvement by far. I hope Jonesy is feeling better soon. Good luck!


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## Dallas Gold

If the home remedies don't work, ask your vet for a prescription for neo-pred-def with tetracaine. It's a powder you puff over the spot. It has antibiotic, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory relief for the pup. It is the product we use now because the Gold Bond/listerine/Genta spray route didn't work for us.
One other thing if you think your dog has environmental allergies causing the hot spots (walking outside and getting pollens on the fur), try wiping down the coat and paws with baby wipes. This tip was given to me by our acupuncture vet--I think it helps because it removes the pollens from their fur. We keep some by our front door and they get rub downs as soon as we return.


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## Pointgold

jonesyboy said:


> Thanks for the replies.
> 
> Doesn't the listerine sting?? With the high alcohol content in there I would imagine it would. I had thought of trying it, but Jonesy is not very tolerant of being messed with, especially if it's the least bit uncomfortable for him. If it stings I think he'd go nuts again and I doubt he'd let me clean it very well. I like the tea bag idea, but somehow I think he'd try to eat them. He's 13 months and still very puppyish.
> 
> Another question - are hot spots always wet looking?? The ones on his back legs really aren't wet looking at all. They're pink/scaly/hard skin and there is a little scabbing at the edges, where his hair is still full. Unfortunately he did get a good lick/knaw at them on Sunday when we were out for a while, before we noticed they were there.
> 
> Has anyone ever used a comfy-cone?? Do dogs like them any better than the plastic ones?? They certainly look more comfortable.
> 
> Thanks again.
> 
> Sue


 
For whatever reason, the Listerine seems to soothe/. I have never had any dog object to it. It is antiseptic, and helps to dry the spot.

A dog who gets frequent hot spots may be low thyroid. It is one of the symptoms. Having a panel run may be in order.


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## Ljilly28

I agree with making sure to clip the hair away so the air can get to it freely. Use hydrogen peroxide once to zap the infection( not for days in a row bc it kills good cells along with bad), and then one of the home remedies suggested.


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## LibertyME

Dont forget to groom, groom, groom and not just the pretty top layer of coat...down to the skin with a rake/pinbrush and a good comb......getting the dead undercoat off the dog goes a long way to preventing the darn things....

The dead undercoat just lays close to the skin....then the dogs scratches trying to take car of an itch....the small scratch cant get enough air to it to heal because the undercoat is just laying there...and voila! bacteria grows...yuck...


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## MurphyTeller

Pointgold said:


> I use Listerine first, then lightly dust on Gold Bond. Teabags, cooled, also are useful. Gentocyn spray, an rx med from your vet may be prescribed, but it will sting some dogs. There is a good commercial preparation called Cool-Spot which works well.


I second the listerine and teabags. The teabag compress is my go to at the first sign of any skin irritation - including cuts and scrapes. I soak the teabags in hot but not boiling water (the temperature it comes out of my tap), wait five minutes or so until it's cool enough to touch comfortable and then apply the teabags when they are lukewarm. Alternatively (but a lot messier) you can brew 5-6 tea bags per cup of water - same method as above (ie not boiling) and then use a syringe to get the tea down past the coat to the irrated skin. This is messy but somewhat more effective for a larger area of skin.

Worth noting - the tea bags are plain old Lipton (cheap) tea - not herbal tea and nothing flavored. Tea has astringent properties, helps prevent infection and will start things drying out. Listerine does the same thing but it stings a bit so I tend to use listerine on closed skin (or after swimming in something gross to kill whatever they picked up topically) and the tea bag remedy for things like bug bites, cuts and scrapes, or the beginning of a hot spot...I've been lucky - the few hot spots they've had have never gotten over "quarter" sized and have healed within a day or two - the key is catching soon and treating consistantly.

Betagen is what I use as a finisher - so tea/listerine - dry it out, then betagen. If I think that the wound is itchy I'll dose a benedryl too - first because it'll take the itchy edge off - but also because it settles the dogs a little..I'll do the compress/flush/Dry/betagen thing at least twice a day - more often if it's really hot and humid out.

It does sound like the hot spots you have are reasonably advanced - and if not in check they can get WAY worse very quickly. I think you're at the point where you need to get to the vet though before you get too far with the home remedies. Something as involved as on the back and the hindlegs, etc probably warrants some antibiotics, perhaps shaving the areas, maybe a generous flushing the area with hydrogen peroxide - perhaps even a small dose of prednisone...I like the steroids but on the same token I don't mess around with hot spots.

Erica


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## MurphyTeller

BeauShel said:


> Are you shaving or clipping the hair down to the skin the area that has the hot spots? Because if it is a hot spot it will be gunky and the cutting of the hair helps to air it out. If you dont, it will spread. The listerine doesnt sting and will help to dry it too. My Beau has two of them right now and they can come up over night.
> The comfy collar is easier on them and makes it easier for them to get around.
> You do need to take him to the vet to get some antibiotics because if there are several he probably needs to get on some to combat the infection in his system.
> 
> Good luck, I hate hot spots.


I don't clip the hair on either dog. One of my dogs will make occasional forays into the breed ring - I'd prefer he not have bald spots  I'd clip them if I absolutely had to - but that's also one of the reasons I'm so proactive about checking for them and noticing when my dogs are even slightly off. Both boys swim every day in the summer - usually twice a day for 30-35 minutes at a time - I'm careful that they are toweled off after every swim with special attention to the cheeks and jowls.

I think thyroid can make a difference with hot spots - and there's grooming - you have to look out for the health of their skin if you want to have healthy skin...I also think there's a genetic component to it - every spot my guys have gotten has been directly related to something - a bit of missed shampoo (my fault after a bath) or swimming in a pond and not getting rinsed afterward (why I now carry a spray bottle of listerine in my dog rig) yet I know people who do all these things and still get hot spots despite all the prevention...

Erica


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## Pointgold

I do not shave or clip the hair, either. I find that it can actually irritate the area even more. 

Frequent hot spots, ear infections, and other skin issues are often symptoms of low thyroid. If this is the case, treating the symptoms can go on forever, treating the root cause by supplementing with soloxine, synthroid, or levothyroxine can eliminate the symptoms altogether (as well as other problems caused by hypothyroidism.)


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## 3dogsmom

I use Miracle Dust from the Urban Carnivore for my lab. He loves it and it works great. When he sees me bring it out, he goes right to the belly rub position. It comes from Canada, so the shipping is high, but for the product itself it is under $13.00. Hope this helps!


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## MurphyTeller

Pointgold said:


> I do not shave or clip the hair, either. I find that it can actually irritate the area even more.
> 
> Frequent hot spots, ear infections, and other skin issues are often symptoms of low thyroid. If this is the case, treating the symptoms can go on forever, treating the root cause by supplementing with soloxine, synthroid, or levothyroxine can eliminate the symptoms altogether (as well as other problems caused by hypothyroidism.)


Absolutely...I have to say that I'm very lucky - both my dogs swim 2x (or more) a day and even with my hypothyoid dog we tend to average two spots a year and have always been my fault...


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## Dallas Gold

> Frequent hot spots, ear infections, and other skin issues are often symptoms of low thyroid. If this is the case, treating the symptoms can go on forever, treating the root cause by supplementing with soloxine, synthroid, or levothyroxine can eliminate the symptoms altogether (as well as other problems caused by hypothyroidism.)


I totally concur. I have 2 dogs that prove this.


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## jonesyboy

Thanks again for all the tips. I really appreciate how helpful people here are! I've never posted a question without getting a ton of great advice!

I have an appointment with the vet first thing tommorow morning - I couldn't get in today because I had to work and couldn't get an appointment tonite. The good news is the spots are not worse and one is definately better. The other two look status quo - but they seem to bother him less when I examine them than they did last night so I think the gold bond has helped. Also he hasn't been able to chew/knaw at them at all since I discovered them. I'm still taking him to the vet to ensure there's nothing more serious going on.

After reading the posts here, I think there's a good chance that I was too slack on brushing him - a lot of things going on here lately & I just let it slip. The day before I noticed the spots I set about giving him a really good brushing, and got a lot of undercoat off his back side. I'm thinking the spots may have been starting, and that just got him itching them and made them worse. Even if that's not the cause I will make sure I brush him every day from now on!

Sue


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## jonesyboy

I took Jonesy to the vet this morning. He got a shot of dexamethasone and a mild sedative. They shaved the area around the hot spots. He's on prednisone for 2 days, and the vet gave me a mild sedative (acepromazine) to calm him if the spots make him really nuts - as he was when the vet was trying to shave the spots!!! I also got a bottle of Betagen spray. So hopefully this will do the trick. 

Thanks for all your help!

Sue


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## Doodle

I'm glad you got some help at the vets. Joney's hot spots definitely sounded advanced enough to require some additional help there. You've gotten some great advice here, and I just wanted to chime in and say that in the past 3 days I've tried the listerine (the regular amber colored kind) and gold bond (medicated in the blue bottle) combination for the first time. Last summer when Brady started to get some hot spots, we got an antibiotic ointment from our vet, and that worked pretty well. My concern with that was that so far when Brady gets these, they tend to start in his lower belly area in the leg creases and all the nooks and crannies down there where sweat and moisture congregate....the Rx ointment was okay but because it was goopy, and just continued to keep the area moist. We noticed 3 days ago a few areas that were the beginning of hot spots, and I've been using the listerine (which doesn't phase Brady in the least, by the way) and gold bond in the morning and before bed, and what a difference it's made!!! In 3 days they're just about gone. And I like the way the gold bond absorbs the moisture and keeps the areas dryer which I think is half the battle with these darn things. And as others have said, daily brushing and checking the skin is important so that you can treat and nip these things in the bud. Brady is still young and a bit fidgety when we do all this, so if you have someone who can help you with Jonesy it may make it easier. We have Brady lie down and then my DH lies down near his face and distracts him while I do the diry deed. Oh, and thanks to the person who suggested the wipedowns to remove the pollen allergens....I absolutely think this is what effects Brady the most so I'm going to try that.


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## MurphyTeller

Doodle said:


> ... so far when Brady gets these, they tend to start in his lower belly area in the leg creases and all the nooks and crannies down there where sweat and moisture congregate....


Dogs don't have sweat glands in their nooks and crannies... Unless he is swimming, laying in wet grass etc, there really shouldn't be a lot of moisture 
Erica


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## Doodle

MurphyTeller said:


> Dogs don't have sweat glands in their nooks and crannies... Unless he is swimming, laying in wet grass etc, there really shouldn't be a lot of moisture
> Erica


"Sweat" was the wrong word to use....yes you're right that dogs don't sweat and I do know that. Just had a brain fart apparently. I was referring to the fact that after playing outside (either in water or grass which are his favorites) these creases tend to harbor that moisture.


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## Griffyn'sMom

Griff didn't tolerate the Gold Bond well either. I used generic Listerine to clean it and when I used a light dusting of the Gold Bond he would cling to my side - I could tell he was distressed by it.

So.. I just used the listerine to keep it clean twice a day. Thankfully that's all I needed. Knock wood - he's only had one little hot spot. :crossfing


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