# Greasy scab near Pipers bum



## Piper_the_goldenpuppy (Aug 26, 2016)

Sorry, for some reason the attachments didn't upload


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## B and G Mom (Oct 29, 2014)

My guess is hot spot. Blossom used to get them VERY occasionally (I think she had 2 in the 5 years we had her), they weren't as severe as some dogs get them, we would be able to treat them with gold bond powder. She did have seasonal allergies so we would give her a benydryl now and then in the fall (the changing leaves were always a signal to give her some). I don't know if treating her allergies prevented them or not. She would also get runny eyes in the fall too - another sign it was benedryl time!



I hope she heals quickly!


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## G-bear (Oct 6, 2015)

My previous golden, Goldie, would occasionally get something similar. The vet said they were hot spots. She would constantly lick and bite at them, I think they must have itched badly. The last time she got one the vet, who put her on antibiotics for an infection (the hot spot was slightly infected) told me to try tea tree shampoo for Goldie. She said she used it for her golden who had been getting hot spots for years but after using JP tea tree shampoo had no further problems. I was extremely skeptical (even though I trust my vet!). I was surprised when Goldie's hot spot cleared up within 3 days and she never had another one. I now use it on all my dogs. It is worth a try or at least asking your vet about it. John Paul tea tree shampoo is available online thru Drs Foster and Smith, Amazon and Chewy. I am pretty sure you can also buy it at Petco and PetSmart. I buy my shampoo from Chuck and Don's which is a local pet supply store. My vet also carries it but it is more expensive through the clinic.


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## Piper_the_goldenpuppy (Aug 26, 2016)

Thanks for the insight!! I had actually been thinking about trying some Benadryl--even just for her eyes. 

Am definitely going to get the John Paul Tea tree products if the vet OKs it! Do you dilute the shampoo or just use it as is?


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## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

Sure looks like a hot spot to me. I would trim the fur yet tonight if you can - those things can grow overnight pretty big and if it's oozing it's at that stage. Duke did not get a hot spot this past year (knock on wood), but that's because I have him on Apoquel and he's not scratching/itching as much. He's also on regular Clariton vs the benadryl; he got so sleepy on benadryl. I'm interested in what you think of the shampoo as well. I've been buying prescription shampoo for Duke, and am curious if it would work for him. Good luck at the vet!


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## G-bear (Oct 6, 2015)

The tea tree shampoo that I use (John Paul) is one that you don't have to dilute. It rinses out quite easily. I don't know about the other manufacturers products. The JP shampoo doesn't have any nasty chemicals in it so it's probably safer to use than some of the other tea tree shampoos. Jenn is right. You should try to trim a bit around the sore if you can. They do tend to "grow" overnight and I remember my vet saying that when the dogs lick them it just makes them worse. For a brief time Goldie had to wear a cone of shame


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## G-bear (Oct 6, 2015)

Here is some more info on the JP tea tree shampoo:
WHAT IT DOES
Cleanses and soothes while reducing skin
irritations.
HOW IT WORKS
Tea tree leaf oil and eucalyptus combine to safely discourage skin irritation, allowing hot spots to heal.
ADDED BONUS
Almond oil and chamomile soothe, while aloe adds moisture.


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## Piper_the_goldenpuppy (Aug 26, 2016)

I gave Pipes a bully stick while I trimmed it up really well. I'm so glad I did, it's much larger than I thought....probably 3 inches ?. Its a little bit of a hack job, but I didn't want to cut her. Afterwards I rinsed the area with peroxide, in case I knicked her skin--it's the only thing I had in the house at 10pm that won't sting like the dickens. 

She wasn't going after it too much before, but I'm pretty sure got irritated when I was messing with the area because now she wants to nibble and chew at it. I gave her some Benadryl so hopefully that will help make her a little more comfortable tonight. We may be picking up a cone from the vet tomorrow. 

Here's a picture of it. It looks wet and darker because of the peroxide. But still impressive. 

Poor baby ?. It looks like it hurts something fierce. She's definitely uncomfortable, keeps going to get all her stuffies from the basket and bringing them onto my bed. I feel so bad that she's had this and I didn't know.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

I'm glad you trimmed the fur away too, that would have grown overnight twice the size. The trick to getting it to heal is to keep it dry. So don't use salve or anything that make it moist. An astringent and dust with Gold Bond powder. If it gets bigger or start producing moisture, see the vet. 

I hope it dries up fast for you.


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## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

That looks like a big one; glad you trimmed it. Vet might give you steroids for that. Hope it heals fast. You're probably going to need the cone :-(


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## Piper_the_goldenpuppy (Aug 26, 2016)

Yeah I'm interested to see what the vet thinks re: steroids and antibiotics. 

She's already tried to go for that area four times today. I think we definitely need a cone. 

And I'm going to get some of that shampoo and conditioner today. 

I'm thinking that now that she has a propensity to get these, I probably need to get a dryer for her so her fur doesn't stay wet. Any recommendations about good ones?


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Aw, poor bum! I'd do a cone for sure. When my last dog got a hot spot, my vet just had me clean with a special soap and keep it dry. Keeping it dry is the key. And if they can get to it, they'll lick it and keep it very wet. Hope it clears up quickly.


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## Otis-Agnes (Nov 24, 2015)

Our Abby got hot spots (vet said it was related to allergies). We trimmed the fur and made sure she didn't lick the area. It dried up pretty quickly. She always looked funny with those bald spots on her body! One time we missed a hot spot and it got inflected - that was nasty! Good luck. Agnes


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## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

Going to throw this 'out there' because it has worked very well for treating hot spots on one of my dogs.

Soak a tea bag, regular black tea, works fine, in a cup of boiling water, leaving it soak until the water cools to luke warm. Then flood/rinse the area with the water, can use the tea bag like a 'sponge', and gently pat dry, several times a day. 

"Knowing my preference for treating ailments naturally, he shared that the humble tea bag has antiseptic properties. The tannins in tea have an astringent effect, producing a dry, tightening sensation, so they are useful for helping to stop bleeding. The tannins activate the thrombocytes for rapid blood clotting. The stronger the tea, the more the tannins. Tannins also have both anti-inflammatory and antiviral effects. Tea also stops infection from spreading by creating a protective layer over the exposed tissues, while helping the wound to heal."
Quoted from the article:
Healing Pastures » Tea For Wound Healing

Something to consider is that hot spots can be caused by food sensitivities/allergies, a change in diet can help to reduce or eliminate the recurrence of hot spots. My golden was getting hot spots as a young dog, a change in diet (to chicken/poultry) free and he has been 'hot spot' free for many years.


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## Piper_the_goldenpuppy (Aug 26, 2016)

Thanks! I like the idea of using tea bags. So I just spoke with the manager of my local pet shop. They don't carry tea tree oil products anymore because of the toxicity. She recommends Neem oil based shampoos? Anyone have experience with neem? 

I looked online and it's mostly advertised as a flea and tick product. I really don't think it's due to fleas--although it could be. It's in the "flea hot spot zone" I can't see any flea dirt and she's up to date on protection, but that doesn't mean she didn't have a random flea bite and happens to be allergic. 

She also told me to make sure to remove the scab twice a day--soak with hot water. She said the scab crusts and itches. But I've heard to keep it mostly dry...any thoughts 

Sorry I'm asking so many questions! This is my first experience with hot spots. 

My least favorite part of this, besides how uncomfortable it is for her, is trying to figure out what's caused it. Food, environmental allergies, flea allergies, immune system issues, etc. there are so many different potential factors!


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## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

I would NOT mess with the scab....that's how it heals. Just keep it dry and don't let her get at it or it will take forever to heal. Duke has had many hot spots and he can't take steroids so they always take forever to heal. Charlie has had one hot spot and his healed quickly with steroids. If the vet does suggest steroids, just be aware (in case you haven't had to deal with them before) that Piper will get very, very thirsty and she will need to pee A LOT!


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## G-bear (Oct 6, 2015)

Did your vet tell you to remove the scab or did the manger of the pet store tell you to remove it? I have never heard of such a thing. The whole point of treating the hot spot is to keep it clean (to avoid infection) and keep it dry (so that it can heal). The reason a dog ends up with the cone of shame is so that they don't lick at it (getting it wet and possibly adding bacteria to the sore) and allow it to scab over and heal. Removing the scab is, frankly, one of the strangest ideas I have ever heard and because I thought it was so odd I called my vet and asked her. Her response was that the removal of the scab may cause infection. I also inquired about the claim that tea tree shampoo is toxic (according to the manager of your pet store). According to my vet large quantities of undiluted tea tree OIL can be toxic to small dogs. In the shampoo the oil is highly diluted (to less than 1%) and it includes botanicals and other environmentally safe ingredients. It is specifically to treat hot spots and skin conditions but will also repell fleas and ticks without the use of DEET or other chemicals. Because I have used, and continue to use, JP tea tree shampoo and recommended it to you I felt it necessary to call my vet (who recommended it to me for use on my golden retriever who was 10 years old at the time) to verify that the product was safe. It is. She said she would never, ever recommend using full strength tea tree oil on any dog, cat or human and while there are "do it yourself" recipes online she would not use them as they require the that the tea tree oil be properly diluted in the homemade shampoo. She said she would not be comfortable attempting to obtain the proper rate of dilution. Because I trust my vet I will continue to follow her recommendations. So, with all due respect, I would suggest checking with your vet regarding the treatment of the scab and the hot spot. Not the manager of a pet store.


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## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

I would second the recommendation to defer to your vet but had pretty much the same reaction as G-bear about what the store manager said. Isn't it amazing how much misinformation there is out there? That's why I love this forum; you can bounce ideas off one another. But we will always suggest speaking with your vet...


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## Piper_the_goldenpuppy (Aug 26, 2016)

jennretz said:


> I would second the recommendation to defer to your vet but had pretty much the same reaction as G-bear about what the store manager said. Isn't it amazing how much misinformation there is out there? That's why I love this forum; you can bounce ideas off one another. But we will always suggest speaking with your vet...
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Thats exactly why I asked, it seemed SO counter-intuitive, and against what I've heard. It was the pet store manager. I had called to ask if they carried the JP shampoo. She said to soak it in hot water twice a day to remove the scab and bath in neem oil shampoo every 3 days. Nowhere have I heard or read to do that. Neem oil seems to be used for flea and ticks, which she doesn't have. We don't do that to human wounds unless they are seriously infected and need to be debrided--and then we do it under sterile conditions. She even told me I didn't need to take her to the vet, just to bring her in there and they could remove the scab and shave down to the skin. We already had a vet appointment, and even IF the vet had recommend removing the scab, (she didn't), I would have had the vet do it. 

We just got back from the vet. She thinks that since its so linear, that she likely got a scratch there and has been biting at it. No evidence of fleas. Although I did point out that her eyes were red and runny, so we think it might be some type of seasonal allergy. She went ahead and did an eye exam, no eye ulcers, and gave me an antibiotic/steroid drops for the eyes in case there is a component of bacterial infection too. If it gets worse or changes or doesn't improve...then antibiotics and steroids. 

She HATES the cone. She ran around the exam room like a crazy dog trying to get it off. I have the pillow kind, but I think her body is too long and she'll be able to get to the spot. Plus my last dog got her paw stuck through it once...a cone is just better. Less risky and more likely to be effective. She'll get used to it. 

Poor girl. She's lying on my lap keeping her head exactly upright and panting (she pants when she's nervous or uncomfortable). 

We'll see how she does with benadryl and if she's still itching or another one comes, start looking into other causes.


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## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

You're doing the right things  Piper might not agree right now. Charlie reacts strongly to the cone as well. I would remove it when I knew I could watch him and then put it on when I couldn't like when I was cooking or had to step out.

I'm always careful about not leaving them alone in a kennel with a cone on - the large plastic kind. Just recently, one of Duke's friends from his previous daycare died @ 6 years old. He had surgery and was left unattended in a kennel I believe and ended up choking himself. It was just so sad. If I had to leave them kenneled I used the soft cone or a tshirt.


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## Wendy427 (Apr 4, 2009)

Piper_the_goldenpuppy said:


> Thats exactly why I asked, it seemed SO counter-intuitive, and against what I've heard. It was the pet store manager. I had called to ask if they carried the JP shampoo. She said to soak it in hot water twice a day to remove the scab and bath in neem oil shampoo every 3 days. Nowhere have I heard or read to do that. Neem oil seems to be used for flea and ticks, which she doesn't have. We don't do that to human wounds unless they are seriously infected and need to be debrided--and then we do it under sterile conditions. She even told me I didn't need to take her to the vet, just to bring her in there and they could remove the scab and shave down to the skin. We already had a vet appointment, and even IF the vet had recommend removing the scab, (she didn't), I would have had the vet do it.
> 
> We just got back from the vet. She thinks that since its so linear, that she likely got a scratch there and has been biting at it. No evidence of fleas. Although I did point out that her eyes were red and runny, so we think it might be some type of seasonal allergy. She went ahead and did an eye exam, no eye ulcers, and gave me an antibiotic/steroid drops for the eyes in case there is a component of bacterial infection too. If it gets worse or changes or doesn't improve...then antibiotics and steroids.
> 
> ...


Aww poor girl. Is the cone clear plastic? I had one for Maxi and it was much less stressful than the opaque ones.


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## Piper_the_goldenpuppy (Aug 26, 2016)

Wendy427 said:


> Aww poor girl. Is the cone clear plastic? I had one for Maxi and it was much less stressful than the opaque ones.


Yup. My vet only does the clear ones thankfully. I'm 90% sure Piper would not tolerate a big solid thing around her face that she couldn't see through. She's better now, although intermittently she will try to eat it and and pull it off. She's laying down right now with a stuffie trying to chew it, but she likes to hold them with her paws when she does. So she keeps trying to move her paws and keeps hitting the cone  I'd take it off her but I want her to get used to it. 

She's probably not going to be crated with the cone on...I'm just going to stick her in the kitchen if I need to leave. I'd rather deal with a few accidents that have her hurt herself in the crate.


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## Jessie'sGirl (Aug 30, 2010)

Aw, poor Piper. Hot spots are miserable. Piper will eventually adapt to the cone. It takes a while
Jess has seasonal allergies, and has had a few hot spots, as well as the runny eyes, although this summer he seemed much better.


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## Dee's Gidget (Aug 14, 2016)

Poor Piper. I hope she feels better soon! My poor Winston got hot spots all the time. I wish I had known about the Tee Tree Shampoo.


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## G-bear (Oct 6, 2015)

Since you are using a clear cone it may help Piper a bit if you put a thin opaque tape (masking tape or something) around the outer edge of the cone. It seemed to help my dogs so they didn't bump into things quite as much while wearing the cone. I think the tape allowed them to see just how far out the clear cone went and it allowed them to better judge distance so they didn't run into walls and corners so much.


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## Piper_the_goldenpuppy (Aug 26, 2016)

G-bear said:


> Since you are using a clear cone it may help Piper a bit if you put a thin opaque tape (masking tape or something) around the outer edge of the cone. It seemed to help my dogs so they didn't bump into things quite as much while wearing the cone. I think the tape allowed them to see just how far out the clear cone went and it allowed them to better judge distance so they didn't run into walls and corners so much.


This is a great idea! I'm going to do that right now. 

Just gave her a bath, and dried her completely off and put her medication on. She did really well with the dryer. I thought she was going to hate it, but she did tolerated it. I think she maybe even liked it. She loves when I towel her off after a bath. The benadryl doesn't appear to be making her sleepy, but its fortunately not making her wired either. After the bath/ointment, I think it was really bugging her because she went after it a bunch when I was drying her, but she was redirect able.

She was none too pleased when I put the cone back on her :wink2: She's lying on my lap right now with a combination of dejected forlorn puppy and 'you traitorous human.' But she's getting better with it. 

Its already looking better. Getting it exposed to the air was so helpful. Hopefully she won't need the cone for very long.


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## Ffcmm (May 4, 2016)

You could try a spray mix of equal parts apple cider vinegar and water, good luck!


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Poor thing. Cones do suck, but they are so helpful. It should dry out and heal quite quickly. I know many people use Gold Bond powder, too, to help dry them out. Good luck!


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## 3 goldens (Sep 30, 2005)

My Kaycee was the Queen of Hot Spots until she was about 7. Was allergic to pine and live oak pollen--and we are loaded with both around here--fleas, Bermuda grass, mold spores. My vethad me cut the fur back--would stick to oozing spot and keep it moist and growing--, clean with peroxide and when dry, apply the gold bond powder. That worked great. And for some reasons her allergies lessened gretly as she got older and hot spots were rare. Gpood luck with your fur kid.


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## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

How's Piper doing today?


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## Piper_the_goldenpuppy (Aug 26, 2016)

Pipes is good! Her scab is looking SO much better, although her she keeps going for it, so it's still bugging her. That and/or her skin is itching from it being shaved. 

I caved and switched over to my inflatable collar. She really hated the cone. She likes this a little more, but mostly hates it haha. I'm a little concerned that she's going to be able to contort her body enough to get to it if she really tries, so we shall see if the kong-collar stays or if she has to go back to the cone. 

I'm at the hospital tonight (working), so she's staying with a friend of mine who owns Piper's best friend, because I don't trust her in her crate, and I'm worried she'll start going for her scab. E-collars of any kind just make me so nervous with dogs when they are unattended. I left my last girl in a kong collar for 15 minutes after she got spayed and when I came back she had gotten one of her legs through it.


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## bixx (Sep 8, 2015)

I have a friend whose golden was so susceptible to this and they did the whole range of antibiotics, etc. What worked for her dog was sudocrem. Amber once scratched so hard she had a bleeding wound. I used sudocrem and it was dry the next day. Not even red. It also helped with itching. So, I would recommend this too.


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## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

It may have dried out enough to put tshirt on...i've done this with Charlie before when he was shutting down because of cone


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Just checking in on the bum! Hope she is doing better today.

This really may be a one time thing. My last Golden got exactly one hot spot in her life. She was staying with a friend, and was in and out of the lake all day, and staying damp. He didn't realize the risk. But once it was cleared up, that was it. She never had another one.


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## Lexus (Aug 26, 2016)

This is what a hot spot looks like if you are slow to recognize the problem. We knew the small spot on her tail was a hot spot and cleaned and treated it. The next day it was bigger. So called the vet and took her in the next morning. By then we saw it on her neck. The hot spot was growing at a crazy speed. We took her in 2 days after seeing the first area inflamed! The vet shaved the worst parts and put her on antibiotics. As the next 2 weeks went buy the rest of her fur and skin peeled away but the oozing and scabing stopped. Now a month later her fur is growing back. Poor baby was so cold with hardly any fur that she wore her Christmas sweater with out protest! It's amazing how fast hot spots take over! She was a dog that never had one but she does its a doozy! I hope you pup is doing well!


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## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

G-bear said:


> My previous golden, Goldie, would occasionally get something similar. The vet said they were hot spots. She would constantly lick and bite at them, I think they must have itched badly. The last time she got one the vet, who put her on antibiotics for an infection (the hot spot was slightly infected) told me to try tea tree shampoo for Goldie. She said she used it for her golden who had been getting hot spots for years but after using JP tea tree shampoo had no further problems. I was extremely skeptical (even though I trust my vet!). I was surprised when Goldie's hot spot cleared up within 3 days and she never had another one. I now use it on all my dogs. It is worth a try or at least asking your vet about it. John Paul tea tree shampoo is available online thru Drs Foster and Smith, Amazon and Chewy. I am pretty sure you can also buy it at Petco and PetSmart. I buy my shampoo from Chuck and Don's which is a local pet supply store. My vet also carries it but it is more expensive through the clinic.


Just wanted to circle back on this to let you know I double checked with Duke's dermatologist (because of his many allergies and hot spots history) and she did not have any concerns with using the John Paul tea tree shampoo  Am going to order it now.


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## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

Lexus said:


> This is what a hot spot looks like if you are slow to recognize the problem. We knew the small spot on her tail was a hot spot and cleaned and treated it. The next day it was bigger. So called the vet and took her in the next morning. By then we saw it on her neck. The hot spot was growing at a crazy speed. We took her in 2 days after seeing the first area inflamed! The vet shaved the worst parts and put her on antibiotics. As the next 2 weeks went buy the rest of her fur and skin peeled away but the oozing and scabing stopped. Now a month later her fur is growing back. Poor baby was so cold with hardly any fur that she wore her Christmas sweater with out protest! It's amazing how fast hot spots take over! She was a dog that never had one but she does its a doozy! I hope you pup is doing well!


That looks like it was so painful. Hope she's doing much better now....


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## Piper_the_goldenpuppy (Aug 26, 2016)

Oh my goodness Lexus, that looks so painful! Your poor baby. Glad she's all healed up now. 

Pipers hot spot is gone...her fur is growing back nicely. We are now sans cone/collar and only using a t-shirt when she's in her crate--just in case. She's pretty much leaving the area alone, but just in case she goes after it when I'm gone I want to be super careful. 

I diluted a teeny bit of tea tree oil in a cleansing spray, and was using a small amount of that intermittently on it, in addition to her topical steroid/antibiotic. 

My JP shampoo/conditioner just arrived today. That "medicated shampoo" the doctor gave me is just a hypoallergenic, oatmeal based shampoo. I'm not sure it helped anything. So now she will smell fresh and clean, and hopefully it will help if she is feeling itchy. 

I really do think it must have just been a scratch that she was chewing on, given how fast it cleared up. I'm so glad I found it and cleaned it up when I did. They can get so big so fast.


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## G-bear (Oct 6, 2015)

I really hope the JP tea tree shampoo helps both Piper and Duke. It worked miracles on Goldie (she never had another hot spot) and I use it on Bailey, Jack and Gracie now. None have ever had a hot spot (which may not have anything to do with the shampoo-- it could just be luck in their cases). I use it now because my vet also told me that it helps repell (not sure if that is quite the right word) fleas and ticks. Our lake place is in a high Lyme disease area and even tho I use Nexgard I HATE picking ANY ticks off of them (dead or alive-LOL) because I am a wimp. So far nary a tick or flea but my neighbor (whose dog is also on Nexgard) has been picking dead ticks off of Trooper all summer. So, perhaps it keeps away ticks and fleas also? Not positive on that. It seems to work. You know me...skeptical til positive. Ask me in a year


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## Piper_the_goldenpuppy (Aug 26, 2016)

G-bear said:


> I really hope the JP tea tree shampoo helps both Piper and Duke. It worked miracles on Goldie (she never had another hot spot) and I use it on Bailey, Jack and Gracie now. None have ever had a hot spot (which may not have anything to do with the shampoo-- it could just be luck in their cases). I use it now because my vet also told me that it helps repell (not sure if that is quite the right word) fleas and ticks. Our lake place is in a high Lyme disease area and even tho I use Nexgard I HATE picking ANY ticks off of them (dead or alive-LOL) because I am a wimp. So far nary a tick or flea but my neighbor (whose dog is also on Nexgard) has been picking dead ticks off of Trooper all summer. So, perhaps it keeps away ticks and fleas also? Not positive on that. It seems to work. You know me...skeptical til positive. Ask me in a year


That is one of the big reasons I'm switching! We have TONS of ticks in NE, and lots of lyme. I figure anything I can do to help keep her skin healthy, and also repel those nasty buggers.


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## Lexus (Aug 26, 2016)

Piper_the_goldenpuppy said:


> Oh my goodness Lexus, that looks so painful! Your poor baby. Glad she's all healed up now.
> 
> Pipers hot spot is gone...her fur is growing back nicely. We are now sans cone/collar and only using a t-shirt when she's in her crate--just in case. She's pretty much leaving the area alone, but just in case she goes after it when I'm gone I want to be super careful.
> 
> ...


Portia is much much better! Her fur is growing back and she just overall is feeling better. Her hot spots got out of control fast due to having hyperthyroidism. Her immune system was just not helping fight the skin infection. She has been on thyroid meds for 2 months, lost close to 20 lbs. Her energy is back her fur is normal and no skin issues. She is a total different dog! I'm glad to hear Piper is doing well!


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