My dog's hot spot is bad and paws are swollen. Can I bandage it?

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I do not recommend wrapping the paw itself, as this can cause more damage to the skin, swelling, and trap moisture and bacteria. Meeka needs to wear an Elizabethan (cone) collar AT ALL TIMES until this spot has resolved. Any time she licks this spot she introduces more bacteria from her mouth and delays healing. I would not put anything topical on the hot spot. This should heal on its own as long as Meeka is not able to continue to traumatize it. I hope this is helpful!

This presentation could be due to a trauma or localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria and commonly called hot spot). A check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. Disinfection can eventually be started at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths. Buster collar may be useful as well to avoid any licking/scratching. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

This presentation could be due to a trauma (possibly presence of a small foreign body) or localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria). A check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. Disinfection may be started at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths. Buster collar may be useful as well to avoid any licking. . Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

If the hot spot is small you can try putting some triple antibiotic ointment on it. You will want to try and prevent your dog from licking the area as much as possible, like with an E-collar, to allow it to heal. If the area is very large and inflamed your dog may benefit from oral antibiotics to help it heal more quickly. If treatment at home doesn’t work then you will probably need to have her examined by a vet. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

I'm sorry this happened but you must understand this is a very serious wound and should be treated by your local veterinarian. She should be on oral antibiotics. No matter is what is applied to this topically, it will not heal if she continues to chew at it. You will need to either keep it bandaged (provided she does not chew the bandage off) or get her a cone collar like this one until it is healed. Be sure to get the appropriate size. The collar must go past the end of the nose or she will still be able to chew at the wound. ( https://www.amazon.in/Generic-Elizabethan-Healing-Medical-Protective/dp/B01LZHVWWF/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1524316661&sr=8-3&keywords=elizabethan+collar+for+dogs ) You can try this wound spray. I still suggest you have a veterinarian look at this wound to prescribe some more effective treatment than what you can provide at home. ( https://www.amazon.in/Himalaya-Scavon-Spray-100-ml/dp/B01NGYKEPQ/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1524316862&sr=1-2-fkmr0&keywords=oxytetracycline+spray+dog ) Try your best to keep flies and other insects away from the wound or she may get maggots. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

That looks like a pretty nasty hot spot. Hot spots are caused by chronic moisture against the skin (which is common with a collar or something else wrapped around the neck). The best way to treat a hot spot is to clip the hair from the area so that it can fully dry out. You will need to use buzzing clipper, not a razor or scissors. You can try an OTC pet antimicrobial spray, but often prescription sprays or ointments work a little better since they contain a steroid and real antibiotics. You may also have to get creative in finding ways to prevent Peyton from scratching this area, as that will delay healing and can damage the skin. You can try socks, dog booties, or bandaging the feet to cover the nails. Unfortunately, due to the location, he won't be able to use an e-collar. If the hotspot isn't looking better in 48 hours, I would recommend that you have Peyton checked out by a vet.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Based on the photos, it appears that Girly may have a severely infected hot spot. This could have happened from moisture becoming trapped on the fur, allergies, a wound, etc. I would recommend having a veterinarian examine Girly so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. This needs to have the hair completely clipped from the area, antiseptically cleaned and an oral antibiotic most likely. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.