My sick Labrador has hot spots and is lethargic. Should I see a vet?

Lethargy and frequent urination can be due to a UTI or bladder stones. I would take Goose into the vet for an exam. The vet can do routine blood tests and a urinalysis to confirm if he has a UTI or bladder stones. While there, the vet can take a look at his hot spot. Hot spots can be caused by allergies, insect bites (i.e. fleas, mites), poor grooming, underlying skin or ear infections, and excess grooming due to stress and boredom. It's very important to treat the underlying cause of the hotspot in order to successfully treat the hotspot itself. I would take Goose into the vet today or tomorrow during normal business hours.

Hello. The presence of skin that has darkened like this is due to the production of melanin in the skin. This is similar to our darkening that occurs from sun exposure, but in Tucker's case, it is probably from chronic irritation. While the Vaseline might be soothing, it is also not helping much, especially if this is due to some kind of allergy. On top of that, many dogs can develop an ongoing & chronic skin infection, too. The only way to clear this up is to see your veterinarian who can start Tucker on the proper treatment to clear this up as much as possible. I do hope you can have him seen soon & thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Poor Chief! Some of these lesions could be deep and all look infected, likely with bacteria. His skin could be making him feel too bad to eat as well as too painful/inflamed to walk/move. I don't think these spots will respond to just over the counter pet shampoos. I recommend your veterinarian do an exam and you discuss topical and oral antibiotics as well as what could have caused this (allergies, insects, immune system issues). In the meantime sometimes boiled chicken/white rice (warmed) could help a dog eat as well as canned food if his normal diet is wet food. Do not give any human pain medication as they can be very toxic to dogs and cause more issues.

This sounds like allergies to me - dogs can develop environmental allergies at any time, but typically symptoms will develop when they are young adults. It sounds like Junon needs a thorough allergy work up and may need medication to help reduce itching and skin inflammation. It definitely looks like that wound may need antibiotics. I’d recommend rechecking with your vet.

Ouch, poor Cash! That does look quite painful to him, and in the first picture you provided it looks very red and swollen. Based on that, yes I think it would be a good idea to have him seen by a vet tonight especially if he acts like it hurts when he walks. I wouldn't want to leave him in pain overnight, and getting treated as soon as possible would give him relief from the pain. I hope this helps and Cash feels better soon!

I'm sorry Boo isn't acting like his normal self! Introducing new dogs into the home, even temporarily, can be stressful for a dog and that could lead him to be more lethargic than usual. If he's on medication for his hot spots, that could also be a possible cause of his lethargy. It's good that he ate today, and I would continue to monitor him. If he's still acting lethargic on Monday, or develops other signs such as anorexia, vomiting, and/or diarrhea, then I would take him into the vet for a health check.

It sounds like poor Tucker isn't feeling welling, and this could be caused by systemic illness, infection, inflammation, or injury. It's not normal for a nice week old puppy to act this way, so I would have him seen by a vet today for a health check. The vet can diagnose what is causing his symptoms so he can be treated.