My dog is lethargic, peeing often, and has a hot spot. What to do?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding question regarding Tucker. I recommend that he sees a veterinarian, today if possible. It is unusual for a dog to feel so bad just due to hot spots. Based on his exam findings, he may need laboratory testing in addition to therapy for his skin. There are rare skin diseases that are more serious than hot spots. These include autoimmune diseases and even skin cancer. If either of these are suspected, skin biopsies will be discussed. I hope this information helps and you are able to get him feeling better soon. Good luck!

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.

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.

I'm so sorry to hear that Galadriel is having so many problems. Let's talk about skin first. Dogs that are allergic to fleas can also be allergic to other things. The most common are environments allergies or food allergies (even if they have been on the same food for a long time). And dogs that have flea allergies can have problems with even a single flea bite which can occur even when they are on a regular flea prevention. I am attaching more information about skin problems and allergies below. https://www.vin.com/veterinarypartner/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952662 The most common reason for hot spots is an allergy, so it will be important to figure out what Galadriel is allergic to in order to help prevent future hot spots. Hot spots are initially treated by clipping the fur around the area and cleaning with an antibacterial solution. Depending on the severity of the infection, your veterinarian may elect for you to treat it topically (with antibacterial wipes or spray) or may send home oral antibiotics. Hot spots can be very painful, so sometimes pain medication will also be sent home. One of the most important things in getting hot spots to resolve is making sure they stay dry. If her hot spot is in a location that she can reach, you may need to use an e-collar to prevent licking until the area has healed. The following article has more information on hot spots. https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952729 Finally, the most common reason that a female will frequently squat to urinate is that they have a urinary tract infection. I am attaching a handout with more information about that below. https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952574 So, I would recommend having your veterinarian examine Galadriel's skin and hot spot to see if she needs antibiotics for her skin and evaluate a urine sample to see if she has any evidence of a urinary tract infection. You will also be able to talk to them about potential allergies and what you can do to treat and prevent them. I know she has a number of problems, but it sounds like everything is a little out of control right now, so she will likely need a medication to decrease the inflammation of her current allergy outbreak and decrease the bumps. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that she feels better soon. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Poor guy. Hot spots in an older dog that are continuous is concerning for a few reasons. We worry about the pet having an underlying condition that is causing his immune system to weaken and create these areas of infection, such as Cushing's Disease (an adrenal gland problem), an immune mediated skin disorder, a vitamin deficiency, liver disease, or even cancer. If we don't investigate (i.e. bloodwork, skin testing) what the underlying problem is and treat that directly, then the hot spots will continue. Therefore, at this point I would highly recommend taking George to your vet for an overall health assessment to hopefully get to the bottom of this chronic problem and resolve the hot spots for good. I hope that George's skin condition resolves soon! Best of luck moving forward and take care.

This is called moist dermatitis or a hot spot. They start with an itch from an insect bite or an ear infection then become severe when the dog scratches it excessively. The skin then weeps, becomes painful in addition to itching and will often have a lot of sticky discharge on it and in the surrounding fur. I recommend washing this with a warm wet cloth to remove the discharge. Then you can spray a hot spot medication on it. You can purchase one at PetCo. The most important thing is to put him in a cone to prevent scratching. If you are unable to do this then bring him in for an exam so they can treat it. They can give him pain medication and something to reduce the itching. They will also check his ear for infection. These are painful and take time to fully heal. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Duke.

This could be caused by an allergy or also endocrine condition. Hypothyroidism can cause hyperpigmentation, as can Cushing's disease or a liver condition amongst others. All of those disease can easily be diagnosed via a clinical exam by your veterinarian and blood work. Hypothyroidism can easily be treated with medication containing thyroid hormone. Treatment of Cushing's disease (overproduction of cortisone by the adrenal glands) is usually treated with medication that destroys part of the adrenal glands so they do not produce so many glucocorticoids. Liver conditions are treated according to their cause. And then there always is the possibility that this is just harmless hyperpigmentation without disease. Best schedule an appointment with your veterinarian for an exam.