My dog has an oozing sore on his neck. Is it a hot spot? OTC help?

Ouch, poor Chewie! This lesion looks most consistent with a hot spot (moist dermatitis). Given the location, I would also be concerned that he created the lesion from trying to scratch his ears from an ear infection. If you have clippers on hand, you can clip the hair around the skin lesion and then clean it with an antiseptic soap, such as chlorhexidine or betadine. It is worth taking a trip to the vet to have his skin and ears evaluated. Until you can take Chewie to the vet, keep an e-collar on him to prevent further skin damage. I hope that all goes well!

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.

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 is commonly seen when they get a skin infection (aka hot-spots). The neck is a common place for this to happen, because moisture often gets trapped under their collar and/or loose skin. It appears to be minor, so you can try a couple of things at home to get clear the infection. 1) Clip the hair around the area and expose all of the lesion(s). There may be more than one of these. 2) Wash the area with warm water and a medicated shampoo (can get this at the pet store) once a day. Use a cloth and gently wipe away the scabs. Do not scrub, because it will irritate the skin more. It's OK if all of the scabs do not come off in each washing. 3) Make sure the area is completely dry after washing. 4) Leave the collar off. You should start seeing good results within a week after starting this. It may take a few weeks before it's completely cleared. If two weeks go by and it's not getting any better, then it's best to have a veterinarian exam it. Also, if it appears to get worse, then take him to the vet for treatment. I hope that helps and this gets cleared up soon.

Poor Lucky! I'm glad to hear that his vet will be checking him out tomorrow. From the picture, the skin lesion looks most like a hot spot (aka acute moist dermatitis). If you have clippers on hand, you can try to carefully trip the hair over and around this skin lesion to allow for better air flow. You can also gently clean his skin with an antiseptic solution, such as diluted chlorhexidine or diluted betadine, but be sure to rinse and dry thoroughly. If Lucky is scratching at his neck, it would be best to put an e-collar (cone) on until his appointment. The vet may need to prescribe antibiotics, steroids, or topical sprays to help this lesion to heal. I hope this helps and that all goes well!

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.

That lesion is very irritated on Nana's poor little neck! Lesions like this can be related to trauma, a skin infection, the beginning of a hot spot or an infected cyst under the skin. I can't tell from the photo, but if it looks like bruising, then there is also a concern for a bleeding disorder and she needs to get to the vet right away. Assuming there is no bruising, I recommend to have the lesion examined by the veterinarian since it is so red. There are a few things you can do at home that may help until you get her into the vet. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You can wash the lesion with soap once a day and rinse well (don't wash her whole body, just the spot). Protect the areas from licking or scratching. A cool (not cold) compress twice a day may also make it feel better. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.