My dog has a red, raw spot. What to do when home care isn't enough?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This looks like a severe focal infection. I recommend you have her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment as this will likely require local therapy with cleaning of the site, pain control medications and antibiotics. Also, your veterinarian could check for a possible underlying cause like allergies, mites or a foreign body reaction. Good luck!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Based on the picture, it does appear that this could be a hot spot. I typically recommend using products that soothe and treat infection. What I would recommend would be Well & Good Hydrocortisone spray (at Petco) and Miconahex + Triz spray and apply both of these twice daily until resolved. If there is no improvement within 7 days, I would recommend taking your dog in to be seen by a veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. From the picture you provided it does look as though there is quite a bit of redness / irritation. I would recommend using Sentry wound ointment, which you can find at PetCo or online. You can apply this twice daily to the area. If there is no improvement after 48-72 hours, I would recommend having this examined by your veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. 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.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Right now what I would do is monitor her to check for progression of this lesion. If it becomes scaly or infected, have her evaluated by a veterinarian. Otherwise, if it is just from the leash, she is likely going to improve on her own. If she taken to the veterinarian and a hot spot is confirmed, antibiotics and steroids will be recommended. Best of luck!

This looks like an area of moist dermatitis, or hot spot. They get these from licking or rubbing an area of skin that was irritated from an insect bite, allergy or injury. To treat this I recommend trimming the fur around the area, then cleaning off the discharge with warm water and antibacterial soap. Once it’s rinsed and dried you can apply a thin film of antibacterial ointment on it. The most important thing is to prevent her from scratching or rubbing this area so it can heal. Use a cone if needed. If it’s not improving then I recommend a veterinary exam and treatment. They may give medication to prevent the itching, and possible a topical spray or ointment to dry up the skin. Hot spots are common in Goldens so I’d have a cone and medication on hand to treat these at home before they get bad. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Daisy.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Ninja! I can not see the skin well in the pictures due to all the hair. I am not seeing an open wound but more of a sore. If the area is flat, red, moist and weeping it is likely a hot spot. Hot spots are superficial skin infections that occur secondary to allergies, scratching and excessively moist fur (like after a bath or swimming). They crop up very quickly and get larger just as quick. I treat hot spots by shaving all the fur away, having owners use an E-collar or T-shirt to prevent further scratching and I prescribe a course of oral antibiotics and tapering course of steroids along with a topical spray. Most hot spots with this treatment heal with in 5 days. I would make an appointment with your Vet. I wish you the best!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It could be the start of a hot spot. The mainstay of treatment is to shave the fur away to allow better air flow to help it dry out. Also Hatty would need to stop chewing and licking the area. That requires the use of an Elizabethan collar (cone) or donut. Also we usually prescribe a course of steroids and antibiotics. Since it is getting worse and hot spots are of the the true skin "emergencies" (because they spread quickly and are uncomfortable) I recommend having her seen today before the weekend. I hope this helps and I wish Hatty a speedy recovery!