My dog has skin spots and an open sore. How to treat without vet bill?

It's possible that Feli has been licking or scratching this area, causing these abrasions. This type of lesion can develop pretty quickly - even overnight. Some of the most common causes of itching include allergies and fleas. Make sure that she's regularly receiving a good quality flea preventive (Bravecto, Nexgard, Credelio and Simparica are all great prescription options, and K9 Advantix II is available over the counter). You can also give her a bath in a gentle oatmeal or baby shampoo in case there are any lingering allergens on her coat causing irritation. You certainly don't need to rush her to a vet for these lesions alone, but if they get worse or spread, then you should take her to get checked out. When dogs scratch, they can damage the protective skin barrier, which can make them susceptible to developing skin infections. I hope that she's on the mend soon!

This appears to be urticaria, which simply means that they are round, red, not raised lesions due to some sort of reaction. This often happens with insect bites and stings, but could be caused by other environmental factors. It's good that they are not bothering Ellie and are not something that needs to be seen by a vet right away. It's best to just monitor her for the next week and see if these lesions get bigger, or multiply. They will likely fade and disappear after a week, but if they seem to be getting worse, then it's best to schedule a time to visit the nearest vet, because these can be due to an infection, or autoimmune disease in rare cases. I hope that helps and all is well with Ellie.

I'm sorry Sophis isn't doing well! If she keeps licking at it, the paw could become infected or she could potentially lick it enough to lick straight through to the bone. You definitely want to avoid that, and she has to see a vet as soon as possible to get this treated. I would see if you can borrow money from family and friends to afford a vet, and I can give you some resources that may help as well. You can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. Best Friends also has a list of resources that offer financial assistance on their website. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962 https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com http://bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets http://lessonsfromaparalyzeddog.com/when-pet-owners-cant-afford-veterinary-bills/ http://www.dogheirs.com/resources-affordable-veterinary-care/ I hope one of these resources helps you afford a vet, please take her into one this week. Good luck!

I recommend to have her examined by the veterinarian again. When pets do not respond to treatment as normal, it can mean the correction condition has been diagnosed. Those spots on Lexy could be several things including allergies to fleas, allergies to something in the environment, food allergy or endocrine disease. Each one of these problems is detected and addressed differently and I recommend to discuss with your veterinarian which one to start hunting down first. Parasites are often ruled out with an oral medication like Simparica. Food allergy is best ruled out with a diet trial using a hydrolyzed protein. Endocrine diseases are detected with blood work. Environmental allergies are a little more difficult to detect but a response to therapy or a blood test can give an indication. Once you figure out and address the underlying cause, the lesions should not come back. There are a couple things you can do at home and they can help but they are unlikely to address the underlying cause. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing her diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. Also protect the area from trauma by having Lexy wear an elizabethan collar at all times. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

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.

Those spots on Nala could be several things including fleas, allergies, skin mites, bacterial infection, ringworm (which humans can get) or endocrine disease. There are a couple things you can do at home and they can help but they may not address the underlying cause. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing her diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. You can wash the lesions once a day (not her whole body, just the lesions). Also protect the area from trauma by having your pup wear an elizabethan collar at all times. If the lesions do not start improving within a week or if they are getting worse, have her examined by the veterinarian. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Dudley's lesion looks most suspicious for a hot spot (acute moist dermatitis). You can try carefully clipping the longer hair around the lesion and cleaning it daily with a diluted antiseptic solution (such as chlorhexidine or betadine). Be sure to rinse and dry the area thoroughly! If Dudley seems to be scratching or rubbing at this lesion, keep an e-collar (cone) on him to prevent further skin irritation. If the lesion grows, or is not improving in the next week, Dudley should go to his vet. I hope this helps and that all goes well!