Dog's tail caught in car door. Is her hot spot stress-related?

It's difficult to tell how bad this is, because there is a lot of hair in the way. If it's really deep or wide, then it's best to have a vet evaluate it for possible stitches. It's best to have the wound seen sooner rather than later, because the wound can become contaminated if left for too long. It's not an emergency, but if you think it looks like a deep or wide wound, then most vet offices open around 7-8AM and usually have drop-off appointments for these sorts of things. Here's what to do in the meantime: 1) Clip the hair (if possible) around the area and expose all of the sore skin. 2) Wash/spray the area with just cool, clean water (no soap or other antiseptics) for at least 5 minutes at a time. Do this at least once a day. 3) Bandage the wound with gauze and apply an over-the-counter antibacterial cream (i.e Neosporin) to the wound. Keeping it covered and keeping Matilda from licking it will be the most difficult part of the treatment. You can help keep the bandage on by placing a good (really sticky) tape below the bandage. You can find sprays in the pet store, like bitter apple, that are meant to deter licking. This can be sprayed on the bandage (not the wound) to help keep Matilda from chewing it off. NOTE: Be careful not to bandage too tight or it can cut-off the circulation. If you notice that the end of the tail starts to swell, then remove the bandage and leave it off until the swelling goes down. I hope that helps and Matilda gets better soon.

Every dog is a little different as I am sure you know. Each will form her own personality, idiosyncratic behaviors, and preferential relationships. With this uniqueness is going to come a certain level of uncertainty in situations like you've described above. Some dogs will forget about something like you've described almost immediately while others seem to take it to the grave. The vast majority fall somewhere in between. I don't know how long it has been already, but the first thing I would do if you have not as of yet is to have the tail examined medically for any sign of continuing pain. If there is, this is going to be a continued reminder for Eva of what has happened to her. Once the pain is controlled, the reason for causing the pain becomes less fresh in their mind (at least that is what I think, some other vets may say I am anthropomorphizing dogs and cats a little more than they deserve). If you are able to determine that pain is not playing a role in the problem, the best you are going to be able to do is prevent the same thing from happening again. Once you feel Eva has healed mentally from this event and is ready, desensitizing her to doors and areas that trigger her anxiety may be in her best interest. This is something that should be done slowly and any positive outcomes should be rewards vigorously. Hope this all makes sense. Let me know if I can help in any other way.

Several things can lead to hot spots including skin allergies, parasites on that part of the body, food allergies, fungal/yeast infections, or stress leading to obsessive licking. The best course of action is to have Kiara seen by your vet so that the area can be trimmed and cleaned, and a course of antibiotics, anti-fungals or other medications provided to help the spot heal. Your vet can also look for parasites, take a sample to look for fungal or bacterial problems, and work with you on a food trial or medication trial if allergies are suspected. Until you can get to the vet it's best to keep the area clean and dry and to place an Elizabethan (cone) collar on Kiara to keep her from licking. Allowing her to lick the area can lead to more bacteria getting into the spot, leading to a larger, more painful infection.

This looks like an area of moist dermatitis or a hot spot. She probably had an insect bite or a small injury and has licked the area and made it more inflammed and larger. You need to use a cone or a shirt to stop her from getting to the area so it can heal. I would wash this with antibacterial soap and after rinsing apply a thin film of antibacterial ointment on it. You can also put some cortisone cream on it to reduce the itching and inflammation. Usually these heal quickly if you can prevent her from irritating the area. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Pearl.

I'm suspicious that this is due to trauma given the appearance and the fact that it just showed-up. This can happen when they get their tail caught under something (like a car tire). It doesn't look like something that needs to go to the vet right away, so it's OK to treat it and monitor it at home for now. If it doesn't get better in 2 weeks, or it starts to look worse, then I'd recommend taking her to the vet for an evaluation. Here are my recommendations for treatment: 1) Ice the area for 15 minutes twice a day. 2) Wash/spray the area with just cool, clean water (no soap or other antiseptics) for at least 2 minutes at a time. Do this at least twice a day. 3) Bandage the wound with gauze and apply an over-the-counter antibacterial cream (i.e Neosporin) to the wound. Keeping it covered and keeping Oakley from licking it will be the most difficult part of the treatment. You can help keep the bandage on by placing a good (really sticky) tape above and below the bandage. You can find sprays in the pet store, like bitter apple, that are meant to deter licking. This can be sprayed on the bandage (not the wound) to help keep Oakley from chewing it off. NOTE: Be careful not to bandage too tight or it can cut-off the circulation. If you notice that the end of the tail start to swell, then remove the bandage and leave it off until the swelling goes down. I hope that helps and Oakley gets better soon.

Hi, I am sorry to hear about Marley. Based on your description and the pictures you took, it appears that Marley may have a "hot spot". This is a moist dermatitis that causes discomfort, inflammation, and a secondary infection. When you say that he "received an allergy shot", I presume this is a steroid injection. If that is the case, the steroid injection should help to reduce his discomfort within less than 24hrs after the shot. Generally, I always treat a hot spots with a prescription of oral antibiotics, rather then topical. I allow the affected area to "dry out", as this is considered a "moist dermatitis" and we want it to no longer be "moist". Steroids are key to helping him feel more comfortable. Make sure to keep the ecollar on at all times to prevent him from chewing or licking at that sore area. I would recommend to contact your vet and ask if a prescription of oral antibiotics is warranted in Marley's case. They are the ones who can get this medication for you if it will help him and is indicated in his case. Best of luck to you and Marley.

I am sorry to hear about Sandy. She may need a larger e-collar, or you can try spraying bitter-apple spray around the area (but not on the wound itself. If it is truly a hotspot, we don't usually bandage these as they usually need open air to dry out. In some cases, we may need to prescribe oral medications such as antibiotics and steroids to clear the hot spot up. You can read more about them at https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952981 . If your vet feels the area needs to be bandaged then they may show you how to apply a bandage safely that will not slip, but usually a true hot spot is not bandaged.