What's safe to clean a dog's bleeding hot spot before the vet?

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!

A definite NO on the hydrogen peroxide! 1. It is best to shave the hair around the affected area if at all possible. If you don't have clippers you can use scissors to shorten the hair - just be careful you don't cut him. If you can't shave or trim the hair don't stress too much about it. 2. You can clean and treat all in one step with these medicated pads. Twice a day. ( https://www.chewy.com/pet-md-chlorhexidine-antiseptic-dog/dp/146635 ) 3. If he is really itching you can also apply this topical hydrocortisone spray after the wound is dry from the using the pads. Once a day should be enough. ( https://www.chewy.com/zymox-enzymatic-topical-spray/dp/125742 ) If no improvement after about 5-7 days then you should have your vet check him out. Sometimes oral antibiotics are needed to clear these up if they are bad enough. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

It should still be ok to apply the ointment. If possible you may want to trim her nails on the foot that can reach the hotspot and/or put a sock on it to try to limit the trauma she can do. If you feel it is worse please let her vet know. In some cases oral medication may be needed in addition to topical treatments. I hope Georgia heals quickly. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

It looks like a hot spot which is similar to human ezcema. Usually it is treated with cleaning, steroids and antibiotics. If you can't get to a vet most importantly stop him licking it, make a collar. Keep it clean with chlorhexidine or iodine then pat dry. If you have a cream such as hydrocortisone you can apply it daily. If it is not improving or spreading, which may occur, you will have to head to the vet

I like to trim the hair around the hot spot to open up the skin to the air. Then wash it with antibacterial soap to remove the discharge. After drying it then apply thin film of antibacterial ointment on it. You can also apply some cortisone cream on it to reduce the itch. It's best to use a restraint collar to prevent licking and scratching so it will heal. Make sure there are no fleas or ear infection as these can cause itching resulting in hot spots. If they are severe and you are unable to get them to heal then I would bring Princess to your veterinarian for treatment. They may give an injection to prevent scratching and an oral antibiotic to heal the skin infection. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Princess.

Hi, thanks for using Petcpach! Poor Kane! From the picture and the description is sounds like a hot spot (superficial pyoderma). I recommend shaving the fur off, which allows the air to reach it and help to dry the area out. You can clean it twice daily with a gentle soap and water and apply a triple antibiotic cream. Kane needs to not scratch the area, so use an Elizabethan collar (cone) or donut if he is scratching. If the area worsens or is not significantly improved in 2-3 days he needs to see a Vet for antibiotics and steroids. The cause isn't contagious, I think it is just bad luck that both of your dogs have had hot spots recently. They can be from allergies or increased moisture after swimming or after a bath and they didn't completely dry off well. I hope this helps and I wish Kane a speedy recovery!

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!