hotspot Cure

[Sportingdogs]

Ok, after three years of fighting hot spots(which typically don't start until August, until this year), Allergy tests, Allergy medicines, a fish and rice diet for the past year(beautiful coat tho), I went out and bought the Gold Bond.

I've lost the battle trying to prevent hotspot, so I'm going into cure mode. Duncan has never had hot spots this early in the season and when I saw them break out last week I couldn't believe it. We were ahead on the medicine and food and we still got them.

Used the Gold Bond a couple days ago and it has worked wonders. Thanks. Duncan says thanks and wishes I wasn't so stubborn.

[Jasmine Skyes Mom]

So glad to hear Duncan is doing better! Those hot spots can be a pain in the you know what for all of us can't they? Are you in a particularly humid area that may be causing the hot spots to start early this year?

Gotta love that Jo Ellen! That's for sure! Daisy is one lucky pupper with a mommy liker her!

I had to resort to the Gold Bond myself this evening. Jasmi9ne got into a bag of corn chips yesterday evening. I know, bad mommy for leaving them out. Today she was chewing and licking at her paws like there was no tomorrow. A dose of benadryl and some medicated gold bond to the paws and this evening she seems pretty much back to normal.

[Sportingdogs]

Although the summers are pretty humid here, we have had relatively nice weather. The allergy test results had a lot of items unpronouncable to me, but in mainly late season pollens. This time of year we do alot of waterwork normally and have never had any problems. About the time I see him licking and chewing at his paws, I know hot spots are soon to follow. Traditionally that hasn't been until late august.

[KATERINA & TSOUFI]

What is gold bond??? we have a lot of hot spots...Every year, every summer...very disturbing...tsoufi is about to have one...AGAIN...

Furry Hugs from Greece

Katerina & Tsoufi & Keagan

[Jasmine Skyes Mom]

What is gold bond??? we have a lot of hot spots...Every year, every summer...very disturbing...tsoufi is about to have one...AGAIN...

Furry Hugs from Greece

Katerina & Tsoufi & Keagan

Gold Bond Medicated Powder = Miracle cure for hot spots

[JsMom]

Not sure if you can get it in Greece but it's worth a try - here's a pic of what it looks like:
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000052XVC.01.MZZZZZZZ.jpg

[KATERINA & TSOUFI]

No, unfortunatelly i cant...i will try to see if i can order it...can you tell me which company produces Gold Bond???

Thanks a 1,000,000...

Furry Hugs from Greece

Katerina & Tsoufi & Keagan

[JsMom]

Found this:
Postal address:
Gold Bond
Chattem, Inc.
1715 W. 38th Street
Chattanooga, TN 37409

[KATERINA & TSOUFI]

Thanks guys...i will try to find it as soon as possible...Hot spots are a pain in the......!!!!

Furry Hugs from Greece

Katerina & Tsoufi & Keagan

[Jo Ellen]

Sportingdogs ....that is music to my ears, it is :) One less golden and golden owner suffering needlessly :029

I don't know what I would do without the gold bond .... I sure would not be enjoying summer as much as I am, that's for sure!! :485 jump2

[Sandy's mom]

katerina & tsoufi: go to www.drugstore.com and type in gold bond. They ship internationally. Not sure if they ship to greece, but I hope this helps.

Amy

[Blaze]

I had to resort to the Gold Bond myself this evening. Jasmi9ne got into a bag of corn chips yesterday evening. I know, bad mommy for leaving them out. Today she was chewing and licking at her paws like there was no tomorrow.

My first post!! :029

Can dogs get hotspots from corn chips? My 8 year old golden (Blaze) has never had hotspots before and about 1 week ago I noticed some red sores under her chin and now on the side of her face. She scratches often, but now my wife and I have been using Gold Bond to ease her itching. I don't think we are applying enough after reading all of the posts out here, because we are afraid that she will rub her face and some will get into her eyes. We are going to try and apply a more liberal amount tonight.

We have been using Gold Bond for about 2 days now, and we really haven't seen the results, which is getting frustrating. She has a vet appointment on Tuesday, but I am worried that this will get worse by then. We have clipped hair and bathed Blaze with oatmeal shampoo. We have applied something called "Itch Stop Wipes". She sometimes scratches extremely hard on her face, and makes it worse. It is oozing, but it isn't as red as it was before.

It's extremely sad. She is a very peppy and fun loving dog. Loves to play ball and is very cuddly. Now she is very depressed and looks so sad, it breaks our hearts. She isn't eating, and is drinking just occasionally. Someone please reassure me that this will go away soon.

PS... Forgot to mention that we live in Florida and it is HOT year round.

[Jo Ellen]

First of all, are you sure you're dealing with a hot spot? It has not been my experience that hot spots affect appetite or the mood. Also, if it is hot spots, you don't want to get the areas wet at all, not by bathing, not by using wipes of any sort. Wetting a hot spot will only exacerbate it.

It won't hurt to continue using the gold bond but if you're using it around her face, I would apply it first to something else like a cotton ball and then use the cotton ball on the affected areas.

If you're not seeing an improvement within 24 hours, it really is time to go to the next level. I'm glad you have a vet appt on Tuesday.

Come back and tell us how it goes.

I don't think corn chips can cause hot spots but they can cause itching if the dog is allergic to corn .... I think that's what JSM was referring to with the paw licking and chewing. Sometimes I use gold bond on my golden's paws, but if I do, I do it just before bedtime so she's sleeping instead of licking it off.

[WendyGirlfriend]

Yes, make sure the area stays absolutely dry. In the past, I've occasionally given benadryl for really bad itchiness.

[Blaze]

Well, I had to take Blaze into the emergency vet since my vet was closed on the holiday. I couldn't wait until Tuesday. Turns out she had a severe case of hot spots that wrapped around her head. She had to be completely shaven around her face and head. She has a cone on now, which she cannot stand. Will she be able to eat and drink with this thing on? She keeps trying to pull it off.

Poor dog had to be sedated too and still was trying to bite the nurses. I have never seen her that angry in my life. She is still a bit dopey right now, and when this wears off, I am anxious to see how she will react. She has steriods now and some other type of spray to put on.

I asked if we caught this early could we have stopped it. All we saw was what was on the surface. After they shaved her, you could see all of the hot spot. It was like those pictures on other website of the severe cases.

She has never had any types of skin allergies before. Why this happened now, I guess I will never know. Everyone please send some quick healing vibes Blaze's way. :(

[Jo Ellen]

Ughhh...how traumatic for Blaze and you. Thankfully you're both on the mend now.

Gold Bond works best when used in the early stages of a hot spot. When they're out of control, you're best to go the traditional route. I'm glad you didn't wait until tomorrow. No wonder Blaze was depressed and not acting right.

{{{Hugs to you and Blaze}}}}

[WendyGirlfriend]

It is SO heartbreaking to watch them in pain... The steroids will help. I hope Blaze gets better soon. Keep us posted...

[Tailer'sFolks]

Good Luck Blaze! Glad your folks took you in early...what a Holiday for all of you! The healing begins...

[Blaze]

Thanks everyone. Day 1 is in the books. It was a stressful night to say the least. She cannot stand the cone and we had to stay in her vision all night, or she would get scared. She did well after about 6-8 hours and even went outside and roamed around (while we watched her of course). She even watched Florida State football game with me. :woofpup

Today was much better and she is not trying to get the cone off so much. She does look extremely sad. Her face is getting much better though. We have to wash it two times a day with warm soapy water and dry her off. Then she has some anti-itch spray we have to put on. Also, she gets three different kinds of pills twice a day. This is exhausting for my wife and I, but hopefully it will be better soon.

I take her back to the vet on Thursday and they will evaluate her again. Hopefully the cone gets to come off. I then hope she doesn't start back with the constant scratching. More to come I am sure...

[Jo Ellen]

I can imagine the cone affects their peripheral vision ... that can't be pleasant for a dog, poor Blaze :o

If she's scratching herself alot, make sure her nails are filed smooth. I use an acryllic nail file, heavy duty, the soft side. Just so they're all perfectly smooth .. that way they're less likely to break open the skin with their nails. I've often wondered if this could be one of the causes of hot spots.

:003

[Blaze]

Took Blaze back to the vet yesterday and they said that she is healing extremely well. They were surprised that it has gotten this much better since it was extremely bad. She has to continue to take Cephalexin for at least 2 consecutive weeks and the steriods until the bottle runs out.

Saturday we will take the cone off of her and see what happens. If she scratches, then it has to go back on. She can have the cone off, but only if we monitor her at all times. If she digs in again, then we will be right back to square one if we don't stop her. Hopefully, she will not want to, but I think nervousness will get the best of her. We will just have to distract her will play and exercise.

More updates to come Saturday.

[Jo Ellen]

On the upswing, so good to know! Is her appetite improving? And her mood too? Thanks for the update, I always keep my eye on this thread, hoping for one :) I'll look again tomorrow.

:003

[Blaze]

Looks like we are finally back to normal. All of her spots have healed up very well or gone away all together. We still have to finish all of her medication, but the cone is off now. She was actually starting to like it. We would take it off for a few hours and when we would get ready to put it back on, she would actually walk into the opening. She is such a good girl.

She is already starting to grow fur back over where they had to shave her. Tonight will be the first night of sleeping without the cone on.

To answer your questions, yes her appetite is definitely back. The medication makes her eat and drink more. We have to exercise her a bit more to make sure she doesn't get over weight.

My advice to all.... If you do not catch this early, it will turn into a nightmare. Make sure to brush, bathe and dry your golden thoroughly. Not sure if she got into something, stung or what, but my wife and I will pay much closer attention to Blaze from now on. I will put some pictures up (healthy ones), once I figure out how. :)

[Jo Ellen]

What a relief! So good to hear Blaze is herself again. :)

I keep an eye on Daisy's skin everyday. I know the tell-tale signs and as soon as I see something that even resembles a budding hot spot, I get out the gold bond. It's been several years since we've had any issues.

Hot spots can be a mystery as far as what causes them -- that doesn't help the dread factor much, does it!

:003

[Blaze]

Every time she scratches, I am checking her out :o . This whole situation has made me paranoid. I keep telling myself, she is a dog and she will scratch, leave her alone. I cannot tell who it was more tramatic for, Blaze or my wife and I.

Thanks to everyone's well wishes. It was nice to come to a forum to type out our frustrations. It did help us a bit. I will continue to visit the boards often, not just on bad times.

[Jo Ellen]

Again, make sure her toenails are filed smooth to minimize breaking the skin when she does scratch. Get one of those heavy duty acryllic nail files and use the smooth side.

Your paranoia will serve you well :D , you'll be hypervigilant and ready to pounce at the first sign of trouble. Eventually your paranoia will subside, and you'll just be confident. I still am acutely aware of how I felt before I knew how to manage hot spots and how I feel now, knowing I can prevent them.

Would love to see a picture of Blaze !!! :003

[vjrnj]

I'm so happy. This is the first summer in 14 years - no hot spots. We had our first golden for 12 years - hot spots every summer. We have our 2nd for 2 years now. The first year, she had hot spots and lots of itching. I noticed that she had scratched her wiskers off. And I had given them both the same dog food. So I switched to Life's Abundance and NO SPOTS! This was also the hottest summer in our area this year. Her wiskers have grown back. She's still a scratcher but not like she was. This dog food is all natural and no corn or wheat which apparently is what my dogs were allergic to. I get mine at www.ilovemydoggie.com

[Docster512]

Do I use Gold Bond Medicated Powder or the Cream? Will they lick it off, and if they do is that toxic to them?

[Jo Ellen]

Are you using it for a hot spot? Use the powder, extra strength, comes in a green container. Your dog may lick it off ... where are you putting it?

There's some debate over the toxicity issue .... perhaps if they ingest enough of it but it would take a fair amount, in my opinion. It doesn't really taste good so it's possible your dog won't lick at it at all.

I use the powder quite a bit ... sometimes on her paws if she's licking them alot. If I use it on an area I know she's prone to licking, I do it just before bedtime -- that way she's sleeping instead of licking.

[Docster512]

ahh..gotcha. does the gold bond actually heal it, and make it go away?

what causes hot spots, the allergies?

[Jo Ellen]

The gold bond dries the wound which is the first step in healing. It's medicated and also relieves itching. But you have to use it often, sometimes as often as every hour. The reason I say that is because I used some on myself last summer when I scraped my arm with blackberry thorns. The gold bond was very soothing but wore off quickly, I needed to reapply every hour.

With hot spots, you need to keep the wound dry so it scabs. And then you don't want to disturb the scab -- that's why you need to find a way to prevent your dog from scratching. Use the gold bond until the scab is gone and the skin is pink and dry.

What causes them? Good question! Allergies possibly ... but I think primarily they are from bacteria getting inside an open wound. Allergies cause a dog to scratch and if your dog breaks their skin from scratching, that's a perfect starting point for a hot spot. In my experience and from what I've read, they're more common in the warm humid months of summer. Fleas can also can hotspots, but again this could be from the scratching.

I use the gold bond anytime I see my dog scratching or chewing repeatedly at a certain area, or if I notice an area of skin on her that looks irritated. I'm very proactive with flea prevention. The last time she got a hot spot which was years ago, it started on her neck. Since then I've kept her collar off as much as possible -- the only time she wears one is when she needs to be on a leash.

I've also become hypervigilant as far as keeping an eye on her skin. I pet her alot, all over, just so I'm aware of what's there under all that fur. I know every lump, bump, scrape, matt, on this dog ... nothing gets by me anymore.

I also make sure her nails are smooth. I use an acryllic nail file, the soft side, just to make sure there's no rough edges that might break the skin when she does scratch.

Something I'm doing is working ... she hasn't had a hot spot in over 3 years. She is a scratchy dog and I've not been able to pinpoint exactly what the cause is, I don't think it's her food because she's been on a number of different kinds, including raw.

:003

[Docster512]

Thanks for the great info!!

Well, Doc has had this "hot spot" for almost a year now. It's always in the dry pink stage. Will the pink crusty stage ever go back to regular hair again? Is that what Gold Bond will help do?
Or does the skin just never grow hair again? I know that's a silly question.

[lammer29]

I posted today under Itching, but somehow it isn't in the health forum (it is under Open Forum but the title was "....itching like crazy", so I'll try under a Health Forum). I'll try to recap my post. I was reading the Lifestyle section of the paper today and on Saturdays they have a Q and A section by Joe and Teresa Graedon titled "People's Herbal Pharmacy". One of the questions today involved a woman who had read about scalp problems and tried Listerine on her scalp and letting it dry ( after she had been using steroid lotion for 10 years with no success) and the Listerine worked! She goes on to state that her dog (no breed listed) had been suffering with staph infections for years and had been on steroids for his skin problems. So she tried the Listerine routine on him and it gave him immediate relief, and she even went on to say that it healed 2 open wounds on his hind legs from biting and scratching! The Answer given was to always check with a vet first, but that in the past they 'discovered' the Listerine for humans after they received info from a man who had used it on his dog's hot spots, that's how they started to try on humans, too. Since I have seen so many posts about itching, allergies, etc. I was wondering if anyone has tried Listerine and what the results and/or opinions of those in this forum may have.Thanks

[Jo Ellen]

I saw your post Lammer and I responded on the other forum. I've heard of using listerine for scratching. I'm going to try some on Daisy's paws.

Docster, what you're describing doesn't sound like a hot spot.

[lammer29]

Thanks, Jo Ellen! Let us know what results you see! Good luck and thanks again!

[goldenlvr]

Has anyone tried the Gold Bond cream? That is what I used on Jakes hot spot and it seemed to clear it up with just 2 applications.

[bella123]

Thanks so much for the information on the Gold Bond Powder Charlie head looks great, It cleared up so fast! Love this site!

[Seamus' Mom]

I know the tell-tale signs and as soon as I see something that even resembles a budding hot spot, I get out the gold bond. It's been several years since we've had any issues.

I know Jo Ellen is the resident Hot Spot expert and I was hoping to tap into her knowledge and anyone else's.

I've never had a golden who got a hot spot, so I'm not sure if that's what I'm dealing with here. Just today, I noticed that Seamus has been chewing/licking at a spot on his upper thigh/hip. He's never had allergy or major skin issues before, but he has been wet a lot lately due to the Nor'Easter and his love of hanging out in the rain. The spot is a little bit pink and very slightly crusty, but not hot to the touch nor stinky. He also seems to be feeling a little "itchy" in general...biting at his back and tail, but no irritations there that I can see. Does this sound like a Hot Spot in the making? Or, it could just be an old dog park rough-housing injury that's itching as it heals. If it is the start of a Hot Spot, do you just dust it with Gold Bond?

Thanks for your help/advice.

[Jo Ellen]

How did I get this reputation?? rofl3 rofl3 rofl3

Okay, it doesn't sound to me like a full-blown hot spot. A full blown hot spot will feel like thick gooey tree sap in the fur and then if you look closer you will see it's pus and there's a weeping open wound underneath. It's a horrible sight.

Sounds like Seamus has a skin irritation but hot spots can certainly start out this way. I would use the Gold Bond as a precaution. Use it generously, a bit more than a "dusting." It will help relieve the itching and will prevent a hot spot from forming. Do try to keep him from licking the area, especially if you've applied the powder.

Let us know !! :003

[Seamus' Mom]

Thanks, Jo Ellen. I knew I could count on you.

On my way to go "dust" my dog. ;)

[Tailer'sFolks]

She's Good isn't She!

Hay, did you get snow Momma Seamus? :)

[Seamus' Mom]

No, we only got rain...but like 8 inches of it. Fortunately, my house is fine and the basement's dry. My town got hit pretty hard, though, when a creek overflowed flooding the downtown area. I couldn't get to work on Monday, but by Tuesday the roads were back open.

Did you get snow or just the rain and wind?

[Jo Ellen]

How is Seamus's spot today?

[Seamus' Mom]

It's almost completely gone! I had a really hard time even locating it. It's not looking irritated at all. He's leaving it alone completely and seems to be overall a lot less "itchy" than he was yesterday. Thanks for asking.

How is Daisy's recovery progressing now that she's got the "green light"? Seamus was playing and frolicking last weekend at the dog park with the yellow lab who had the ACL surgery (still doing fantastically, by the way). Whenever we see them I think of Daisy. :)

[Jo Ellen]

Gold Bond is amazing stuff, isn't it? Ovenight, that's always been my experience when I've used it. LOVE it !! :029

Daisy is doing really good. I'm so much more relaxed, about everything. I let her outside now without a leash. I let her jump up on things, the stairs are no problem anymore (ha ha they never were for her but they sure were for me!!). The only thing that reminds me of her surgery is that her hair still hasn't grown back. It's trying but still so far to go. I'm glad it's so far behind us now though. If I ever have to go through it again, I'll be alot better at it. Daisy was a great patient ... her mom was a little trying though :p

[KING]

Well, King hasn't had any hot spots for almost 1 year. I went to a new vet and he recommended that I give King 200mg of Benedryl per day. And it worked UNTIL, I slacked off a few days. I didn't think he was itchy. Poor Baby, has a HUGE one now. He has to go to the vet today. He needs antibotic and probably a cortizone shot (which we hate and are very expensive). We leave on vacation to Kings favorite place, Mammoth Lakes, Ca. He probably wont be able to swim, right? Can't get it wet???

[fridaylove]

Miller has had two hotspots since End of May.

He's been to the vet and got the clean shave, the steroids, the antibiotics and the spray. Oh...and a lovely E-collar as well.

Ok...so we went with that, he got better and then...started in on the other side....so me being smart, I cut some of his hair, used the gold bond and put the e-collar on as preventative.
Ok..that worked for a little bit, but no relief in sight.

Well.. we got Hydroxine, fish oil pills...so he's had those, a bath...and wala, much better from Friday untill this morning.

He was out back,sans cone and without my undivided supervision (trying regular routine).
I checked on him through the window and "gnaw gnaw" on the original spot. He had been biting at his paws and knees, but I put that up to doggie stuff.

I think I was about to cry!

I am going to now get some new food (eukaneuba sensative skin), gold bond him, cone him up, and pray.

If anyone has any suggestions let me know.
I am desparate.

[Sammy in Tulsa]

I have been reading all of these posts, and they are very helpful.

Ricky is 8 years old, and just got his first hot spot. We didn't have a clue as to what it was, and took him to the Vet yesterday. After Prednisone, antibiotics, a shot, and spray, he ought to be much better. It is good to read about the Medicated Gold Bond, and also about the acryllic nail file. Thank you for those posts. Is it Jo Ellen and Soda?

Ricky must do as the Vet has said at this point, but in the future, I am glad to know about the others. His hot spot is much larger than a dinner plate, and appeared yesterday. On Tuesday night there was no sign of a hot spot. We had begun giving the dogs pumpkin, and I wonder if he could be allergic to that. The Vet said she didn't know and that most people would rather just treat the spot than to undergo allergy testing.

We live in Tulsa where the temps are 100 and the heat index is 110. But the dogs stay inside. Our younger one goes out a little bit, but Ricky only goes out when he needs to. He is such a sweet dog, I just hate to see him uncomfortable.

Once this clears up, I will keep the powder on hand. Thanks.

[Brandy and Charlie's Mom]

Brandy is just getting over a 4" hot spot near her tail. It was her first. (I'm bruised all over my legs from getting butted with that darned cone!)

I didn't catch it in time to use the Gold Bond because I was in the hospital. But now I've moved the powder next to their other supplements and meds so that it doesn't get forgotten the next time she gets itchy.

BTW: hers was because a kennel fed her the wrong food. She started itching like crazy the next day. It's taken nearly 4 weeks for that to subside.

[Cascherman]

Thanks to everyone for all the good advice. Between the Florida summer heat and humidity, at 2 years and 4 months, Natasha has developed her first hot spot.

Yesterday afternoon we noticed that she kept biting at a spot on her hip and when we inspected the skin we saw that some of the hair was gone and that the skin felt hard and leathery. Jeff immediately diagnosed it as a beginning 'hot spot' so we dried her thoroughly.

Last night I researched the problem on this website and at 9 p.m. I went out in search of Gold Bond. Treating the area appeared to bring Natasha immediate relief. And this morning, anytime I noticed her scratching I dusted those areas as well. It's late afternoon and she is resting peacefully and appears comfortably.



Thank you, thank you, thank you. :woofpup

[KING]

we give King 200mg per day. He weighs between 105-110. He is a big golden.
It REALLY works for him though. The doctor prescribed it because his hot spots were really bad also.
We ran out of his prescription for 1 week and sure enough, he got the biggest hot spot, poor baby. The doctor said each time they get one, it will be bigger.
Benedryl works great for us and our friend uses it to for his goldens. Save alot of $$$ in vet bills and pain for the dog.