Hotspot advice needed

[tynkerbelluk]

Has anybody managed to deal with what I think is a small hotspot under the ears without resorting to a veterinary visit.
Archie was scratching (but not that much) under his ear and later on I was tickling him and felt a lump. It was a dried scab on a raised area the size of a penny. After bathing it with a weak salt solution it looked to me to be a hotspot. I cut the hair around it away a little but not enough and put a small dab of 'Sudocreme' on it. I don't normally advocate using any kind of cream as this usually helps breed infection, but I used to know a retriever who suffered badly with these blasted things and his owner found it soothing and healing.
Not ever having had to deal with this myself before and knowing how quickly they can spread I wondered if it is possible to clear it up (as it is small and dry but still raised - hardly troubling him) rather than rushing to the vet.
My last dog had so much veterinary treatment that I am keen to limit the antibiotics and unnecessary treatment unless it is really warranted.
Just wondered if anyone has managed to heal up a small patch by themselves.

Thanks in advance

[Bid]

If it were me I would probably do the same as you and see if it cleared up - it's an awkward spot isn't it, for drying out because no air can circulate there. I wonder what caused it in the first place

[Adam Lindley]

Curerash (sp?) Nappy rash talc works well. Slightly medicated and dries them out. Were told about it by a groomer after spending a small fortune at the vets for minimal benefit...

[tynkerbelluk]

Thank you both for your support. I am going to give it more time to heal (providing it stays dry). The sudocreme I have been using is zinc based healing/nappy rash cream but I like the sound of the powder better. I never thought to see if you could buy a zinc based powder 'Curarash' does not appear to be available to buy in England (except possibly online) and as I want it now I searched for an equivalent over here. I came up with 'Cuticura', a medicated talc which contains zinc and ( alantoin ) to help soothe and have started applying this.
The funny thing is I suffer with nodular pririgo (a form of excema that looks like round bites or chicken pox) on my left side, and I thought "well why not try it myself, I've tried just about everything else" After just one application it actually looks slightly better I won't hold my breath but 'two birds with one stone springs to mind' Thanks Adam
I will let you know how I get on.

[Adam Lindley]

Curash is the brand here, anti-rash baby powder with zinc oxide as the active ingredient. Glad you've found something that possibly does the same thing, and if it helps with your eczema, great news

[Liz!]

peace and kindness spray also works for this... this is from the Chris Christensen site and there is a testimonial somewhere eon this list for peace and kindness spray. I have some and it has cured lola's ear which keeps getting pink.

http://www.chrissystems.com/toppage11.htm

[tynkerbelluk]

Hi Liz, I really like the sound of the Peace and Kindness spray. I came across the mention of colloidal silver recently and decided I wanted to do some more research on it. I checked out your hyperlink thank you and was impressed by the reviews on it.

I have only just logged on and saw your reply to Becky's post on killing threads dead. I immediately remembered I needed to update my thread on hotspots

Well unfortunately after a good try with the salt water and zinc powder (which dried it out brilliantly) I had to give in and take Archie for a vet visit yesterday. He had been out nose-diving into the muddy puddles in the wood after all the recent rain. After bringing him home and showering him off then trying to re sterilise the area I noticed small dots of redness under the surrounding skin which I thought might be the start of infection.

My vet has given him some iodine based scrub and prescribed some 'Fuciderm' cream (steroid I think), in the hope of clearing it up before it takes hold too much. Luckily he is going to hold off on the antibiotics for a few days unless it worsens. I will be keeping a close eye on it.

Before I close can you tell me do you get your Peace and Kindness spray direct from the Chris Christensen web site I have seen it on e-bay around the same price. I have never ordered from abroad before and just wondered if you end up paying extortionate postage.

[smilerz]

Be careful with the Fuciderm meds apply very thinly as it can thin the skin and burn it..the little spots may be little pus spots and this is pushing all the rubbish/toxins out of the skin cells. They should then crust over , dry up and disappear..

I am guessing the wash you have is the same as our Maliseb over here and is brilliant stuff, great for everything skin related.

Good luck and I hope things improve for you.

[Mica1971]

Sharon - you can get colloidal silver spray from here too. I use it on Marley's hot spots and they clear within days, if he has a particular bad outbreak we use maliseb shampoo, sponging his tummy daily and washing him all over once a week.

http://www.aromesse.com/skin-problem/Co ... Spray.html

I can recommend their dermacton products too.

[tynkerbelluk]

Thanks for the warning smilerz, I did know about the skin thinning as I suffer from excema myself and have used different steroid creams in the past (all useless ) Yes the maliseb appears to have the same active ingredient in it as hibiscrub. I am looking forward to using all of Archie's new products on myself once I get them.

Mica1971, thanks for that website I will get the product from them. (The dermacton cream looks good too)