[marshies]

Puppy has her first hot spot!!!

The only thing that's changed is that I took Puppy fishing yesterday. She frolicked about in Lake Ontario (which has bacteria), chased geese, and laid in her crate while moist (which contributes to hot spots). I think it could also be mosquito bite or fleas? Do mosquitos bite dogs? Has anyone experienced a hotspot with their dog right after enjoying the great outdoors?

Based on past threads, I've treated it with rubbing alcohol to make sure I kill anything nasty, and sprayed area with Veterycn. Hoping that it goes away. If it doesn't go away within the week, I'll take her to the vet.

I have been INCREDIBLY lucky with my dog up till this point. She's 2 now, and the extent of health issues I've had to deal with is diarrhea from when she was a wee pup and into eating exotic poops. I hope this is a one time thing, and she'll be back to her good ol' healthy self shortly.

Do you guys think our activities contributed to the hotspots, or should I be thinking of more possible underlying causes?

Do you think my course of action is sufficient?

Thanks!

 

[3GSD92_00_12]

Yes, our previous GSD, Jenna, got hotspots during the summer for about 2 years. I think she got them from being out in the sun for too long, but I'm not really sure. It was along time ago. I hope someone else can give you more help. Just make sure she is not chewing on the spot or yanking at her fur in the area it is located, otherwise you may find her having a bald spot where the hotspot is (Jenna did this, sadly I was at camp and my dad was on a work trip, so my mom had to deal with it, thanm goodness for our dearly departed neighbor, who was home at the time to help them both).

 

[JakodaCD OA]

if you can, cut the fur away fromthe area of the hotspot so air can get to it freely..vetericyn works great

 

[marshies]

I felt another itchy bump on her leg. Are these mosquito bites? I don't see signs of flea poop on her anywhere...

 

[Nigel]

Could be mosquitos. We don't get a lot of mosquitos here, but occasionally when we get a wet spring/early summer we can get swarms of them and they do bite dogs. My dogs have gotten "lumpy" around the muzzle, legs, and top of their heads, but no lasting issues.

 

[kr16]

The few times my girl got hot spots was from she was on bad food. That was many years ago.

 

[marshies]

Could be mosquitos. We don't get a lot of mosquitos here, but occasionally when we get a wet spring/early summer we can get swarms of them and they do bite dogs. My dogs have gotten "lumpy" around the muzzle, legs, and top of their heads, but no lasting issues.

Thanks for the response! I didn't even know if it was possible for mosquitos to bite dogs.

The few times my girl got hot spots was from she was on bad food. That was many years ago.

Pup is on Orijen and has always done well on it. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Nigel]

Just something I remembered visiting my uncle near Lake Superior. They had bugs called chiggers and they like lakes and grassy areas. I vaguely remember it looking more like a pimply rash though. We put fingernail polish on them and it worked. This was the early eighties though, I'm sure there are much better solutions. The mosquito bites look about the same as they do on us, just a bump, maybe a bit red if they scratch.

 

[NancyJ]

Thanks for the response! I didn't even know if it was possible for mosquitos to bite dogs.

That is how heartworms are transmitted.

I have never had a dog have issues with mosquitoes, chiggers, poison oak or ivy though I know we have been all those places.

Some water is downright contaminated though and I have had a dog get a nasty staph infection on his skin from contaminated water.

 

[kr16]

Thanks for the response! I didn't even know if it was possible for mosquitos to bite dogs.



Pup is on Orijen and has always done well on it. Thanks for the suggestion.

Was worth a try. Maybe its the abnormal heat you are getting up your way this year. Have it checked to see if its yeast or an allergy. Could still be the food. I use that as well for my pup. My older boy got some on Acana turned out they were yeast infections. The grass down this way is nasty also for rashes.

 

[Nigel]

That is how heartworms are transmitted.

I have never had a dog have issues with mosquitoes, chiggers, poison oak or ivy though I know we have been all those places.

Some water is downright contaminated though and I have had a dog get a nasty staph infection on his skin from contaminated water.

Didn't think of that. We haven't had to deal with that here, both my old vet and our new vet say it is not necessary here. I had recently read that 3 dogs tested positive here, but they were relocated from somewhere else.