Help! Major hot spot problem!

[Romy]

Ok, so the staghound we are fostering to adopt came from the pound with two hot spots. Normally, he doesn't lick them. Apparently he is licking them while we are not around (like when we are sleeping at night) because they will scab over, then the next day they will be all open, raw, gross, and bigger.

We got an elizabethan collar for him, but there is a huge problem. His head is smaller than his neck......

So, long story short there is no way we can keep that collar on him, (it's in tiny bits all over his crate now anyway). Does anybody know of something to put on a hot spot so that he won't lick it any more? Short of taping his mouth shut at night? (jk)

[Melissa_W]

Well, Kai got a hot spot once (we think it was from a flea bite) and we used baby power and this product called "Wonder Dust" to clear it up. You can get it at Petsmart in the equine department. He didn't seem to have a desire to lick it when we put the baby powder on, and the Wonder Dust dried it up.

But you do want to try to figure out what the underlying problem is so that it doesn't happen again!

[Sush]

I'd try to get a deterring spray like Bitter Apple that will make chewing a non-yummy experience. However some dogs will chew right through it if it itches bad enough. I'd maybe pair a cortisone based lotion with a deterring spray and see if that will keep him away while soothing the itchiness.

While you are doing that I'd definately try to find the root of the problem. Alot of times hot spots are a result of allergic reaction to flea bites (however they can be a sign of other allergies as well) i'd definately get him on somekind of flea protection (if you havn't already) and maybe bathe him with a hypo-allergenic mediacted shampoo.

[Jynx]

I use Vet's Best Hot Spot spray,,works great, I think you can get it at petco/petsmart i usually get it from KV Vet. Quite inexpensive.

Are you sure they are hot spots and not a fungus or something?
diane