Hot Spot Experience

[AstasMinion]

Ewan has been nursing (read: licking, sometimes biting) a hot spot in his groin area the last few days, and we've watched/treated it — it's significantly better today, but now there's a distinct red ring around the area. That's new. We can see that some new hair growth is trying to sprout there, and it's not unusual for this to happen as winter comes. He came to us with a bald belly, and he always licks at any new growth. But this is the first time a hot spot developed.

 

My question: If your pup has developed any hot spots, have you seen a ring show up around it? There's no bull's eye in the middle, and we checked for ticks (which shouldn't be a problem since he gets monthly flea & tick treatment). Supposing he could have had a tick earlier and it's just not there now, or maybe another bite.

 

Because the spot looks so much better, it feels like watching it another couple of days is OK, but I wanted input.

 

Here's a link to a pic of the area.

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/z0hkqz6jceqf5sr/hotspot.jpg?dl=0

[buddibear]

wow that sure looks like ring worm to me. I had one on my arm for a month or more

[AstasMinion]

Oh my, thank you for the reply — that option didn't even occur to me. Now a ringworm search brings up similar images. Will call the vet now to get it checked out.

[tbhounds]

That’s a normal lesion post “hotspot”. It’s a plaque area. You may need to use a topical medication (usually something like animax).

[ambpersand]

That does look a lot like ringworm to me, and I've been the unfortunate recipient of several outbreaks (both myself and my dogs) over the last few years. We always treated ringworm and hotspots with Vetericyn spray (http://vetericyn.com/products/vetericyn-dog-care/) and it works wonders.

[XTRAWLD]

Im not familiar with ringworm but am with hot spots. It has happened to Kasey on areas of fur however, never "exposed" skin before as in your photo, and once in his ears. For his hot spots,the whole area remains red and gets scabby and then the fur falls out after a couple days, sort of like an injury would, except they just came up out of no where and were very itchy and irritating. Have you tried a hydrocortisone cream at all? I dont recall there being a ring around his, just solid red, so maybe it is ringworm on your boy? Edited to add, after trying treatment, it turned out to be allergies for Kasey (the vet even thought it was scabies). Let us know what your vet says. Good luck!

Edited December 20, 2017 by XTRAWLD

[AstasMinion]

Forgot to come back and update. The vet felt strongly that it's not ringworm (and got a second opinion w/in the practice), so we didn't do a culture. The thinking is that it is a hot spot, and we're treating it as an infection w/antibiotics by mouth and a version of the Vetericyn spray mentioned above. Now the spot is fully filled in within the former red ring and looks like a red, raised patch. We have a cone, but Ewan has been good about leaving it alone when told to. The treatments clearly make it less itchy or painful for him. He'll get rechecked the day after Christmas, and we hope there's more improvement by then. It has shrunk a little, which seems positive!

[tbhounds]

Surprised your vet didn’t prescribe a a topical cream containing a corticosteroid. Vetericyn is a wonderful product but lacks a steroid.