Our lab is having hot spots. What natural or home remedies...

Answer by TigrLady
Submitted on 4/27/2007
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I have a 8 yr old Rottie who has been prone to HOT SPOTS his entire life, every summer we have them. This year we are having a bad spot, first time it ever got to the point of pus and basically skin erupting to release the infection. I always shave him soon as he shows signs, this is must to get the hair away from sore, as well as allow air in. Do not use ointments and creams for these sores, it hold moisture in and doesn't allow the sore to dry out. The best thing I have found is Epson Salt water to wash several times a day, the salt drys it out as well as kills the 'bad bacteria' while leaving the good bacteria that naturally helps heal. Also, after that salt water I use peroxide to boil out pus and infection, finally I wash entire place down with Betadyne which kills germs, dries out infections and helps with the pain it seems. Then I make sure and softly (no rubbing) dry the entire area by patting softly. I hope this helps.

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Question by pgs
Submitted on 7/28/2003
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Our lab is having hot spots. What natural or home remedies can we use to clear these up & prevent them?

Answer by Chris
Submitted on 11/17/2003
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Our Lab started having the same problem last year. The first thing we did was switch him to Purina dog chow. He developed a sudden allergy to the dye in his food. We are also careful about not letting fleas live on him. He is also suddenly allergic to them. You also have to watch out for biscuits, people food and flavored rawhide. The hot spots are caused by excessive itching and licking. Apparently, labs are more susceptible to hot spots and allergies the older they get. If he gets too itchy though, we do take him to the vet for a $20 steroid shot. It greatly reduces his itching and prevents the even higher cost of antibiotics later on. Hope this helps

Answer by Brookie
Submitted on 12/3/2003
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Go with high quality food... NOT PURINA< PEDIGREE ALPO or any of that garbage... look on the lable if it says by products, corn, soy or any other filler ingrediant just say no...

Answer by candie
Submitted on 12/5/2003
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My Mother's dog died from this! University of Washington even studied this dog and could not find a cure. My friends dog has same problem. He sprays WD-40 on him when there are flare-ups and it seems to work for quite a while, his theory is that it is an under skin mite of some sort and the oil smothers them??? I wish my Mom had known of this, she tried EVERYTHING!!!

Answer by CelticArcher
Submitted on 12/22/2003
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Hot Spots are caused generally by chewing and licking. You can try a product called "Bag Balm" It's a medicating balm you can find at almost any drug store. It'll help heal the hot spot and dry it up. -CelticArcher

Answer by Deb
Submitted on 2/9/2004
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I agree with the person about purina dog food.I used to use it for puppies that i was raising in my kennel.I noticed grass looking substance in their stool, I took a couple of them to the vet, he thought they had eaten grass,but..The puppies had never been on the ground.I kept them in large stalls in the building.He told me then it was the puppy chow.

Answer by dawn
Submitted on 3/11/2004
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I have had this problem with one of my dogs. It seems like during spring and summer she has the most problem. What we finally found that works for her is to bathe her more often during these seasons and only with an all natural dog shampoo. We tried several different types and they seemed to make her worse. Watch the labels you'd be amazed how many say they are herbal and all natural but are not.The one we now use is called Veterinarian's Best Hypo-allergenic Shampoo. The website for it is www.vetsbest.com she has not broken out since we started using this.

Answer by LINDA
Submitted on 7/5/2004
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A. A horse lover shared the following formula she used on the mane and tail of her filly: 1/3 Listerine (original), 1/3 baby oil and 1/3 water. Put in a spray bottle, shake well and spray it on. This is quite similar to the formula recommended for dogs' itchy hot spots.

Answer by regina
Submitted on 9/4/2004
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I had the same problem with my dog and found it to be the food she was eating. Wheat is an allergen to many dogs. Wellness is the best food on the market. It also has Omega 3 oil for their coats. The hot spots were gone in one week and my 10 year old dog hasn't been this lively in years.

Answer by Tiah
Submitted on 11/2/2004
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A remedy for hot spots itch (just the itch) that is great is put a teabag in 2oz of warm water and dab the spot . Do this 2-3 times a day until you heal them. It soothes the itch.

Answer by Pie
Submitted on 5/18/2005
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WD-40? Nooooo, no, no, no, no. Do not put oil on any surface of your dog! Ask a vet if there are any natural or home remedies or just use something they prescribe for your dog.

Answer by Rocky
Submitted on 11/23/2005
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I tell my lab "no lick!" which isn't very effective. He has gotten them every November x 3 years. Antibiotic and steroid.

Answer by Crystal
Submitted on 1/11/2006
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There Is A Pill You Can Give You Dog Called Nuvet And It Works Great On Hot Spots And Tumors And Ect.. Its Wonderful And Its A Money back Deal. It Took My Dogs Hot Spots Away. You Can Order It At www.nuvet.com/90940 Or You Can Call Them At 800.474.7044 And Ask For Code Number 90940 Hope This Has Helped

Answer by Kristy
Submitted on 3/15/2006
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I have a Newfoundland dog he started out with mild hot spots I changed his dog food to Natural Balance Venison and brown rice. The allergy formula. I like a lot of others thought he was allergic to the fillers, corn and by-products. So I started making him bones. I found out over night that he is allergic to Wheat. I am bathing him in antibacterial dish soap, putting socks on his back paws and a cone so he can't chew.

Answer by Adrienne
Submitted on 5/2/2006
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Corn, wheat, soy and sometimes lamb can cause itchiness leading to over-scratching and then hot spots. Flea saliva (no need for there to be fleas present!), moisture, stress, heat are also causes. Vet's Best has an awesome hot spot spray and foam that work very well with diligent applications (multiple times daily) until the spots clear up.

Answer by Larissa
Submitted on 6/11/2006
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There's a lot of junk out there that is being fed to our dogs, as well scary treatments - why would anyone put WD40 on their pet??? Anyway, I'm trying the Listerine/Baby Oil/Water remedy. Sounds like a moisturizing antiseptic that won't kill my dog. Thank you!

Answer by Biscuits mom
Submitted on 5/13/2007
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This works for our Lab Biscuit...Trim the hair around the hot spots. Go to the pharmacy and ask for burrow's solution or Dommeboro (It dries out the moistness in the area and prevents bacterial growth). Mix 1 packet with a cup of warm distilled water and 8-10 drops of tea tree oil (buy this at a natural health food store, Desert Essense or Thursdays Plantation brands are the best the stuff they sell at drugstores is not that good!) in a spray bottle. Shake well before applying. Spray on the spots 3 times a day. You should see healing in 3-5 days. Also giving your dog Flax Seed oil and/ or Borage oil by mouth 1-2 tbls a day will improve their skin health.

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Answer by thirday3
Submitted on 6/10/2006
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Our dog has had the same problem but we have found out she doesn't scratch as much in the fall and winter. so we think she's allergic to the grass.

Answer by libby
Submitted on 8/12/2006
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I use 1/2 listerine, 1/2 caladryl lotion in a spray bottle. I also give my dog a benadryl capsule twice a day.

Answer by meglet5150
Submitted on 8/13/2006
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our next door neighbor puts apple cider vinegar in a spray bottle and sprays it on his yellow lab and in about a week there was hair right where she had a really raw hot spot.

Answer by tildesk
Submitted on 9/4/2006
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this works great! except how do i get my dog (4 yr old male chocolate lab) to stop licking it!!

Answer by Amanda
Submitted on 9/6/2006
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My pit bull had hot spots really bad. I took her off of Purina puppy chow, which has everything you don't want in a dog food-lots of corn, by products, brewers rice, animal digest & lots of crummy preservatives. She's now on Canidae For All Life Stages, which is a human grade dog food, no corn, all natural preservatives, & especially good for skin/allergy problems. I also use Veterinarian's Best shampoo 2-3 times per week & Benedryll to ease her discomfort. Both seem to help significantly!

Answer by John
Submitted on 9/17/2006
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My lab gets hots spots a couple of time a year...in the summer. Shave the hair around it keep it clean and most important dry. I use Hydrogen Peroxide a couple times a day it seems to help.

Answer by G
Submitted on 9/27/2006
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WD40? Oh lawd - what kind of hillbilly remedy is that? DO NOT USE WD40 on your animal unless you want to kill it. Take your animal to the Vet - hot spots can be very serious. Home remedies help - but dont always work. Try black tea bags - the tannic acid helps dry it out.

Answer by MAXI
Submitted on 10/15/2006
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I tried what LINDA said and it works!! Its really great, you guys should try it.

Answer by Lyn
Submitted on 1/24/2007
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I use tea tree oil (because of it's antifungal properties) undiluted, just a few drops directly on the hot spot 3 times per day on my rottweiller and this clears it up in 2-3 days.

Answer by garyc
Submitted on 3/9/2007
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Are lab developed the hot spots and two vets could not figure out what was causing them, we invested over $400 in shots and pills. We started looking at what we changed in her diet sense she started getting the hot spots and the only thing which had changed was that we started using Scobby-do snack treats to train her, and within one week they started to clear up and she has not had any more hot spots sense. We believe that it was the dye and other cheap fillers in the snack which she was allergic to.

Answer by Andree
Submitted on 3/28/2007
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I add one capsule of flaxseed and one capsule of fish oil to my dogs food. It has helped tremendously. You can buy both at Walmart in the vitamin section. Be careful of the quality of the fish oil and I use 1200 mg of flaxseed oil.

Answer by Leslie
Submitted on 4/30/2007
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I've tried Athlete's foot spray and that tends to work for a little while too. But I will try the WD-40 and the other homemade remedy from Linda.

Answer by RUSTYSMOM
Submitted on 5/26/2007
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I have a golden retriever. I took him to a new groomer, who then shaved him completely! I told her I didn't want him shaved, just trimmed up. Anyway, right after this, he began chewing on his tail and backside. The skin under his tail is raw, and he has developed several open spots where he has chewed. Can anyone advise what to put on this? They look painful. thanks.

Answer by Tricia
Submitted on 5/30/2007
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Just dropped my lab (7 months) off at the vet! He states with labs, they have really thick hair, and can get by hanging out in the water, and not get well dried, any break in the skin and ......a Staph infection (Hot Spot). He is having surgery today, to have it cut out. The Vet stated this is best! Not a lot of ways to help prevent he said....Drying them off when they come out of the river etc....but not practical.

Answer by elkas
Submitted on 6/1/2007
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We use vicks vapor-rub or plain vicks. Our dog doesn't flinch at all. In a few days the spot should be disapearing.

Answer by bandit
Submitted on 6/3/2007
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my alaskan malamute has been itching like crazy and now has knawed on his rump to make it raw...his undercoat is still coming out...alergies?? Hot spots?? I don't want to give him a steroid shot and sprays don't help organic or over the counter...Please help I hate to see him in so much uncomfort.

Answer by Mandy
Submitted on 6/29/2007
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Looking on a website we found this stuff called Domeboros'sSolution. It can be bought over the counter at any drug store. You get 6 or so packets and dilute it and spray it on the effected area.