What's up with my dog's skin? - updated

[hamster]

It's been this way for a few weeks I think, but now there are new spots. He licks at it, but not anymore than normal I dont think.

6 year old lab, FWIW.

[dexteroni]

In my dog owning experience, it’s most likely something like a hot spot or a lick granuloma. Of course the answer is to go to the vet. But I wanted to add that we’ve had great success with laser treatment on dermatological issues. It’s really good for inflammation and will help it heal, and will help him stop licking it in the first place. If your vet doesn’t do laser treatment, I recommend taking him elsewhere to have it done. It really works.

[dexteroni]

And when one of my dogs had a lick granuloma, I also thought he wasn’t licking it any more than normal. But we spied on him lol and turned out he was licking it like crazy when we weren’t around or after we went to bed. It bothered him so he was hiding it in the way dogs hide pain.

[hamster]

Hmm. It doesn't necessarily look like a hot spot as I remember them. My 100% total guess was yeast.

I'll see what kind of ointment we have and see if I can get it to clear up before the vet.

[wildrice]

Oct 16, 2019 13:52:32 GMT -5 hamster said:

Hmm. It doesn't necessarily look like a hot spot as I remember them. My 100% total guess was yeast.

I'll see what kind of ointment we have and see if I can get it to clear up before the vet.

I think one of my dogs had something like that. It was several years ago, and he was super furry so it was hard to see. But I kept finding rough peeling patches on his neck  in the same spot. It was some version of a yeast infection, IIRC. The vet gave me an antibiotic spray and it healed it up pretty quickly. 

I agree it doesn't look like a hot spot. I think those are usually much more like a red sore.

[Patsy Baloney]

hamster, could definitely be yeast. I had a terrier who suffered with that pretty extensively in his later years. Those spots tended to get pretty smelly and crusty quickly.

Your second picture looks like your pup has some rings around some of the lick spots - I was wondering if it might be ringworm?

[hamster]

They dont seem crusty at all. So not yeast then? The two rounder spots are new as of today I think.

I was really hoping this was something obvious and I could save everybody the hassle of the vet but that seems less likely now.

I do think he had fleas recently, but haven't noticed any since I medicated him. IIRC, I first noticed after he went to boarding (in a home).

This dog is having an expensive year!

[NewGirlNic]

My lab mix used to get similar spots and they were ringworm. The vet gave him an anti-fungal ointment that we had to apply a couple times a day. And he loved to lick it off, so we had to put a cone on him for like an hour after we applied it.

[hamster]

Damn. It does kind of look like it might be ringworm.

It's just topical right? I dont need to test his poop?

[So_Fetch]

Oct 16, 2019 14:38:04 GMT -5 hamster said:

Damn. It does kind of look like it might be ringworm.

It's just topical right? I dont need to test his poop?

its just topical.  If you can cone him so he doesn't lick it you can try an antifungal cream on it.  we use that on the kittens at the rescue I work with. 

[hamster]

It appears I have some antifungal spray already so I'll just start there. Thanks! I never would have considered ringworm.

[hamster]

So the internet says I basically need to quarantine the dog and keep my house spotless and it can live for 18 months.

That's laughably unrealistic on so many levels. Can I just wash his sleeping areas, vacuum the floors and call it a day?

H and I agree he has probably had it for 3 weeks already.

[mcsangel2]

Oct 17, 2019 16:50:47 GMT -5 hamster said:

So the internet says I basically need to quarantine the dog and keep my house spotless and it can live for 18 months.

That's laughably unrealistic on so many levels. Can I just wash his sleeping areas, vacuum the floors and call it a day?

Nope. It can spread to humans.

[pandorica]

Oct 17, 2019 18:27:27 GMT -5 mcsangel2 said:

Oct 17, 2019 16:50:47 GMT -5 hamster said:

So the internet says I basically need to quarantine the dog and keep my house spotless and it can live for 18 months.

That's laughably unrealistic on so many levels. Can I just wash his sleeping areas, vacuum the floors and call it a day?

Nope. It can spread to humans.

H got it from the dog once before we realized she had it because she rubbed the infected area (her face) all over him every morning. They both cleared up with the antifungal cream. We didn't do any extra cleaning and no one else in the house got it. I didn't realize we were supposed to.

[mcsangel2]

Oct 17, 2019 18:33:59 GMT -5 pandorica said:

Oct 17, 2019 18:27:27 GMT -5 mcsangel2 said:

Nope. It can spread to humans.

H got it from the dog once before we realized she had it because she rubbed the infected area (her face) all over him every morning. They both cleared up with the antifungal cream. We didn't do any extra cleaning and no one else in the house got it. I didn't realize we were supposed to.

That's great you got through it so easily. Your situation isn't the norm. (From experience working as a volunteer in an animal shelter during an outbreak).

[pandorica]

Oct 17, 2019 18:42:29 GMT -5 mcsangel2 said:

Oct 17, 2019 18:33:59 GMT -5 pandorica said:

H got it from the dog once before we realized she had it because she rubbed the infected area (her face) all over him every morning. They both cleared up with the antifungal cream. We didn't do any extra cleaning and no one else in the house got it. I didn't realize we were supposed to.

That's great you got through it so easily. Your situation isn't the norm. (From experience working as a volunteer in an animal shelter during an outbreak).

Well thank goodness. I had no idea!

[sequins]

OMG Maddie has the exact same thing now. We took her to the vet and they did a swab test and gave us antibiotics for 21 days. We just started, so still waiting to see if that would work.

[hamster]

Oct 17, 2019 22:35:14 GMT -5 sequins said:

OMG Maddie has the exact same thing now. We took her to the vet and they did a swab test and gave us antibiotics for 21 days. We just started, so still waiting to see if that would work.

Did they give you any special cleaning instructions? Any idea why oral treatment vs topical?

[sequins]

Oct 17, 2019 23:34:38 GMT -5 hamster said:

Oct 17, 2019 22:35:14 GMT -5 sequins said:

OMG Maddie has the exact same thing now. We took her to the vet and they did a swab test and gave us antibiotics for 21 days. We just started, so still waiting to see if that would work.

Did they give you any special cleaning instructions? Any idea why oral treatment vs topical?

There is also topical. Chlorhexidine shampoo. No special instructions.

[fayeelle]

Sounds more likely to be a skin infection and not ringworm. Topical vs oral meds depend on the severity of the infection. Your vet would need to check samples to see exactly what your pup has and which med/modality is best indicated.

[hamster]

Oct 18, 2019 15:42:41 GMT -5 mofongo said:

hamster, - please bring your dog to the vet!!

He has an appointment on Monday afternoon.

[hamster]

Vet thinks it's a staph infection. Got a different cleaner and can call for an antibiotic if not improving by end of week.

[Eagles]

Oct 21, 2019 17:30:41 GMT -5 hamster said:

Vet thinks it's a staph infection. Got a different cleaner and can call for an antibiotic if not improving by end of week.

Next time, don't wait several days to go to the vet.

[puppylove64]

Oct 21, 2019 17:30:41 GMT -5 hamster said:

Vet thinks it's a staph infection. Got a different cleaner and can call for an antibiotic if not improving by end of week.

So I’m not sure if this helps, but SS had staph and it is sort of a pain in the ass. There are soaps you can buy that help get it back under control. There are also several natural things, like xxxnope and peppermint I think* google it! Make sure you wash all bedding every couple of days in hot water.

[Eagles]

Oct 22, 2019 8:43:39 GMT -5 mofongo said:

Oct 22, 2019 8:38:33 GMT -5 Eagles said:

Next time, don't wait several days to go to the vet.

Yeah it’s never good to treat something without a diagnosis! An anti fungal won’t help a staph infection!

ETA: hamster I’m really not shaming you, I know you have an infant, and I’m sure your a tad busy with that:)

Our previous dog had a staph infection on his tail and the vet said any possible skin infection should be seen as soon as possible since they can get deep quickly.

[Eagles]

Oct 22, 2019 8:46:15 GMT -5 puppylove64 said:

Oct 21, 2019 17:30:41 GMT -5 hamster said:

Vet thinks it's a staph infection. Got a different cleaner and can call for an antibiotic if not improving by end of week.

So I’m not sure if this helps, but SS had staph and it is sort of a pain in the ass. There are soaps you can buy that help get it back under control. There are also several natural things, like tea tree and peppermint I think* google it! Make sure you wash all bedding every couple of days in hot water.

Tea tree oil is toxic to dogs.

[hamster]

Oct 22, 2019 8:43:39 GMT -5 mofongo said:

Oct 22, 2019 8:38:33 GMT -5 Eagles said:

Next time, don't wait several days to go to the vet.

Yeah it’s never good to treat something without a diagnosis! An anti fungal won’t help a staph infection!

ETA: hamster I’m really not shaming you, I know you have an infant, and I’m sure your a tad busy with that:)

I am a little salty that the second time I've left both children was to take the dog to the vet!

But, FWIW, the spray I was using has the same active ingredient as the spray the vet gave me.