MumOf2LabBoys Posted July 23, 2005 Share Posted July 23, 2005 We havent yet had the chance to introduce the 2 of them yet, as we are in melbourne and charlie is in Mudgee NSW, so their first introduction will be when charlie arrives.They may have to share the couch for now..LOL RM (sorry for the topic change!) - how old is Charlie? How old is Ralphy? I wonder what your garden is going to look like with 2 labs tearing through it! I hope the introductions go well - we were thinking getting a second dog was a mistake but a week later they decided to stop killing each other and get on! Ralphy is 13 months and Charlie is 3 years old. We are going to just let nature take its course with the 2 boys. They are both de-sexed so shouldn't be too bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Shepherd mom Posted July 23, 2005 Share Posted July 23, 2005 we introduced an 8 month old desexed girl to our existing 8 month old desexed boy (who he'd had for 3 months). It took a week of fighting before he accepted that she was in charge. We still feed him first and all that just to boost his ego but we all know where he stands in the pack! Being labs, you might have an easier time of it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyhoundangel Posted July 23, 2005 Share Posted July 23, 2005 Hot spots are very common in greyhounds... I had a greyhound once who was covered in them, we took him off kibble and fed him rice/pasta and he was fine after that... I guess you just have to try and find the source for the reaction... Mel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Shepherd mom Posted July 24, 2005 Share Posted July 24, 2005 Mel (hi!), I read somewhere that rice / pasta can help cause hot spots in some dogs. My guess is dogs that are allergic to grains would get itchier, and lots of scratching can cause hot spots? Casper has certainly had fewer of the buggers since I stopped giving him pasta. I saw this on the Balgownievet site: Hot spots These are more prevalent in dogs, especially thick coated breeds. Hot spots require immediate veterinary attention as they can double their size overnight and give pets a great deal of discomfort. They require aggressive therapy- clip, scrub, cortisone and antibiotics. Most of the damage is done by the dog continually chewing &/or scratching itself, hence the need for anti-inflammatory drugs. Owners first notice a weeping inflamed area often with matted fur and pus underneath. They are intensely itchy and painful. Conditions and common underlying causes include: • Hot, humid weather • Dense hair coat that may not dry out easily or may accumulate dirt • Clipper burn • Anal sac Impaction • Ear infections • Flea bite allergy • Scabies • Atopy • Adverse reaction to food • Demodex mange mites Prevention For hot spots due to certain conditions, attacking the underlying cause is the best plan of attack e.g. flea control. Regular washing with Dermcare Pyohex or Malaseb is very helpful in preventing hot spots. For those dogs with ear problems leading to hot spots below and around the base of the ear, consider using Malaseb shampoo as an ear wash. Dilute 1ml of Malaseb into 30mls of water and flush the ears 1-2 times a week and after swimming. Make a fresh solution each time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyhoundangel Posted July 24, 2005 Share Posted July 24, 2005 (edited) Hehe, yep that's why I said you have to find out what causes the reaction for your dog... His problem was with protein... We've had many greyhounds with the odd hot spot or two, but poor Adam had them everywhere... Like I said, once we stopped giving him kibble and changed to rice/pasta...he never got them ever again... Mel Edited July 24, 2005 by greyhoundangel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silentbear Posted July 24, 2005 Share Posted July 24, 2005 Mel, we hyave seen a lot ofgreyhound dogs with hot spots. We found that most were on Ferarmo vit sup. A friend took his dog in had every test they could do. was allergic to cronnium. (sorry for bad spelling) The uni did test and found the same thing in 4 greys. change of vitimins and all okay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyhoundangel Posted July 24, 2005 Share Posted July 24, 2005 I think this is often why greyhounds are at high risk of getting hot spots, because of all the supplements... We tended to feed our dogs a natural diet, making sure they got their required vitamin and mineral intake from a variety of food... Hot spots were more relevent for us in the early years of racing... Mel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloud Posted July 24, 2005 Share Posted July 24, 2005 Ellz, Could you please tell me how much apple cidar vinegar you add to each bucket. Have a dog that is prone to hot spots. Use malaseb shampoo and alpha kerri oil but sometimes it flairs up. He is on a natural diet and the only one of mine with this problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellz Posted July 24, 2005 Share Posted July 24, 2005 It's no scientific calculation that's for sure! Over the years (I've been using it for quite a few years now) I have worked out the ratio of a good "slosh" to a "normal" household sized bucket or a couple of capfuls to the dainty indoor water bowls of the cats. It really does take trial and error according to breeds etc. The art is to have enough ACV in the water for it to be efficient without having too much that it makes the water taste TOO different and then they won't drink it.... Oh and another thing....it is best to purchase the ACV from Health Food shops or Horse feed suppliers. The stuff on the supermarket shelves often has colours and flavours and sometimes preservatives added as well. Good luck! ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloud Posted July 25, 2005 Share Posted July 25, 2005 Thank you ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mita Posted July 25, 2005 Share Posted July 25, 2005 I agree with the folk who said that allergies lie behind hot spots. Our Grace, the tib, lived first 8 years of her life in NSW as a show dog...NO skin problems at all. We adopted her & got her desexed. A bubbly red thingy appeared on the suture line within days. Took her to another vet for second opinion....& he said it was an allergy to the type of suture material used for the internal stitches (which dissolve). She was given cortisone to help it settle. But that allergic reaction was the trigger for hot spots appearing....for the first time in her 8 years. With help from the vet, I manage hot spots by: .giving Grace a diet that's pretty bland (chicken/rice/veggies base) & no preservatives or artif. colours. .soon as she shows some itching at a spot, I give her some Polaramine antihistamines (vet advice) .I cut the hair around so the spot doesn't get irritated .then gently dab (not drag across the spot) some Betadine (vet advice). (the vet said the problem is that bacteria which normally sits on the skin, gets inside because of chewed broken skin). .if infection does set in, the vet gives a course of antibiotics. I've also found that damp hair or damp skin seems to trigger off an irritation for Gracie. Also humid weather... Most of Gracie's hot spots appear around her bottom end. Also a sign that her allergy might be stirring is that the inside of her ears look very red. The vet has prescribed dermotic ear drops....which I also rub over the inside of the ear flap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koza Posted July 25, 2005 Share Posted July 25, 2005 Solly had a bad hot spot above the tail, triggered by flea allergy. It was completely new to me, so I took him to the vet... next time I think I can manage it on my own (and start earlier! He had a BIG spot which I failed to notice under the hair). The course included: antibiotics (it was badly infected), shaved hair all around the spot; wash with chlorhexidine (from vet), every day, then reducing the frequency; and dab of Betadine. And antihystamine in tablets so that he wouldn't chew on it. He healed in about 2 weeks completely. Food for sensitive skin should do good, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rio Posted August 12, 2005 Share Posted August 12, 2005 (edited) Rough Collies are prone to getting hot spots too. It always seems to coincide with harvest time. Edited August 12, 2005 by rio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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