Dog skin infections

[morbidstorm]

Hi all,

Took my Golden retriever's collar off last night for a grooming session and all his skin under his chin/neck is flaky and bright red. It has also been a little weepy, as there are patches where his coat has become stuck together. Since we got him he has been prone to skin complaints and ear infections, so I have given him some of his left over medicine from other infections unil we can get to the vet on monday.

What I want to know is if I should bathe the affected area with salty water? Will it help to soothe and kill the infection, or would I be better waiting for the vets advise in case it stings him??

[morbidstorm]

that should say chin and neck!!

[lankeela]

Bathing in warm salt water won't hurt him, but I strongly recommend you do not use old medicine - if it is antibiotics you should have given him the whole course anyway.

If it is steroids they need to be given under veterinary supervision.

Has he had a flea collar on? These often cause a reaction and make the dog itch.

[morbidstorm]

Hi, thanks for that - I'll stop the old medicine straight away. (they are steriods which he is given every time we visit the vet, and we always have some left over at the end of the course)

He hasn't had a flea collar on as he is "frontlined". The part of his neck which has become sore is where the chain part of his collar meets his neck.

Thanks very much for your answer, I'll bathe him an see how he gets on.

[Noweia]

Further to lankeela's answers, sometimes bathing in salt water can help, but other times it's best to keep the area as dry as possible to reduce irritation.

And it's best not to use leftover medicines - if you have old tablets etc lying around, these should be brought back to your vets when you next go in.

[lankeela]

Steroids particularly should not be given without supervision as they give different ones for different uses, and if given long term can cause other problems. They should also be reduced gradually if given over a longer period, as the dogs tend to get reliant on them.

Now I am going to say something which really goes against the grain and which I would not normally suggest!!!
try using a harness (ouch that hurt even saying it) - get one that does not go round the neck, you can get them that the dog steps into with its front feet and does up over the back.
This will keep any irritation away from his neck.
(Although I sell them to people who really want them I hate the bl**dy things!. ) They don't stop dogs pulling, which is why most people buy them. Lets face it you put a harness on a husky so it CAN pull a sled. If the dog keeps pulling then the owners lift the dog up in the middle of the back, which causes untold problems with their backs. Sorry I digress.

Try trimming the hair a bit where it has become sore so it is not rubbing. The vet may give you something to bathe it with, such as Hibiscrub, as powders tend to make it dry out too quick.

Have you tried changing his food if he is prone to skin problems? You could try Burns, or James Wellbeloved.
Another good one for this type of problem is Nutro. Ask at your pet shop and they will be able to get it in if they don't stock it.