For the past few days I have noticed a small sore (about the size of a nickle) on the lower part of Nickie's back leg. It looked like it had been scraped against our cement wall. Last night I noticed another one of the same size on the other back leg. He doesn't seem to be licking it unless he is doing it while he is in his crate and we are not in the room.

I have been doing some searching on this site and read an interesting thread from October on "hot spots". This doesn't look like that; also did some searching on "lick granuloma" which it seems more like it since it says they are more likely found on the lower legs and paws.

Nickie is about 15 months old - he is on Canidae. He gets 3 pumps of Grizzly Salmon Oil and a 400 unit of Vit E capsule every morning. Also every morning 2 tablespoons of low-fat plain yogurt. Every other morning a raw egg with shell. He is on a prescription for allergies (hydrozyline (sp?)

He does not seem to be itchy anywhere - the inside of his ears look and smell perfectly normal. The only thing I have noticed is that in the past 3 to 4 months, he has had more of a "doggy" smell to him. I wipe out his plastic crate each morning (less than a half-handful of loose hair in there). He does not have any bedding of any kind in his crate because he chews up anything that we put in there.

Only other thing different in the past week is that because I've been sick with bronchitis, he has not been getting his daily mile walk in the morning. He does get about 4 play times outside with our other dog Roxie. He is also out of his crate in the house when we can keep our eyes on him (still too much of a puppy to trust).

Should I try to put antibiotic ointment on the sores or will that just direct his attention to them? I've read about using Gold Bond powder to dry them up. Should I try that? Also someone suggested apple cider vinegar on the sores.

Anybody have any suggestions?

Any way you can post a couple pictures of the affected area?

Hi Carol,
I took two pictures of the sore - of each leg. Sorry I don't know how to just post the picture here. The pictures are the first two that you see when you click on my PhotoBucket link below.

These are on the outsides of his legs, correct?
I am wondering if they are pressure point sores? They do not look like hot spots to me.

Hopefully more will chime in here.

(oh yeah, in photobucket, under each photo there are three or four choices...to post links to pictures in your post, copy the direct link choice and then paste it in your post)

Thanks Carol,
I am going to try to post the two pictures here.
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t143/nickie5143/DSCN0380.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t143/nickie5143/DSCN0377.jpg
The one on the right leg is on the outside and the one on the left leg is on the back of the leg. I think you are probably right - that plastic crate is pretty hard to lay in without any kind of bedding.

Have you tried a piece of stall mat? That is what I use for dogs that shred bedding.

Carol,
Have no idea where I would get a piece of stall mat. Did a search of new stall mats - a 4'x6' runs about $45 plus a $45 delivery charge. Do places that sell horse equipment also have pieces of the mats available for sale? I have tried heavy duty rubber floor mats but Nickie very quickly finds a way to tear into the corner and within a couple of hours has ruined the mat.

If you have a farm and ranch store, or something similar, you can always ask if they can order smaller ones. I buy the 4 x 6 ones and have them cut them to what I need. But I have 6 crates. The pieces I use for small puppy crates and Rock, Jesea and Marley love carrying them around.

OK, I'll check it out this weekend. My husband just reminded me that there is a feed store a couple of miles from our house so we will check there first.

Poor Nickie, it looks like these two sores are right over the bones on his leg - I hope to find something to help it get better!

Anyone have a recommendation for a good salve or ointment to help out here? I cannot find my tube, and cannot remember the name of it.....