I am at a loss. My GSD female will 3 yrs old in January. About 3 months ago she got a hot spot. Took her to the vet and treated it with success. Each month she gets Frontline Plus. I decided to switch her diet from Blue Buffalo Fish and Sweet Potatoe to 100% raw chicken with a supplement I get from NuVet Plus (nuvet.com). Everything was going great Until last week when she got another one. This I treated with tincture of Lavender and neopsporin. Worked great. Today within 2 hrs she has another one on her hip and tail. I don't want to sound desperate but my vet basically told me she can treat the symptom but probably will not solve the problem. So I am desperate.

Thanks.

 Quote: Bill Thomas

I decided to switch her diet from Blue Buffalo Fish and Sweet Potatoe to 100% raw chicken with a supplement I get from NuVet Plus (nuvet.com).

Can you elaborate on the diet a little more?
I doubt that is the cause of the hot spots, but I'm concerned about the diet for other reasons.

What are you feeding her besides raw chicken and the supplement?

Yes she get 2 lbs of raw chicken leg quarters each night with the supplement from NuVet Plus plus Grizzly Salmon Oil.

I was thinking this might be a lack of activity. She only gets 1 hour a day exercise.

How long has she been eating only chicken leg quarters?
She needs more variation in her diet than just that, supplement or not.

As far as the hotspots, has the vet done any sort of tests for environmental allergies?

A couple links for the Hot Spot issue:

http://www.canismajor.com/dog/hotspots.html

http://vetmedicine.about.com/cs/dogdiseasesh/a/hotspots.htm

A couple links for feeding Raw Diet:

http://leerburg.com/feedingarawdiet.htm

http://leerburg.com/diet2.htm

http://leerburg.com/othersources.htm

http://www.leerburg.com/971.htm

 Quote: alyssa myracle

How long has she been eating only chicken leg quarters?
She needs more variation in her diet than just that, supplement or not.

As far as the hotspots, has the vet done any sort of tests for environmental allergies?

HUGE ditto on that diet. Even organ meats are missing.
http://leerburg.com/diet.htm

Did the vet say s/he suspected allergies? Was that what was meant about "can't solve the problem"? In what way did the vet treat the symptom?

Also, I would definitely treat those spots before they turn into infection.

New vet?

It is my understanding that neosporin isn't the best choice because it keeps the wound moist and can cause more problems in a wound that needs to dry out to avoid infection.

I have used Witch hazel to cleanse the wound and then a product called EMT gel to treat the spot once it is thoroughly dry.

The witch hazel is cooling, astringent, anti-bacterial and doesnt sting like alcohol.

The EMT gel is a natural collagen gel, or spray, that has worked wonder for us when healing wounds. I know for myself it stops the burn and sting of cat scratches and also takes the burn out of burns. It also stops the oozing and pain associated with skinned knees and such. So we use it for more than just dog owies!

But this was only for minor spots in the beginning stage, not for full blown infected hot spots which need to be seen by the vet.

I have also used Provon medicated soap on more severe hot spots and owies and had good results with it.
It is the stuff they give you after a piercing and made for use on puncture wounds to heal them without pain.

Where is the spot? What time of year was the last one?
I have one dog with seasonal allergies(fall) I use either benydrl or generic Atarax and either bactine spray or gold bond powder. You definitely want it dry not moist.