Tanka came in about a week ago with a bloody spot on his neck hair about an inch by an inch. unpon firther inspection it looked like he had scratched and caught him slef with a nail or something similar. I peroxided it and put antibiotic cream on it.

Over this last week we have struggled with it, and him scratching and making it worse and worse. Last night I tried to cut away a little of the hair that had dried blood on it.it does not look like a hot spot I do not think.

Tonight he had enough blood on hair to leave a spot I could not see but he could enough to want to lick it after he got up(the floor). I peroxided it again to clean off the blood and still not much to see except a worsening and grwoing area where he is scratching.

I can't put a cone on him, he can still get to it, and the cone would sit right on it. I don't know what to do, and a little inconsequential thing is turning into something big. i thought about shaving the hair just to get to it better but I don't want to make it itchier or allow it to just get covered with dirt when he goes outside by removing the hair layer.

I am trying here before we go to the vet. I don't want to go for something little but one night our previous dog had a little sp ot on her head and during the nihgt scratched half her head bloody, and that was bad. It took almost 5 weks in a cone.

Any ideas on what to do would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Julie

A sock or bootie on both back feet should take care of the scratching.

Keep the scraped area clean and dry and make sure you don't see signs of infection. An antibiotic cream like neosporin is a good idea.

Walk him on a leash until it is healed and he isn't inclined to scratch. He can't scratch on a leash. He doesn't need to wear booties or socks outside as long as he is supervised and on leash.

Dogs like to bug at things that irritate them. If you give it a chance to heal- even just a few days should get it to the point that he's no longer bothering it.

I can keep him on a leash easily enough, but he isn't going to wear socks. He has a passion for socks and I know if I put them on him back feet when he is inside or alone when he could scratch he will immediately remove them. I would have to do the cone and socks,that would keep him form getting them off, but the scrape is right where a cone would go. I could use a soft one but would still rub the same spot, just not right into it like a plastic one would.

I wonder if those nail guard thingies would work on his big old bear claws?

How about a donut with a breathable pad on the wound for the times when you can't be exercising him and keeping his paws busy (but you'll want to do that as much as possible).

Donuts (replacements for Elizabethan Collars):

http://www.petco.com/product/100555/ProCollar-Premium-Inflatable-Protective-Collar.aspx

http://www.amazon.com/KONG-Cloud-E-Collar-Collar-Large/dp/B0045Y1JGG

http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/13_8/features/Best-Dog-Cones_20037-1.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pszNSfn7lzc

I had just been thinking about the donut collar. I had one for awhile when we planned on neutering him, and then changed our minds and I took it back.

At first thought I figured he could still scratch around it, under it, etc. but maybe it will be enough to keep him from hitting it direct on. Or maybe the collar will keep him so busy he'll forget he has a scrape! he really isn't worrying it to death, or it would already be terrible. But one good scratch a day is all it really takes. Even when I treat it, we play, or I get a kong ready and by the time we are done, he forgot what I did and doesn't bother it. But then at SOME point in the day, he says, Oh yea! I wanted to scratch that!

Well it really started to bother him late last night. I think it may have ended up in a hotspot. I talked to the breeder late late last night. She said bathe it, and try to get as much of the hair away as possible, and put desitin baby ointment on it. I was up until midnight until a benadryl pill and some hydrocortisone ointment took effect and he stopped wanting to scratch and went to sleep.

How is it today?

I can't help wondering...since this seems to have started with a particular incident (he came in from outside with a bloody spot, looking like he had caught himself on a nail or something), are you certain there is not still a foreign object in there? Maybe a small splinter or thorn or something? That could certainly cause the continuing irritation.

 Quote: Cheri Grissom

I can't help wondering...since this seems to have started with a particular incident (he came in from outside with a bloody spot, looking like he had caught himself on a nail or something), are you certain there is not still a foreign object in there? Maybe a small splinter or thorn or something? That could certainly cause the continuing irritation.

That is a good point Cheri. One idea is to maybe use some sterile saline solution like the kind you use for your eyes or contacts, and use that to irrigate the wound to make sure it is cleaned out well. But that still wouldn't rule out if something was embedded under the skin, especially if it was a deep puncture wound, from say a nail or something sharp like that.

Something just came to mind, I was wondering if dogs could get Tetanus?
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=2536&S=1

 Quote:

Home » Dogs » Tetanus in Pets (Lock Jaw)
Back Top Bookmark this article
| Advanced Search

THE PET HEALTH LIBRARY
By Wendy C. Brooks, DVM, DipABVP
Educational Director, VeterinaryPartner.com

Print this article Save this article to disk Email this article
Tetanus in Pets (Lock Jaw)

We have all heard of tetanus shots and have some sense that we are supposed to periodically get them, especially after exposure to some sort of dirty wound or bite. Some of us may even know that tetanus is sometimes referred to as lock jaw, but the general knowledge of tetanus generally does not extend much beyond that. Most people are not aware that tetanus is a problem for animals as well as people, although horse owners are probably all too familiar with tetanus.

It appears to be less common in dogs.
Not trying to suggest this dog has tetanus, I just thought it was an interesting factoid. Something to think about, even though it isn't as common.