sores on skin

rsknascarman · Post by **rsknascarman** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 11:19 pm

About a week ago while petting my beagle/bassett mix I felt a hard bump on the back of his neck. It was a scab and easily came off with the hair that was in it leaving a raw infected looking sore under it about the size of my pinky fingernail. A couple of days later I found a few more spots just like it only slightly smaller. One on his ear near the middle top side, one on the other ear on the underside and one near the middle of his back. I picked the scabs off (they almost fell off when I touched them) and put peroxide and antibiotic ointment on them. Most of them are drying up and healing but the first one and largest one I found is not healing as well. Also around the same time he stopped eating normal. He used to always eat every bit of his food immediately , now he looks at it and takes nearly 1/2 hour to eat. He has always been wormed regularly so I don't think worms are the problem. He has been in contact with other dogs over the past couple of months in hunting season. He is still friendly and just as playful and energetic as always and I dont see him scratching very much. He stays outdoors all the time in a dirt floor 10 x 10 kennel or on a 20' cable so his environment and bedding (pine shavings) have not changed. Any ideas as to what could be going on wolud be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Bunny Runner · Post by **Bunny Runner** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 5:50 am

First off, I would stop using the peroxide. Recent research has indicated that peroxide increases healing time. It doesn't allow for regeneration of new skin.

I would simply keep it clean with a saline solution or plain water and use an antibiotic cream (no ointment) as the creams are water based and won't seal in bacteria.

Has he come into contact with cat/s?

He could have a staph/strep infection and may need oral antibiotics to clear it up. One that is used regularly for these type of infections is Cephlexin. It can sometimes take up to 21 days on meds to clear it up. I would definately keep an eye on it and keep it clean. If you don't see any change or it seems to be getting worse or spreading, take him to the vet. They will do a culture to see what it is and then it can be treated properly.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Emery · Post by **Emery** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 9:44 am

Might be ringworm (which isn't a worm, it is a fungus). Are the scabs circular? Is his bedding damp? Had a lot of rain lately? Strip out all the old bedding and let the area dry completely. Disinfect using some kind of antimicrobial solution and let dry completely. My vet gave me some ResiCHLOR for the dog, apply a couple times a day until it is good and gone. As for the kennel, he gave me a concentrate for what he uses. It is called Nolvasan disinfectant. Mix 1 oz into 1 gal of water, and spray down the whole kennel area and let dry.

Emery

Chuck Terry · Post by **Chuck Terry** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 9:13 pm

Sounds like fire ant bites to me. The beagles I have run recently have some spots like you describe. None of the pups they are kenneled with have them. Mounds were popping up everywhere the two weeks of rabbit season here due to the spring-like weather and I highly suspect that is what happened to mine. Most of the spots have healed and the hair is finally starting to come back in a bit. Continue to pull of the dead tissue that comes off easily. I would use some type of antiseptic - maybe betadine or blue lotion. I agree with the comment about not using peroxide - it can sting where betadine normally does not.

mike crabtree · Post by **mike crabtree** » Thu Mar 23, 2006 2:53 am

Sounds like ringworm to me too.

S.R.Patch · Post by **S.R.Patch** » Thu Mar 23, 2006 12:44 pm

Sulfur is a great healer and is good for the blood.
I would dust the hound with sulfur and sprinkle some on his food every week...

wingmaster · Post by **wingmaster** » Tue May 16, 2006 11:55 am

rsknascarman, did u get your dog cleared up? if so what did u use, mine has the same thing. i believe it is a fungus that they get from the briars in the spring.

rsknascarman · Post by **rsknascarman** » Sat May 20, 2006 10:57 pm

All but one of the 4 or 5 sores on my dog are gone. I think they were ring worm. The only one left is a pink spot about the size of a dime under one ear. It looks better but all the hair has not filled in yet. I used an antibiotic or antiseptic wound spray from the feed store when the sores were raw then switched to an over the counter anti fungal cream from the drug store for treating ring worm, jock itch, athletes foot and stuff like that. I don't remember the name of it, something similar to Tinactin. I think it helped some but I still put it on his spot every day or so and it hasn't cleared up all the way. Good Luck, RK