Harness Rash !!! Help

[BusterTheBulldogg]

Hi everyone ! I’m new on here I just wanted to know if anyone had any solutions for a rash/hot spot. We recently took our 8 month old - Buster - on his very first 5 hr road trip this past thanksgiving holiday. We left on Thursday morning and came back home Saturday night. I don’t know why it didn’t cross our minds to ever take off his harness this whole time since he usually doesn’t wear it. When we came home on Saturday night is when we noticed the rash so we bathed him in oatmeal and seemed like he was ok. But he was scratching it so now it’s getting worse. He’s so sad and depressed this is not him he’s so uncomfortable. I just want to treat it as much as I can before taking him to the vet today or tomorrow. We have also been doing Epsom salt washes on that spot and I’ve been putting vitamin e oil. Last night I gave him puppy aspirin and I bought a medicated hot spot and itch spray (sulfodene) I think it’s been helping a bit. The spot just kind of oozes and seems to get bigger and I don’t want it to keep getting worse, the spot is on his chest. Any advice will help please and thanks !

 

[oscarmayer]

Hot spots need to be shaved and kept dry. If it’s not yet shaved then that’s where you start.
You’ll also have to ensure he cannot scratch it. Either socks on his feet (taped) or a bandage over the wound...or both.

 

[BusterTheBulldogg]

Okay I will shave him today!! With hair clippers ? Or a men’s razor ? We put socks on him too ! Thank you

 

[oscarmayer]

With hair clippers ? Or a men’s razor ?

Clippers will do. Razor close not necessary and might irritate the skin. Expect it to scab over and look worse before it looks better. Hot spots will take weeks to heal. Gauge healing by those weeks, not by days.

 

[Hankster]

His may be beyond this but............... a couple of nights ago, my sons Chihuahua (who is mostly in my care) got a rash with even red scabs from scratching through the day.. so, mabie I caught it quick enough but it looked nasty so I put some aloha Vera and fractionated coconut oil in my hand and ran it all over her whole tummy. I was blown away, the next morn almost gone, so I did again and by night fall, it was GONE! healed.

 

[Dollys Owner]

After shaving you could also wash the hot spot with chlorhexidine/ketoconazole shampoo eg. ketohex or curaseb, dry, then apply Nu-Stock ointment. If you dont have Nu-Stock try Vetericyn spray or Neosporin cream. You can also give Benadryl 1 mg/pound at bedtime to help with sleeping and itching.

 

[2BullyMama]

Okay I will shave him today!! With hair clippers ? Or a men’s razor ? We put socks on him too ! Thank you

How is the spot today?

 

[BusterTheBulldogg]

So I just took him to the vet yesterday because I was to scared to remove his hair and I couldn’t see him how he was anymore. The vet just did a medical scrub on the spot and gave him a shot for pain and inflammation, sent us home with antibiotics and a medicated spray. He said he didn’t need to really shave since he has short hair and it would only irritate it more. When we got home he was able to sleep more comfortably and was being more active than he was these past few days so hopefully it only gets better from here. I’m going to take him to another vet today just to make sure everything is fine and get another opinion on the spot. Thanks for the concern !

 

[2BullyMama]

So I just took him to the vet yesterday because I was to scared to remove his hair and I couldn’t see him how he was anymore. The vet just did a medical scrub on the spot and gave him a shot for pain and inflammation, sent us home with antibiotics and a medicated spray. He said he didn’t need to really shave since he has short hair and it would only irritate it more. When we got home he was able to sleep more comfortably and was being more active than he was these past few days so hopefully it only gets better from here. I’m going to take him to another vet today just to make sure everything is fine and get another opinion on the spot. Thanks for the concern !

keep us posted.... if you can, post a picture of the spot?

 

[BusterTheBulldogg]

His may be beyond this but............... a couple of nights ago, my sons Chihuahua (who is mostly in my care) got a rash with even red scabs from scratching through the day.. so, mabie I caught it quick enough but it looked nasty so I put some aloha Vera and fractionated coconut oil in my hand and ran it all over her whole tummy. I was blown away, the next morn almost gone, so I did again and by night fall, it was GONE! healed.

I was going to use coconut oil as well thank you !

 

[BusterTheBulldogg]

this is right before the visit to the vet, I forgot to take a picture of it after - I'll try to today. Also the vet put some ointment on the spot.

 

[cefe13]

this is right before the visit to the vet, I forgot to take a picture of it after - I'll try to today. Also the vet put some ointment on the spot.

View attachment 109518

Poor Buster! Castor had hot spots last year and we washed him daily with a chlorehexidine shampoo and after a week it had healed (the vet shaved the area so took some time for him to get his coat back). No antibiotics or anything - just chlorehexidine.
Hope Buster soon feels better!

 

[BusterTheBulldogg]

I have also ordered this ointment hoping it will work wonders...has anyone ever used it? thoughts?

 

[BusterTheBulldogg]

Poor Buster! Castor had hot spots last year and we washed him daily with a chlorehexidine shampoo and after a week it had healed (the vet shaved the area so took some time for him to get his coat back). No antibiotics or anything - just chlorehexidine.
Hope Buster soon feels better!

Thank you ! I hope he gets better soon. The vet said no baths for 2 weeks to try and keep the area as dry as possible. But maybe after the 2 weeks I'll try that shampoo and maybe it can speed things up

 

[2BullyMama]

this is right before the visit to the vet, I forgot to take a picture of it after - I'll try to today. Also the vet put some ointment on the spot.

View attachment 109518

OH MY! I know they said not to shave, but that is not the correct thought process. You NEED to shave so it does not get infected... the fur traps dirty and cause the spot to get infected. The area needs to get lots of air so it will dry up.
Believe me, I have dealt with many of them over the past 13 years and other on the forum have for even longer.... shave, keep it clean and dry. I have never heard of the spray you posted... I'll look it up

This may be from stress or an allergen, the harness my be a coincidence.

What food do you feed... brand and protein? How old is he?