My dog is sick, vet is closed, don’t know where else to ask. Itchy and hairless patches.

[tizabel_]

First of all I’m sorry for posting this on a website meant for chickens but I really don’t know who else to get help from and I’m starting to really worry.
Heres whats happening and then I’ll give some background. My 3 year old dog Kiro has been extremely itchy around the neck area for about 4 or 5 days. My dad took his collar off yesterday to itch under it for him and that’s when we noticed a whole strip on the front of his neck, where his collar was, is almost completely bare and his skin is extremely red. He itches it almost every chance he gets and each time he scratches it, more full falls out. Now it’s not just where his collar was but there’s a patch going down to his shoulder. Other than that there’s no difference in behavior.
We first noticed he was itchy when we were on a camping trip in New Halem, WA. We thought it was mosquito bites. On the way there he rolled in cow poop and then my dad had him swim in a marshy pond to try to get it off. Now I’m thinking that it’s some kind of bacterial infection from either the poop, pond, or both. I’ve tried researching but can’t figure out exactly what it could be. We have another dog so I don’t think it could be mange. So far I’ve put coconut oil on the area twice but it hasn’t seemed to do anything, he’s still itching and fur is still coming out.
Im really worried. The vet opens on Monday and ill call as soon as I can, but for now what do you think I should do? I will update with pictures in the morning. Thank you so much in advance for any replies or input.

 

[cavemanrich]

Soooooo sorry to hear this. You are on the correct forum. BTW.

I do not have an answer for this, but would only suggest you do give dog a bath. (if you already did not).. Use warm water not to shock the dog. I hook up my hose to laundry tub faucet, that has warm water. You wash your dog wherever possible, like bathtub.
I would also try treating the sore skin area with dabbed cotton balls in Peroxide. Then I would apply some antibiotic ointment that you can get OTC.

You can get same or equivalent/brand at Walmart, or any drug store.
I use this product on myself for small cuts/scratches , and have used it on my dogs, and cats for small cuts/scratches, to prevent infection, and speed healing.

Get a t-shirt, and put it onto your dog, so that the treated area, is off limit to him scratching it. I know it may be a challenge, but use an old shirt, and cut out openings for paws to come thru. Try your best...

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[QueenOfBling72]

Not really sure what it could be there’s lots of reasons this could happen I would keep your pup as comfy as possible and take him to the vet as soon as they open again

 

[animalcraker]

There’s really no way to say for sure what’s going on without actually seeing it in person. The most common suspects would be anything from fleas, allergic reaction to his collar, primary or secondary skin infection, ear infection, and who knows what he could have picked up out in the wilderness. As you’re already aware he’s definitely going to need a trip to the vet. In the meantime his comfort is the top priority.

Before you do anything try to get a few good pictures or videos of what it looks like and how he’s behaving so you can show your vet when you are able to get him seen. A good bath with a soothing oatmeal based shampoo usually helps to make the skin feel better. As cavemanrich said, use warm water. A dogs body temp is warmer than ours and most people use water that is too cold which is why their pets hate baths. Make sure that you fully rinse all of the shampoo. Once you feel it’s all out rinse once more for good measure. Thoroughly dry the affected areas all the way down to the skin. Wet fur and skin can lead to moisture dermatitis which will only make things worse.

Triple antibiotic ointment is fairly safe to use but I would not use peroxide. Peroxide is cytotoxic and can hinder the healing process, we don’t even use it in the vet hospital except to clean blood of our surgery drapes and instruments.

Preventing him from being able to scratch the area will help prevent him from causing further damage. You could try a t-shirt or scarf to loosely cover the area. Some pets will allow you to put socks or dog booties on the hind feet. If he’s really miserable and constantly scratching it might be worth it to take him into the emergency vet to get him started on some pain meds and antibiotics or appropriate treatment.

 

[Aclurk]

Without seeing it, my treatment would depend on whether or not the skin appears moist or dry if that makes sense. I.e. oozy like some hotspots or dry and flaky. If it’s moist skin, I’d consider maybe shaving the area to allow it to get air and definitely give him a bath. After his bath can you apply betadine and perhaps give him some children’s Benadryl to help with the itching?

 

[cassie]

It could be anything from an allergic reaction to a fungus or yeast infection to a bacterial infection or some sort of parasite. About all you can do for now is clean it and put some sort of soothing medication on it. There are some anti itch creams available at the drug store but I don't know if they are safe for dogs or not. In all the years I have had animals I don't think any of them have ever gotten sick or injured during office hours.

 

[Percheron chick]

You can give him Benadryl at a rate of 1mg/# 2-3x a day to offer some relief.

 

[RubelliteRose]

A bath, antibiotic ointment, covering with a t-shirt and Benadryl are all good to try as none of them will hurt your dog no matter what the cause of the itching and hair loss. I know your vet isn't open today, but you may want to call other area vets to see if they can take you for a regular visit fee vs an emergency fee. While visiting family, we were even able to find a vet who was open on Christmas Eve morning for a regular visit fee. Hope he feels better soon!

 

[tizabel_]

Thank you all for the replies! This helps a lot. I will give him a bath with oatmeal shampoo, dry him as best I can and then apply an antibioti ointment. I’ll try the Benadryl and/or a t-shirt too.
As for the vet, there’s only two in our area and none of them are emergency vets. But I will call ones farther away.
Post bath, before ointment and t-shirt:

He’s hard to photograph there. The other half of his neck is worse in terms of hair loss but less red.
Thanks again for all of your replies!

 

[tizabel_]

You can give him Benadryl at a rate of 1mg/# 2-3x a day to offer some relief.

The topical Benadryl or the pill?
If you mean the pill should I follow the instructions on the bottle for kids under 12, or do something else. He’s at least 60lbs