Thursday, May 01, 2008

Hot Spot!

...and I don't mean a local night club!

This is the mother of all hot spots on Fuzzy Face's cheek. His face used to be fuzzy anyway. Now its once again clean shaven.

For those of you who don't have dogs prone to hot spots, they are nasty irritations that hurt like a bad brush burn. Bacchus's got started when the oozing from his hematoma got on his cheek and Mom didn't get it cleaned and dried well enough. All those little bacteria buried themselves beneath the fur and started doing their dirty deed.

We thought we had it under control two weeks ago, but his facial fur grew in faster than expected and the spot spread. Actually the part that had been the worst is pretty well healed but it started migrating to where the fur was regrowing.

So this morning we got another shave and a furcut, a change in medication and more instructions. He was so good they didn't have to sedate him like they did before. Probably he's just resigned to the discomfort and trusts Mom will eventually triumph.

To add insult to injury his inner ear problem has kicked up because of those !@##!* bacteria! Another ten days of mornings with Mom, bathing the area to clean up any debris, popping pills and massaging medicine into the sore and squirting medication into his ear and massaging it in. Three weeks and we check in again. Between this regimine and my own physical therapy and exercise routine mornings are shot!

The vet says we're making progress; it's just in a difficult spot to treat. It's because his floppy ear covers his cheek, reducing the air flow. I'd pin his ears back if I could but his head is too big. When flopped back they don't come close to meeting. We'll get it done though. He trusts in that and so must I.

One thing for sure, his breed has been aptly named. He has been an absolute Saint throughout the whole ordeal!

5 comments:

Betty said...

Bless his big ole fuzzy heart. I hope he's not suffering too much. And, I hope YOU'RE not suffering too much, too.

ThomG said...

Sorry to see he's not feeling well. Hang in there!

Anonymous said...

Has your vet mentioned food allergy problems? I'd try a diet change as
well as treatment.

I sympathize because my dog is sick now and I'm worried about a reaction from a new drug my vet prescribed. If
only they could talk to us and tell us where they hurt it would not be so hard to look in those soulful eyes.
Donna in AR

Word Tosser said...

All of this attention he is getting... but he wishes it was under better situation...

Poor Mr. B, he sure is starting out this Spring rough. He is suppose to having a spring in his step, and shedding like crazy..
Not have to have all this dumb stuff... when he could be playing. Oh, well, Mr. B... this too shall past, and Mom will take care of it all.

Mari Meehan said...

Bacchus thanks you all for your suggestions and good wishes and wants me to tell you he's doing well. He hasn't lost his appetite nor his wanting to race the fence line with Sadie, the boxer, next door. He still doofs along on our morning walks. He looks a lot worse than he is - I'm the one who's the worrier!