Poorly skin after local shoot...

[Dingle]

My 18mnth old cocker spaniel, Dingle has been beating with me 3 or 4 times on a local game shoot which he absolutely loves (he did 7 retrieves last Wednesday - clever little fellow) but since returning from said shoot a week ago he's come out in pussy legions/spots all over his tummy, chest and legs (and his private bits). For about a week he has been scratching and itching and he's chewing the fur off both his front and rear legs and knawing at these ‘spots’. His eyes also look really sore and the fur around them has gone really thin and he just looks manky! Poor little man. We've bathed him (with salt in the water) and also bathed his sores with luke warm water with a little antiseptic spray mixed in but they don't seem to be clearing up. I've checked for thorns to no avail. He hasn't had any reaction on any previous shoots. He seems his same old lively self (apart from the irritation) but I'm a little worried that they aren’t clearing up. Are they just bramble scratches that have become infected? Is there any good specialist antiseptic dog bath available that I can bathe him in ? We are down to go beating again this Saturday but I think he might need a day off if they haven’t cleared up…

For info, he’s bathed and brushed as soon as we get home from the shoot and he’s had all his necessary injections… he’s had no skin complaints up until now…

Thanks in advance for any advice.
Dingle’s Dad, Neil.

[Colin]

You could maybe try Hibiscrub - available from the vets but far cheaper at the chemists, just check if it needs diluting. Tea tree cream/lotion might soothe things too.

I think I'd take him to the vet though, just to be sure.

[Mary]

I think I'd take him to the vet though, just to be sure.

I agree, it sounds like he has had a reaction to something.  I would avoid taking him beating this weekend until the reaction has cleared.

[flozac]

I was also gonna suggest tea tree oil. It usually works well formy dogs although one of them goes loopy with the smell.

[James]

Could he have got stung by stinging nettles? their is a dog on my local shoot who reacted quite badly to them.

Hope he gets better soon 

[*jean*]

rolos nether regions are always getting grazes.. hes a low slung lad. so far they've healed normally. pus idicates infection.. id see a vet if i were you.

[Penel]

I would use Aloe Vera gel rather than Tea Tree - it's far gentler, and less offensive to a dog - Tea Tree smells strong to us, how strong do you think it smells to a dog 
I wonder if any of the areas you were working in had been sprayed - wrong time of year I know, but it's very odd that he has reacted this time, and no other time.  You haven't changed washing powder or anything household-y have you ?

[crazyspaniels]

There is no need to rush to the vets, most dogs will react badly to the ditch water etc on their first few shoots, it gets better as they get more used to it - frightened the life out of me when I got Dobbie home the first time. I tend to bring my dogs home and wash them down with a hibiscrub solution. The scratches which are picked up in the undergrowth are just infected by all the water and dirt they run through. Last few shoots I have just popped Dobbie in the bath with a slug of hibiscrub and thats seems to do the trick
Dobbie has no real hair covering like my other dog so he is really prone to them, I tend to lightly rub the pus lumps and scratches, they are very superficial so rubbing them will not do any harm and it cleans them right up, I use a bit of cotton wool and hibiscrub as I rinse them down. You will be left with a red mark but will notice it isn't actually a cut, just a skin reaction

[LB]

http://www.camrosa.co.uk/horses.htm

Works effectively on dogs too.



LB