# Unusual Dog Wound on head, please help



## PaulZ (Jul 3, 2010)

Hey all, my olde english bulldog had formed sort of an open wound on her head. I am shocked from it but I have no idea what it is. The opening is like whitish, red mush. I have been cleaning it for two days. And I have put neosporin on it but I really don't know what to do pleas help. She doesn't seem to be hurt by it though. Only when I was cleaning it. She doesn't cry and still acts the same. 

http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/9531/img0066f.jpg

http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/866/img0067hs.jpg

http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/5755/img0068uf.jpg


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## CoverTune (Mar 11, 2007)

Omg, please take your dog to a vet immediately! Do not put polysporin, or anything else, on that. If anything, clean it GENTLY with warm water, and nothing else.


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## PaulZ (Jul 3, 2010)

I have been cleaning it out with peroxide. I'm not sure if my vet is open, it's 4th of July weekend.


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## Entwine (Jan 14, 2009)

PaulZ said:


> I have been cleaning it out with peroxide. I'm not sure if my vet is open, it's 4th of July weekend.


Find a vet that is open, please. That looks pretty bad, and if it's not improving I'd definitely suggest you get her in to any vet you possibly can.


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## PaulZ (Jul 3, 2010)

I will take her to the vet tomorrow morning, thank you guys. I'm really scared now. I'll keep you updated.


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## CoverTune (Mar 11, 2007)

I don't think you need to be terribly scared, I just think it needs to be properly cleaned/flushed, and she will likely require some antibiotics. The sooner the better for sure though, so I'm very glad you're getting her to a vet tomorrow.


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## PaulZ (Jul 3, 2010)

Alright, thank you. I really thought it was something serious.


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## Firestorm (Feb 21, 2010)

To be honest, that looks like a wound my deceased dog Shadow (the first one) had a couple years before he died. Let me ask this: Does the wound have a terrible odor that makes you grimace or gag? Did you give your dog any De-shedding medications before you noticed this wound on her? Is it sticky?


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## PaulZ (Jul 3, 2010)

Firestorm said:


> To be honest, that looks like a wound my deceased dog Shadow (the first one) had a couple years before he died. Let me ask this: Does the wound have a terrible odor that makes you grimace or gag? Did you give your dog any De-shedding medications before you noticed this wound on her? Is it sticky?


It's not a terrible odor. it's just pretty foul when you smell it directly. It looks sticky but it isn't.


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## Firestorm (Feb 21, 2010)

Hm.. It could be an infection or an allergic reaction to something. Shadow's came from his de-shedding medication. I was able to clear it up myself in three days by washing it with an antibacterial soap, and his had been bad. He lost some fur in the process, but it cleared up nicely and his fur had grown back within a week during that time. 

However, it's really hard to say with your dog.. I will make a suggestion. If you are giving her anything at all, vitamin wise, medication wise, halt them all, and see your vet. They should be open Monday right? All I can suggest it in the meantime is to use a washclothe, warm water, and a odorless antibacterial soap. Wash, rinse, dry. I did this for Shadow twice a day, and it worked like a charm on him. However, I will not guarantee the results on your dog, it should help prevent it from becoming worse. Let's hope so any way. 

But do keep us posted on her condition.


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## PaulZ (Jul 3, 2010)

She isn't under any medication but I will keep posted.


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## oldhounddog (May 31, 2010)

The first thing I would do is clip the fur back away from the wound to get a good look. This will help in the clean and care dept, and a better look may give you a new perspective for treatment until you see the vet. Could be a Bot Fly bite and resulting wolf worm and possible infection.

oldhounddog


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## Mr. V (Jan 28, 2010)

That definitely looks infected. As mentioned above the vet would be your best (and only) option here.


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## Jare (Aug 12, 2009)

That Looks A LOT like what my dog Nellie had a few months back, which ended up being a hot spot, yours looks a bit deeper but it was the same, sudden kind of sticky looking thing, I brought her to the vet, SHE didn't need antibiotics after all but your dog might be a lit different, so please still bring her. My dogs was treated with cleanings, hot compresses, and a hot spot treatment I ordered online. Heres a picture of my dogs hot spot (again, it could be something totally different, but they do look similar)

(first picture before I clipped the hair, looks sticky and like an open wound)









And here it is, after a a vet visit, and some good info from here (thanks to DogShrink and Cracker and a few others) and clipping back all the hair.










she actually had two, Ugh my poor baby, shes totally healed now but they aren't comfortable and IF thats what your vet says it may be, do your best to help heal it. My dog's were caused from the new puppy chewing on her face + moisture (shes got wrinkles) and possibly food allergy.

Hope your vet visit goes well, keep us updated.


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## Cracker (May 25, 2009)

Wow, that definitely looks like a hotspot, otherwise known as moist pyoderma. Bulldogs are notorious for skin issues, I wouldn't mess around with that it looks very infected. She will need shaving, cleaning and likely antibiotics and topical meds. She's not going to die from it, so don't panic, but if it were me I would NOT wait until monday. Infection of any kind is not to mess with. Do not put ointment on it though, half the problem here is moisture and ointment only holds moisture in. 

Good luck.


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## Jare (Aug 12, 2009)

Cracker said:


> Wow, that definitely looks like a hotspot, otherwise known as moist pyoderma. Bulldogs are notorious for skin issues, I wouldn't mess around with that it looks very infected. She will need shaving, cleaning and likely antibiotics and topical meds. She's not going to die from it, so don't panic, but if it were me I would NOT wait until monday. Infection of any kind is not to mess with. Do not put ointment on it though, half the problem here is moisture and ointment only holds moisture in.
> 
> Good luck.


Whew, thanks Cracker, you backed me up and now I feel PaulZ has some really good info, glad you chimed in for him.


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

Ugh, Willow used to get horrible hotspots like that all the time. She also got them right on top of ehr head like that...weird. Maybe it was bad but we never took her to the vet for them. Well, once we did and all he did was give her a steroid shot, which made the hot spot go away but caused other complications. I don't like using steroids in dogs without a life-threatening reason. He did NOT give her any antibiotics.

Clean it up as well as you can. Clip the hair from around the spot and wash with a mild soap and rinse well. Flush it with strong black tea and pack it with Goldbond medicated powder, twice a day until it dries up. Personally I wouldnt be paying emergency vet fees for a hotspot. If it's not looking better in a few days she might need antibiotics, but most hotspots don't. JMO.


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