"scuse me but Duchie has a hole in her side? *Ick warning*

[Rae]

she has had a little sore on her side for a while, just in range of the "hind leg scratch"... and with seniors you know they have "little spots" and lumps and bumps from time to time.

The past few days the scab has broken open when I pick her up and stretch that skin, and it has bled a wee bit, fresh blood.

Yesterday I decided to check it out in detail and there is a HOLE in the Duchess! The scab broke in half and I could see... ummm.... meat. There is a hole in my frigging baby!

I cleaned it with peroxide and it did not bubble much so no infection, and I gobbed Neosporin on it pretty well... told her to leave it alone

Advice? The scabby part is NOT attached to the muscle, there is no swelling or knot or cyst that I can detect... Bless her heart.

[Jen]

I assume it will heal if she leaves it alone. Do they make pink e-collars?

Sending for HRH!

[Barb]

:awww: Sweet Duchie.....

We need a picture mommy to see what you are talkin' about I would just keep a close watch...make sure it doesn't swell, and with it scabbing - it sounds like it is healing.

[lotsadox]

Hmm. . . very weird. Didn't bubble with the peroxide. Does it seem swollen or tender to the touch?

[areese]

Strange!!!! Cuz I'd say an abcess but if there's been no infection....that isn't it. I wonder if it was a wart or bump she scratched right out, leaving a hole???
Is it in a spot you can wrap so she won't scratch it anymore??? Stretchy vet wrap right around her????
I think sometimes neosporin works the opposite on dogs..I think it's cuz it keeps it kinda damp. Is there an antibiotic powder, does anyone know???

[lotsadox]

I agree that sometimes you need to let sores dry out to heal. I remember my mom using an antibiotic powder years ago on a lab that had hot spots, but I have no idea what it was called.

[Alex's Mom]

Just like people our babies' skin gets thin as they get older. The same thing happened with Alex a few times; usually a sebaceous cyst that had burst and then she'd worry at it and it would bleed, and she'd worry at it, and the hole would become bigger. I'd just make sure it's clean and keep it open. If you can find some Cothivet, http://www.drugs.com/vet/cothivet.html (headquarters is in Lexington!!) it'll help with the healing granulation too (and smells really nice!! ). If it's big, maybe needs a stitch or two just to bring the edges together. If she's worrying at it, maybe some gauze and vetwrap (I'm assuming Sutton has some in the barn somewhere??) to keep her away from it. It'll be fine...her mission in life is to drive her mom :duh:

[Otto'sMom]

Otis had a hole like that. An abscess had popped and nothing but a gaping cavernous hole in his side. Just had to let it heal by air.

[Alex's Mom]

I think sometimes neosporin works the opposite on dogs..I think it's cuz it keeps it kinda damp. Is there an antibiotic powder, does anyone know???

Does Sutton have any Wonderdust in the barn? A little of that would help too, if you want something dry.

[vferraro99]

Poor HRH! I agree that it is easier to let it dry without Neosporin (it has an adverse effect on me also). I do not know of any antibiotic powder, but the pharmacist should be able to let you know if one [still] exists. You should cover also, so she cannot scratch it, hit it with her back paw.