In the last few hours a have noticed that he has been drooling excessively, especially since he never really drools. What could cause this and what are some things that i should look out for? Also there is a spot on his hind leg that i think is a hot spot. How do i treat those?
Veteran Advisor David Brooks says:
August 25th, 2008 at 05:19 AM
Excessive drooling can occur for many reasons. Some possibilities are oral ingestion of insecticides / parasite treatments (flea spot on), dental disease, anxiety, nausea plus others.
If you think there is a potential for toxin ingestion then you should have him checked by a vet asap
Hot spots are surface skin infections caused when populations of normal skin bacteria grow and overwhelm normal resistance. They are generally circular patches that lose hair, can be swollen, may exude a smelly pus, and can be painfully itchy, causing the dog to scratch, lick, or bite to the point of self-mutilation. Untreated hot spots can spread and provoke a normally even-tempered dog to growl or nip when touched.
These troublesome sores can seem to arise in a matter of hours with no warning, but they do tend to follow a pattern that helps in predicting their occurrence.
Dogs most susceptible to hot spots are those with heavy coats and histories of allergies, ear infections, flea infestations, irritated anal sacs, and grooming problems such as hair tangles and mats, but any dog can develop this infection.
Dogs in warm, humid climates may develop hot spots when they shed their undercoats if the dead hair is trapped next to the skin, and dogs with behavior problems may mutilate themselves by licking and thus encourage an infection to become established.
The most common locations for hot spots are the legs and feet, flanks, and rump — areas that can be reached by licking or biting — but these localized infections can also appear on ears, neck, and chest if the dog is continually scratching.
Hot spots require clipping of fur around problem area and bathing with antispetic solution. Anti inflammatories and antibiotics are recommended to speed healing and prevent worsening
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