# Not sure what else to do.



## EckoMac (Jun 1, 2012)

So I came home one day to my dogs under arm looking like this:










My friend Shannon said it looked like a possible wasp sting and to use Benadryl. So I did. It almost completely cleared up by Sunday. All that was left was a thin scab line through the crease.
Well, Monday hit and he was left alone because we all work or have band practice, regular daily life. It started getting red again. I tied a T-shirt on him to try and stop the scratching and have made him sleep in bed with us so if he scratches I can stop him. It's not working as well as I had hoped. 
This is what he looks like after sleeping with us last night.

















As soon as I think he's healing and will be 100% in a couple of more days, it gets red again. I've tried, bag balm, cortisone cream, neosporin, and peroxide. My final plan is to borrow my mom's dog's thunder shirt to strap on some sort of padding while he is crated in hopes that he can't scratch it while not being monitored. He is still on benedryl at least twice a day. Does anyone else have any other ideas. I am at a loss. If the thundershirt idea fails, I will have no other option but to take him to the vet. They will no doubt put him on prednisone. I hate the idea of giving him steroids. Any ideas are welcome and appreciated.


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## Liz (Sep 27, 2010)

Wow, that looks really sore. I use a mix of coconut oil (maybe 2 tablespoons) and four or five drops of colloidal silver and two or three drops of Grapefruit Seed Extract. You may want to give it a shot. The coconut oil helps soothe, moisturize and heal and the other two will help with bacteria, fungus or any other infection. I am sorry, I hope he doesn't have to go to prednisone.


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## EckoMac (Jun 1, 2012)

Liz said:


> Wow, that looks really sore. I use a mix of coconut oil (maybe 2 tablespoons) and four or five drops of colloidal silver and two or three drops of Grapefruit Seed Extract. You may want to give it a shot. The coconut oil helps soothe, moisturize and heal and the other two will help with bacteria, fungus or any other infection. I am sorry, I hope he doesn't have to go to prednisone.


Would I be able to get those at Walgreens? I know I can get Coconut Oil at Walgreens, not sure about the rest though.
Thank you for your advise. I'll try darn near anything at this point.


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## Liz (Sep 27, 2010)

I get everything at Super Supplements or Fred Meyer. you may want to check a supplement/vitamin store for the other two. the colloidal silver is spendy but just get a small bottle as you only use it a few drops at a time. The grapefruit Seed Extract is about $8 here and is a liquid by nutribiotics. It lasts a long time and is great for a ton of stuff.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

i don't know if walgreens will carry these ingredients, but if you have a vitamin shoppe, they very well might.

when you get the coconut oil, get extra virgin, unprocessed if you can.


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## chowder (Sep 7, 2008)

Rocky has a spot like that on his side that he constantly got at all summer long. The one thing that worked on him was zymox spray. I've used the coconut oil but either he licks it off or Shade will lick it off of him! I have to make sure I keep up an eye on him because it will look like it's better and I'll forget to spay him and he'll dig at it again. This time I've kept the zymox on it even after it healed and he's left it alone for a week so I think we actually got it all healed. 

I have to go and get some colloidal silver for future, but the zymox works well on his scratches and ears. He gets allergies around here in the summer and will dig himself up really quick before I notice.

Edit : I'm just thinking maybe if I had added the grapeseed extract to the coconut oil he would not have licked it off? Next time I will try the mixture of the three and see if the dogs leave it alone.


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## EckoMac (Jun 1, 2012)

Got the coconut oil and coloidal silver. The lady at the store said grapefruit seed oil is for collitis or some such nonsense and she only has it in pill form. She said to sub tea tree oil for it. So I did. My fingers are crossed. He seems like he doesn't car, but that's the bulldog in him. I know deep down that he is very uncomfortable. I'll give it a couple of days and if it doesn't look better then I'll be calling the vet to see what they can do. I have access to cephalexin wich is an sntibiotic that is good for topical infections like dermal, piercings and such. Do you think it might help?


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## Liz (Sep 27, 2010)

Give it a little time, you really should start to see some improvement in 24 hours, maybe not perfect but better. I like the Zymox products just make sure they are hydrocortisone free. I have used the ear stuff and it is good and I do like the topical. Tea tree oil should be fine and yes adding that or Grapefruit Seed Extract does keep the dogs from licking it off so quick.


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## Kibblelady (Jul 13, 2012)

Can I ask what his diet is? I assume he may be raw fed? I don't have an issue with that at all but to me his skin looks a bit thinning and his hair looks a bit sparse as well. Is it possible this is coming from the inside rather than external? Has his diet changed at all recently? Another thought that I had is is he possibly irritating it by climbing on something when you are not home? Like a gate etc or something?


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## EckoMac (Jun 1, 2012)

He looked better this morning after putting the paste on him overnight. I reapplied the paste and wrapped him and put a t-shirt on him AND put a thundershirt over that to keep him from scratching. We'll see how he looks when I get home. I have high hopes.

Kibblelady,
He is raw fed and has been for over a month and half now, but his coat is actually thicker now then it has ever been. He is crated when I'm not home. He may not have all that much drive, but I don't want any accidents with the cats if he gets a wild hair up his butt one day. It clears up when I watch him, and gets worse when he is crated and left alone. 


I'll be home all weekend, so hopefully being monitored and lubed up with paste, he will heal. I'll keep you all posted. Thanks for all of the feedback and advise.


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## bett (Mar 15, 2012)

I'd go to the vet before giving antibiotics, on your own.


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## EckoMac (Jun 1, 2012)

I'm just going with the paste for now. It doesn't look so much like any infection has set in at this point, so antibiotics wouldn't make sense right now.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

EckoMac said:


> He looked better this morning after putting the paste on him overnight. I reapplied the paste and wrapped him and put a t-shirt on him AND put a thundershirt over that to keep him from scratching. We'll see how he looks when I get home. I have high hopes.
> 
> Kibblelady,
> He is raw fed and has been for over a month and half now, but his coat is actually thicker now then it has ever been. He is crated when I'm not home. He may not have all that much drive, but I don't want any accidents with the cats if he gets a wild hair up his butt one day. It clears up when I watch him, and gets worse when he is crated and left alone.
> ...


i think you'll be very pleased with his coat within six months.....as he transitions, you'll be able to adequately add in the amount of dietary fat he'll need...along with fish and perhaps some fish oil caps without soy.....and then one day, you'll look at him and he'll be brilliantly magnificent...


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## wolfsnaps88 (Jan 2, 2012)

update? how is he doing?


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## EckoMac (Jun 1, 2012)

It's not nearly as red as it was. I'll post new pics Monday when get to work. Thank you Liz for the herbal paste, and thank you everyone else for the support. I'm glad Shannon told me about you guys.


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## lily (May 16, 2011)

EckoMac said:


> It's not nearly as red as it was. I'll post new pics Monday when get to work. Thank you Liz for the herbal paste, and thank you everyone else for the support. I'm glad Shannon told me about you guys.


Have to agree this forum is tops,these guys really take the time to help each other,I especially love the holistic help ,whenever I have a problem this is the first place I look,i hope your dog soon recovers,karen


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## Khan (Jan 17, 2010)

I bet you will see a HUGE improvement after using the colloidial silver. That stuff works wonders. Khan had a round bump on the backside of his ear. could not figure out where it came from or what it was. I coated that thing with cs 2-3 times a day and within about 3 weeks totally gone! Stuff is amazing!!


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## EckoMac (Jun 1, 2012)

HUGE improvement. Thanks again Liz. I will continue with the paste until he is completely healed. It's not red, or swollen anymore. Just slightly pink. It is definately getting better. He will be crated for a few hours this afternoon while my GF takes the kids to register for school. Fingers are crossed in hopes that he leaves it alone.


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## Liz (Sep 27, 2010)

Wow, that looks tons better. The swelling looks gone and not as much redness. I am so glad that is working.


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