My Fire Hydrant

Bailey pays a visit to her favorite Fire Hydrant.

I mentioned on Saturday that Bailey had a hot spot. As of yesterday her tail is flying high again and she seems to be nearly back to her rotten-spoiled self (big sigh of relief!). 

 A hot spot happens when something irritates the skin–it’s a bacterial infection. The irritation starts a cycle where the dog licks and chews at the irritation site which further irritates the skin which makes it itch even more which makes the dog lick/chew more…you get the idea.

In Bailey’s case, she was licking her back paw making it very wet, then rubbing it against the remainder of the wart she somehow managed to slice off. The moisture from her foot and the bloody wart trapped by her fur against the skin caused bacteria to grow and the cycle of itching/scratching/further skin irritation to begin. I feel a little bit less like a bad mom who wasn’t paying attention because I read on WebMD Healthy Pets that hot spots develop really fast–sometimes within a matter of hours.

Things that can cause hot spots (other than pulling off a wart):

• Fleas (most common) and other bug bites
• Allergies
• Skin parasites
• Ear or anal gland infections
• Skin diseases
• Poor grooming
• Burrs
• Anything that starts an itch/scratch cycle

Heavy coated breeds seem to be more prone to hot spots than lighter coated breeds.

Treatment usually includes:

• Clipping away the hair around the hot spot–it’s usually bigger then it appears.
• Cleaning the skin with solutions that are antibacterial and/or have drying powers.
• Allowing the area to dry out.
• Antibiotics.
• An e-collar.
• (MOST IMPORTANT!) Stopping the itch/lick/itch cycle.

If your dog is scratching like crazy, and has crusty, scabbed, angry-red skin that might be oozing and moist, VISIT THE VET! Hot spots are extremely painful (as Bailey will testify)!

Here are some tips that got me through the past few days:

• On Saturday and Sunday I kept Bailey on her leash all the time so that I could keep close watch on her to keep her from scratching at her wound. Because of the location of the hot spot, an e-collar was not an option for us.
• The leash also helped me control her when I had to put ointment on the wound area (which she fought like crazy).
  

  Bailey's new neck ruff softly protects her neck where the hot spot is healing.

• I took an old, long sleeved tee shirt of mine and cut off a part of one of the sleeves. This became Bailey’s new neck ruff, covering the wound area and protecting it from more irritation (like rubbing against the sofa or scratching by that busy back leg).
• I let go of our schedule and went with the flow. I stopped stressing if Bailey missed a meal. She seemed to be sleeping more–if she was sleeping, I waited until she woke up on her own before offering a meal.
• Bailey is on an antibiotic, and antibiotics are indiscriminate about killing the bad and the GOOD bacteria. Along with her antibiotic med, Bailey is getting Prostora Max to help keep a balance of good bacteria in her digestive tract.

 Back in December, I briefly mentioned a new product we (Iams) were launching called Prostora Max. Here are some more details.

1. WHAT IS PROSTORA MAX?
Prostora Max is our new probiotic supplement for dogs.Probiotics are the beneficial or good bacteria that can provide health benefits in the gut beyond what basic nutrition provides. In your dog’s gut, they help provide a natural defense system against bad bacteria; they promote vitamin synthesis and absorption; and they maintain the health of the immune system.

Prostora Max (our new supplement!) contains a unique and patented strain of bacteria called Bifidobacterium animalis AHC7. Bifiobacterium is naturally present in the dog’s gut and probiotics originating from the target species (the dog) may be better adapted to adhere and colonize.

It comes in a soft, chewable treat form that (I can personally testify because Bailey has tried it) dogs love to eat and owners love to give!

2. WHAT DOES IT DO?
More than 500 species of bacteria reside in your dog and there is a delicate balance between the good ones and the bad ones. Several things can impact this balance such as disease, age, diet, stress and antibiotics. Upsetting the balance can result in digestive upsets and loose stools.

Probiotics (the good bacteria) can help restore the delicate balance. But all probiotics are NOT created equal. Benefits depend on the kind of probiotics (Lactobacillus, Acidophilus, Bifidobacterium), the species they are used in (human, dog, cat) or the level that is consumed.

In a clinical trial Prostora Max was shown to nutritionally manage diarrhea faster than without using probiotics (anyone whose dog has had diarrhea will tell you that stopping it even 1 hour faster is a benefit!). Antibiotic use in this study was also decreased by 23% when Prostora was given.

3. WHERE CAN I GET IT?
Prostora Max is only available through your veterinarian.

4. WHERE DID THAT GOOFY NAME COME FROM?
The rumor around the office is that they took the words probiotic and restore and mashed them together to make Prostora. Prostora helps restore the bacterial balance.

DISCLAIMER:
I’ve put this information in my own words after training and study. I reserve the right to add to and/or edit this post if it becomes outdated or additional/better information becomes available. Information posted on my blog (or on the Internet for that matter) should NEVER be substituted for the guidance and advice of your veterinarian or your animal behavior professional.

Pronounced: Fruwk-toe-ol-lie-go-sack-er-ides, a probiotic available from a veterinarian.

1. WHAT IS FRUCTOOLIGOSACCHARIDES?
Fructooligosaccharides, or FOS, is a prebiotic. It’s found in a variety of foods, like bananas, barley, garlic, honey, rye, and wheat. It can also be produced commercially. We (Iams/Eukanuba) have used a natural form of this ingredient (which we source from Canada) in selected diets since 1994. FOS is a fiber that is broken down—or fermented–in the intestine by the good bacteria that live there.

2. WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PREBIOTIC AND A PROBIOTIC?
Probiotics are live, beneficial or good bacteria supplied in some form (treat or supplement) to the animal that provide a health benefit. Prebiotics feed (or support) the good bacteria, helping the good bacteria to grow.

Certain combinations of prebiotics and probiotics can actually compliment each other in promoting gastrointestinal health. For example, the Fructooligosaccharides (a prebiotic) in a dog diet can feed the “good” bacteria found in Prostora Max

3. HOW DOES FOS WORK?
Because it’s a fiber, FOS is not digested by the enzymes in the dog’s or cat’s digestive tract. Instead, the bacteria in the intestinal track break it down and use it for food. Here’s what’s really cool: Fructooligosaccharides does NOT feed the bad bacteria. So the net result is that FOS feeds the good bacteria and starves the bad bacteria, helping to create the right balance between good and bad bacteria.

A dog or cat’s immune system is influenced by the right balance of good and bad bacteria in the intestinal tract. If the good bacteria (like Bifidobacterium, and Lactobacillus) are outnumbered by the bad bacteria (like Salmonella and Clostridium), the pet may end up sick—probably with diarrhea.

4. WHAT IAMS/EUKANUBA DIETS CONTAIN FOS?
Right now, only a few of our Iams and Eukanuba diets contain Fructooligosaccharides. But here’s the great news! Over the next few months this prebiotic will be added in to nearly all Iams and Eukanuba dog and cat diets! You will see “Fructooligosaccharides” listed on the ingredients panel along with a sticker on the front of the bag that talks about prebiotics.

DISCLAIMER:
I’ve put this information in my own words after training and study. I reserve the right to add to and/or edit this post if it becomes outdated or additional/better information becomes available. Information posted on my blog (or on the Internet for that matter) should NEVER be substituted for the guidance and advice of your veterinarian or your animal behavior professional.

Here’s a really cool thing: We are just launching a probiotic to help dogs with diarrhea resolution. The name of the product is Prostora Max (where do we get these names?). It’s just starting to ship to vet clinics.