Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My dog is a long-coated GSD who gets hot spots at least once every couple of months. The vet gives me Betagen(sp?) to put on them and it does help but usually right after the spot starts to dry up, a new spot begins nearby.

The last one he had was in July and the vet put him on antibiotics and steroids for it. I really hate to keep giving him pills.

My vet tells me it's caused by a bacterial infection but I've read that they can also be caused by allergies. I feed him Canidae, plain yogurt, meat and an occasional egg so I can't imagine what he's allergic to. He's on Advantix for fleas and tics, could that be the problem?

Does anyone know what could be causing this? Anyone have an idea what he could be allergic to?

Does anyone have any good homeopathic treatments?

Thanks. At this point I'm open for any suggestions.

Allergies don't have to be ingested- it could be airborn and/or contact or a combination of small sensitivities that add up to your dog being uncomfortable enough to exhibit hot spots.

As a holistic approach for this, I've heard great things regarding acupuncture treating allergies. I too am not a huge fan of steroids, but I will say that sometimes they help break the cycle and allow your dog to cope better in the long run.
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