Ringworm on a dog appears as a dry, hairless, circular spot, while a hot spot tends to angry, red, moist lesions that are itchy.

What does ringworm look like on a dog? Ringworm causes small, circular, hairless patches. You may notice scales or crusting, possibly with a red outline on the patches. These tend to be “dry” lesions. While ringworm may be itchy, it is generally a mild pruritus. If it’s itchy, there may be a secondary infection. Note: Ringworm is highly contagious to you and other animals.

What is a hot spot on a dog? Hot spots are usually angry, red, moist lesions. They come on fast and are painful and itchy. Most lesions start out small but grow rapidly as your dog licks and chews. The shape of the lesion is usually irregular. There may be a pus like or yellow serous discharge. Hot spots are often a warm-weather problem.

Ringworm vs. Hot Spots in Dogs

Both disease processes may appear on the head and neck, with hot spots often showing up under a dropped ear or on the hip or groin area as well. While ringworm is a primary skin problem, hot spots have an underlying cause such as allergies or flea infestations.

Treatment of Hot Spots in Dogs

Treatment for a hot spot is relatively uncomplicated. Because the lesions are “wet,” you want to dry the area. Start by trimming the hair around the hot spot. Long hairs will delay healing and irritate the sore area. Hot spots are painful, so enlist a helper to restrain your dog and consider the use of a muzzle.

Chlorhexidine is a popular medicinal antibacterial cleaning solution. Clean gently, then dry gently. Your veterinarian may recommend an ointment or a powder (foot powder often works well). If the site was badly infected, antibiotics may be dispensed. A low, tapering dose of a corticosteroid may be prescribed to help with the pruritus (itching).

Pain medications may be dispensed for the first couple of days post diagnosis. It is important to keep your dog from going back and licking and chewing at the hot spot again. An Elizabethan collar may be necessary.

Try to determine the underlying cause, which is likely fleas or allergies. Treat those to prevent recurrence (getting rid of fleas is not easy). However, it may be something as simple as not drying your dog completely after a swim on a hot, humid day.

Treatment of Ringworm in Dogs

Treating ringworm is more complicated due to its contagiousness. You may need to treat all your pets. If you only have the one dog, you can try isolation to contain the fungus.

The hair itself may have fungal spores, so you need to clean and disinfect the house thoroughly. Vacuum and mop daily, taking precautions to keep you ringworm-free as well. All bedding, toys, bowls, and grooming tools need to be frequently and carefully cleaned.

Antifungal baths and topicals may work for a limited infection caught early on, but most dogs will need a prescription for an antifungal medication.

Both these skin infections use require the help of a veterinarian. Delaying the help of your vet with makeshift remedies will make treatment longer and more difficult.

Pigmentary keratitis occurs most often in brachycephalic dogs, like Pugs, although it can be seen in other breeds. In simplest terms, pigmentary keratitis is the buildup of melanin or pigment on the surface of the cornea. The pigment will appear brown or black. It can build up enough to block vision.

Unfortunately, the conformation of brachycephalic breeds predisposes them to several health conditions, including ocular ones like pigmentary keratosis. Genetics may also be at work.

What Causes Pigmentary Keratitis in Dogs?

Irritation to the cornea stimulates the pigment deposits. This can be caused by eyelids that roll in, so the eyelashes or hairs rub on the cornea. It can be caused by eyelids that droop, allowing dust and plant material or irritate the cornea. In some cases, irritation is caused by abnormal eye lashes.

Less commonly, direct trauma to the cornea or the rubbing of even benign eyelid tumors may stimulate pigment production. Anything that interferes with blinking or tear production may also lead to corneal damage and pigment production.

The short muzzles of brachycephalic dogs, often with nasal skin folds,  mean the hair is closer to the eye. The large, round eyes are open to irritants, including things like blowing dust.

Diagnosing Pigmentary Keratosis in Dogs

Your veterinarian can usually diagnose pigmentary keratosis during a routine office visit, but some vets may suggest referral to a veterinary ophthalmologist for the latest in treatment. Often, a fluorescein stain of the cornea will be done to check for any corneal ulcers that might accompany the pigmentary keratitis as that would mean adjustments in medications.

Can You Treat Pigmentary Keratosis in Dogs?

Many cases of pigmentary keratitis are managed medically. That means eye drops or eye ointments, often multiple times a day. Be sure to follow dosing directions exactly. Immunosuppressive drugs such as cyclosporine or tacrolimus are fairly standard. Artificial tears, as drops or ointments, may be added if your dog also has “dry eye” or a lack of tear production called keratitis sicca.

Along with medical therapy, surgical treatment may be suggested. This surgery is done on the eyelids to correct an eyelid that turns in (entropion) or droops outward (ectropion) or to remove abnormally located eyelashes. Excessive skin folds may be removed. Those corrections would prevent the constant irritation to the cornea. Your veterinarian may perform these surgeries themselves, or they may refer you to a veterinary ophthalmologist.

Preventing Pigmentary Keratitis in a Dog

Can you prevent pigmentary keratitis? Not really. When choosing a puppy, try to pick one with a less extreme “flat” face and search for breeders with more moderate dogs. If your dog has an extreme brachycephalic face, he will be prone to this eye disease.

If you notice any pigment moving onto the cornea, have it evaluated early on before any permanent visual damage is done.

Try to avoid dusty conditions. If you have fans blowing to keep your dog cool, mop or vacuum to reduce dust. Avoid fields during dusty and dry conditions or that have lots of plant material that could irritate the cornea.

Normally, a dog’s penis is safely tucked inside the preputial sheath of haired skin that covers it. If a dog cannot retract his erect penis into the sheath, it is called paraphimosis. You may hear this colloquially referred as to “red rocket out,” or “lipstick showing,” or “red rocket dog.” No matter what you call it, it is not a normal state.

A dog’s penis is covered with moist, sensitive tissue. If it dries out, tissues may die. The tissues are not strong and may easily get cut or torn. The penis will normally stay outside the sheath and visible after a breeding or semen collection but should return to its normal location in 30 minutes or less. Some dogs may take longer but certainly not more than an hour.

While you don’t need to make a dash to the vet clinic with sirens blaring, this condition needs to a veterinary evaluation, especially if it continues for more than an hour or two.

Some breeds appear to have a predisposition to paraphimosis, including Bouvier des Flandres, German Shepherd Dogs, Golden Retrievers, and Labrador Retrievers.

How to Fix Paraphimosis in Dogs at Home

If you catch the problem early, applying a cold compress can help to shrink an enlarged penis. Fans of the TV show “All Creatures Great and Small” may remember that you can try sprinkling sugar on the swollen penis. The osmotic pull of the sugar helps to reduce the swelling, allowing the penis to be retracted. These simple steps may work for a mild case, caught early on with no complicating factors.

However, despite these attempts, the penis may become or stay swollen, which will exacerbate the problem as the penis may no longer fit back into the sheath. In addition, as the tissues dry, there is more friction created when your dog tries to retract his penis, so he may stop trying. It hurts! The dry tissue may also pull the haired skin around the orifice in with it, again causing a stop to retraction.

You might notice your dog licking his sheath area obsessively, walking with a hunched back, whimpering, or having trouble urinating. Left outside, the tissues will dry and become friable. You may see the penis change from a deep pink color to blue or black as the tissues become oxygen deprived and die. At this point, it is a dash to the emergency clinic situation!

What Causes Paraphimosis in Dogs

Why would your dog extrude his penis and leave it? There are numerous reasons. A young male who is sexually excited may not “think” to retract his erection when it settles. Again, after an hour, everything should be normal (preferably within 30 minutes). If not, call your veterinarian.

If the preputial orifice is tight, your dog may find it uncomfortable to pull his penis back in. He pushed it out in the heat of the moment, but now he has calmed down and finds it uncomfortable. This could require minor surgery to open the end of the sheath for a permanent solution.

The big concerns are anything that might constrict blood flow to the penis. A foreign body caught in the sheath could block the return of the penis. Plant material, especially in the fall and during a dry spell, is not uncommon. An unusual situation would involve any skin growth or small tumor on the penis, but it happens. My sister’s German Shepherd Dog had a small wartlike growth on her dog’s penis, which prevented it from returning all the way into the sheath. Surgical removal was required.

Any trauma to the penis, especially if it occurs while it is extended, can result in swelling that prevents return to the sheath. Extensive trauma may require surgery. Keeping the extruded penis lubricated may prevent more damage while it heals with eventual ability to retract it fully.

Any infection in the sheath could lead to the penis being swollen and sore, with your dog resisting retraction. Being outside in cold temperatures with a penis exposed to the air can lead to frostbite damage. Anything beyond mild damage will require surgical intervention to remove the dead tissue.

Neurologic disease may interfere with movement of the penis back into the sheath, but generally there are other neurologic signs present such as gait abnormalities.

One of the most common problems is hair wrapped around the shaft of the penis. This can occur with a dog’s own hair from around the sheath or hair from the female dog during a breeding. The hair forms a tight band around the penis and blocks blood and lymphatic flow. Tissues may become necrotic from the lack of oxygen and nutrients.

Any necrotic tissue will require surgical removal, which can lead to another complication if your dog develops scar tissue that makes it hard for him to retract his penis. The worst-case scenario is a penile amputation.

If your dog requires veterinary assistance to get the penis back into the sheath, you will need to be very observant for any recurrence. Your dog should be prevented from licking that area for at least a week. Your veterinarian may put in a “purse string suture” to hold the penis in place.

Can You Prevent Paraphimosis?

If your dog is used for breeding or has a semen collection, always keep track that the penis returns to the sheath, again, ideally in 30 minutes. If it goes over an hour, contact your veterinarian. If your dog feels he is “super stud,” keep him away from bitches in heat unless being bred to discourage unnecessary erections. Consider neutering if he repeatedly gets paraphimosis.

Trim the hair around the end of his sheath to prevent any being pulled in when he retracts his penis. Wrap the tails of long hair bitches he is being bred to. You may want to wet down long hair around the vagina and/or apply a sterile lubricant to minimize chances of hair getting caught on his penis.