I've always heard about Pressure Sores, or Bed Sores in people, especially elderly folks in nursing homes. They spend a lot more time lying or sitting in one position than they used to when they were healthier and more active. It's important for them to move and shift often so they're not applying too much lengthy pressure on one part of their skin, resulting in bed sores. Pressure sores on dogs, also called Decubitis Ulcers or Bed Sores, are a skin condition that is similar to bed sores in humans. And they can be just as painful, uncomfortable and subject to infection as bed sores are in humans.
What Are Pressure Sores On Dogs Skin
Pressure sores on dogs occur when continuous pressure is placed on one area of a dog's body that results in reduced blood supply to that area of the skin. These pressure sores can lead to tissue damage and necrosis (dead tissue) on the dog's skin.
Dog pressure sores need to be addressed quickly, as they can become infected. We found this out the hard way, with my Siberian Husky dog, Icy. Many of you know that my dog turned 15 in September 2024, and has been experiencing some common senior dog health issues.
One of the senior dog health problems Icy has been having is mobility limitations, particularly in her hind legs. She isn't nearly as active as she once was, and she has a lot of weakness in her hind legs. Icy is also much more tired than she used to be, and sleeps a lot more during the day. These days, she prefers to sleep on cool tile floor rather than her many comfy dog beds. And that seems to be how the problem started.
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| Photos of my dog's Pressure Sores, taken 8 weeks apart |
One day my husband noticed what looked like a bit of shedding in one small area of her left hind quarters. She had also been biting at that area a little. Upon closer inspection, spreading her fur out, he saw there was some kind of sore on her skin. We though it was a "hot spot", which is common in dogs.
I cleaned the sore with hydrogen peroxide and put antibiotic ointment on it. We monitored the area for a week or two, but it didn't improve so we took Icy to our Veterinarian.
During the appointment the Vet asked a lot of questions about our dog's behavior with respect to the sore, how long it was there, and about her sleeping habits. She did a skin test and could see that the sore was infected. Our Vet knows about Icy's mobility issues and after some discussion, it was determined that the sore was likely a pressure sore. Our Vet prescribed a topical treatment as well as a round of antibiotics.
Causes of Pressure Sores In Dogs
A few things can cause pressure sores in dogs;
Lying in one position or on one side of their body is a common way pressure sores develop in dogs. This can cause sores on one side of their body, on their elbows, and feet since when they're lying down for long periods of time it creates prolonged pressure to one or more of those areas.
Dogs with arthritis, or paralyzed dogs often develop pressure sores because they may not be able move around much and therefore sit or lie in one position for long periods of time. In this photo you see Icy lying down on her left side, which is what we think caused her pressure sore.
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| My dog lying down outside at an outdoor cafe |
Senior dogs like Icy often have a similar issue. Their energy level is much lower, and they often develop mobility limitations. This causes them to sleep many more hours, often in one position, than they did as younger pups. Lying in one position for long periods of time can easily cause pressure sores.
Dogs with health issues often have less energy and move less which causes the same problem of remaining in one position for long periods of time. If the dog has lost a significant amount of weight and is quite thin that can also contribute to developing pressure sores more easily. Icy has lost a lot of weight as she's aged and she is a bit boney. We try to get her to eat more and put some weight back on but it's a challenge.
Another thing that can cause dog pressure sores is inadequate padding to sleep on. An orthopedic dog bed is a really good way to help avoid pressure sores. When we moved to a hot climate, Icy developed the habit of sleeping on tile floor in the bathrooms. We didn't think anything of it - she liked the cool tile floor, and she's a Husky so.... That was fine until she began having mobility issues and wasn't moving as much.
The Vet (strongly) suggested we work to ensure Icy didn't sleep on bare floors anymore. She suggested we place rugs or mats around the house, especially in the bathrooms, for her to sleep on.
Sounds simple enough, but our stubborn Husky just loves those cool floors! We have to really keep on top of her and make sure she lays on bath mats or rugs. There are times we actually have to life her up onto a mat or rug to get her pressure sores OFF the hard floor! It's a constant battle, but we have to do it.
Symptoms of Pressure Sores In Dogs
As in my dog's case, it began with a small area of shedding on her hind quarters. Shedding in one small area like that wasn't normal for her.
Any kind of sore on your dog's skin could indicate a pressure sore. They look very similar to hot spots, so if you see this on your dog call the Veterinarian to determine if it's a hot spot or a pressure sore.
If an area of the dog's skin looks red and raw, darkened, or callused this could indicate a pressure sore
If the fur looks like it's flattened, or a patch of fur has come out it could be a pressure sore.
If you see puss or discharge coming out of what looks like a sore, or if it looks like the sore has opened up call your Veterinarian right away.
If your dog appears to have pain or sensitivity one area of her body, check the skin to see if any sore is present.
How To Treat Pressure Sores On Dogs
In our dog's case, the Vet recommended treating her pressure sore with a topical foam containing Chlorhexidine Digluconate, a broad spectrum antiseptic and disinfectant, and Ophytrium, a natural ingredient used for various skin conditions. She also prescribed a round of antibiotics.
When Icy's pressure sore hadn't healed after more than a month, the Vet took another skin test and saw there was still some bacteria and yeast present. She then prescribed a topical ointment called Animax, which is used for skin conditions resulting from fungal or bacterial infections in dogs or cats.
Part of helping dogs pressure sores heal might be making sure your dog sleeps on an orthopedic bed or other padded surface to reduce the pressure on that part of the skin.
Depending on where the sore is on the dog's body, you may be able to bandage the sores. When it's on the hip however, like Icy's sore, it's very difficult to bandage. It's easier to bandage a foot with a pressure sore.
Keep the sore clean and free of debris, and use wraps or clothing to help reduce friction in the area of the sore.
How To Prevent Dog Pressure Sores
Pay attention to your dogs habits, especially if they're sleeping a lot during the day. Young dogs and Healthy dogs don't usually sleep half the day away. If your dog has started sleeping significantly longer hours than she used to due to age or health related issues, keep an eye on her skin and fur condition. If they're sleeping many hours, they may be laying in the same position, creating pressure points on their hips and sides of their feet.
That's what Icy was doing. She gravitated towards lying for many hours on her left side, and because of that she developed pressure sores on her left hip.
Look closely at your dog's fur and skin. If you start to see shedding in a small, specific area of your dog's body, take a closer look. Spread the fur out and see if there might be missing fur, redness, or even what looks like a sore developing. Sometimes dogs will bite at a certain area, as they do with hot spots. If you see any of these signs, call your Veterinarian right away.
Keep your dog's skin and coat healthy with regular brushing, bathing and grooming. Keep the skin moisturized as well to prevent the skin from cracking.
Give your dog an orthopedic bed to sleep on, or at least a heavily padded bed. This is especially important for senior dogs, dogs with arthritis, paralyzed dogs or dogs with limited mobility, and dogs with health issues that may cause them to be less energetic and sleep more. We saw a very interesting YouTube video of a woman with a paralyzed dog who used pieces of egg crate padding with a soft fur cover over it for her dog. She could easily move it around to wherever her dog was lying down, easily travel with the padding, and she could re-position it on the dog's body anytime. What a great idea!
Helping your dog change position frequently is very helpful. We joke that we now "flip our dog like a pancake" every couple of hours to prevent her from lying in one position for hours and hours. It also gets her up and moving a lot more. We used to think it was better to let her "rest" for most of the day, but now we now that isn't ideal at all.
If your have hard flooring throughout your home like we do, try to place rugs, bath mats, or rubber mats throughout the home wherever your dog likes to lay down. Keeping your dog off hard flooring for too long can help avoid pressure sores.
It's been over a month and Icy's pressure sore on her hip is still there. I pray it heals up and the infection goes away. I wish we had known all this information before our sweet dog developed these pressure sores. But we will do everything we can to keep our dog free of pressure sores by paying close attention to her fur, skin, and sleeping habits. We'll regularly check her skin for signs of pressure sores and contact our Vet if we see any more sores on her skin.
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