Hot spots! (skin infection) help please

[picnicinthewoods]

My 7 month Golden Retreiver is being treated by the vet for a massive 'hot spot'. Its an infection which we believe was started by a flea bite.
We are treating the fleas....he has 10 days of anti-biotics and also Fuciderm gel. Its a very large area on his back which has been shaved by the vet, for which he had to be muzzled. He needs to wear an Elizabethan collar at night and whenever I cannot supervise him.
I have 2 problems which I need help with! Firstly he detests the collar. If I put it on, he just sits with his head down and cries and won't move. He is a very timid dog:( This is day 3 and I thought he would just get used to it. At night we have to put it on and carry him to bed and lie him down. He cries at night & in the morning he is in exactly the same position.
Ive tried putting a big treat a few steps in front of him but he still doesn't move. Any ideas to help him deal with the collar?
Also he is very itchy, the wound is driving him crackers. Without the head collar, he is very good when Im watching and doesn't lick the wound but instead licks the floor or the sofa, for hours on end!!!! I guess it is a stress release or something? Anything else I can do for him?
I am walking him more frequently (but only on lead because I don't want him involved in dog play with the wound on his back) in order to tire him out a bit so he maybe isn't so distracted by the itching.

.................and lastly, how can I stop this ever happening again?

Oh poor boy Picnic. I had something very similar with my Wheaten girl once. She had one on her cheek and they are so itchy and sore.

There are alternatives to the Elizabethan Collar:

comfy collar

buster collar

trimline collar

Softe collar

Kong Cloud E-collar

Can you keep him busy with a combination of clicker training, hunt the treat and frozen/stuffed kongs?

The way to stop it happening from flea bites again would be to get him onto monthly Advocate tablets. They cover worms (excluding tapeworm) and fleas, but not ticks.

Thank goodness for you Moose:) the collars look brilliant, Im thinking either comfy, buster or kong cloud............just need to make the right choice because my DH wont be impressed by more spending! Anyone have experience of these collars & could recommend?

I think these are best as they don't impair his field of vision which I imagine is part of his worry. Also I think partly why he wont move with the Elizabethan collar is that when he tried he bumped into something and it frightened him, so these will also prevent that.

Ive tried playing with him, training but he seems depressed.......Im sure a different collar would helpenormously!

I hate seeing him so sad:(

Advocate..............fab thank you:)

Now Im thinking trimline collar!!! Arrg! Just wondering if the blow up tubey ones would still enable him to get to the wound.....its on his back/rump area?

Actually if is on his back a t-shirt with a drawstring around his waist would work really, really well.

Would it? I mean he could still kind of bite at it through the t-shirt? or is it the licking that is a problem then?

You can get this stuff that tastes bad and discourages licking although obviously it isn't fool-proof. My spaniel does get hotspots sometimes and I have started bathing him with DermOpt shampoo which seems to work very well. If it is in his bum area, you could cover itwith dog pants? These are for bitches in heat and he may not be so impressed but perhaps harmless enough? Equafleece sells them among others.

You can get this stuff that tastes bad and discourages licking although obviously it isn't fool-proof. My spaniel does get hotspots sometimes and I have started bathing him with DermOpt shampoo which seems to work very well. If it is in his bum area, you could cover itwith dog pants? These are for bitches in heat and he may not be so impressed but perhaps harmless enough? Equafleece sells them among others.

My dog currently has this between his toes. Savlon cleared it up better than the fuciderm cream. I was also advised to get ground white pepper on his foot to stop licking. Xx

Thanks everyone:) I bought the comfy collar, its been brilliant, he can eat and walk around without bumping into stuff and he can see properly! He was a little hesitant at first but soon started moving around with it on.
Ive also been using savlon:) Its clearing up nicely. Now to try to make sure it doesn't happen again!