- Not a substitute for professional veterinary help.
This is a guest post by Laci Schaible, DVM, a veterinarian, writer, and pet advocate.
What are hot spots?
Does your dog have a skin problem that’s making you concerned? Your pet may have acute moist dermatitis, commonly known as a “hot spot,” which is an irritating local skin condition that unfortunately plagues countless dogs.
Hot spots can appear almost overnight when a primary problem leads to self-trauma and initiates an itch-scratch cycle.
What causes a dog’s hot spots?
There are many different underlying causes of hot spots, but they are all worsened by intense chewing and licking. Anything that causes itchiness, from insect bites to allergic reactions, can trigger the development of a hot spot.
A very common initial cause is a reaction to an insect bite, which tends to occur more often in animals with flea allergies and ear infections.
Ticks, biting flies, skin mites, and even mosquitoes have been known to trigger acute moist dermatitis. Other common causes include environmental allergies, food allergies, anal sac problems, skin wounds, and scabs.
Hot spots tend to be more of a problem during hot humid weather. Dogs with thicker hair coats, such as German shepherds and golden retrievers, seem to develop hot spots more often. However, they can occur in any breed at any age.
Physical appearance of hot spots
A hot spot usually looks like a large, raw, inflamed, wet sore. It may bleed or ooze yellow liquid called pus. This skin lesion may enlarge if licking and chewing continues, and can lead to skin infection. And when the lesion becomes infected it can emit a strong odor.
Lesions are often solitary but multiple spots can occur. Common locations for hot spots include the tail base, outer thighs, and neck, and near the base of the ear.
The one good thing about hot spots is that their appearance is easily recognizable. Diagnosis is usually simple and straightforward, especially if the onset was quick. Once your veterinarian examines the lesion and takes a health history, you can proceed to treatment and relief for your pet as soon as possible.
Dog hot spot treatment
Because hot spots are usually infected by the time the pet parent finds them, it’s often a problem that requires veterinary care. The infection and the underlying cause should be identified and treated, if possible.
At the vet’s office, any combination of injections, oral medications, and topical treatments such as ointments and astringents may be prescribed. Flea and tick preventives should be applied and up-to-date.
Anti-inflammatory medications and oral antibiotics are often used to relieve the intense itching and to combat secondary bacterial infection of the skin.
The affected area is usually clipped and cleaned to facilitate the application of any sprays or ointments to aid healing.
Clipping and cleaning may require sedation because these lesions can be painful. A crucial component of treatment is stopping the self-trauma, which often requires an e-collar.
Home remedies for dog hot spots
The first line of treatment for infected skin irritation is always a trip to the veterinarian. Once an appointment is set, however, there are a few ways of treating hot spots at home that may help your dog feel more comfortable.
If your dog allows you to touch the affected area, you can temporarily treat hot spots at home by cleaning the area with warm water and applying a saltwater solution to the lesion to gently draw out pus.
Some dog owners use warm wet tea bags (green or black) as a compress. But always consult with your veterinarian to make sure that these home treatments are appropriate for your pet, given their symptoms.
Your veterinarian can also provide expert instructions for administering safe and soothing home remedies to help your dog feel more comfortable before your appointment.
Prognosis
With treatment, the prognosis for “hot spots” is excellent, but some dogs repeatedly develop them. And larger and more severe hot spots can, on rare occasions, lead to scarring.
To help the prevent the development of hot spots, careful attention must be paid to regular grooming and hygiene of pets prone to hot spots, especially during the hot and humid seasons.
A dog with a dirty matted hair coat is at greatest risk of developing a hot spot. Year-round flea control is also useful in preventing recurrence.
Your veterinarian should be able to recommend specific treatments to prevent hot spots on your pet, including special grooming routines, topical cortisone creams and other prescription and over the counter remedies.
Laci Schaible, DVM is a veterinarian, writer, and pet advocate. Dr. Schaible works as a veterinary marketing copywriter at VetLIVE.com.
Top photo via Flickr/Takashi Hososhima