Hot spots on dogs are typically red, inflamed, and oozy skin lesions that are painful, itchy, and pretty smelly. They can very quickly increase in size. They are usually the result of self-trauma (hence the name pyotraumatic). Dogs will scratch, bite, or lick an area so aggressively that it causes a wound.
Generally, hot spots are found on the hips, limbs, and head but they can occur anywhere on a dog's body. Due to bacteria that builds up in the hot spots, they can quickly spread to other parts of the dog's body. These affected areas will be painful and result in your dog itching and licking the area.
Apply a veterinary-recommended hot spot treatment spray that is safe if ingested. One example is Vetericyn Plus Antimicrobial Pet Hot Spot Spray. Place a recovery cone on your dog to help keep them from biting, licking, or scratching the hot spot.
While it may be tempting to wait for your dog's hot spot to resolve on its own, delaying treatment will only make the problem worse. In order to treat a hot spot effectively and prevent it from recurring, your veterinarian will need to determine the underlying cause of the irritation.
As soon as you notice a hot spot, it's best to contact your family veterinarian.
If left untreated, hot spots can cause severe skin damage, which is why it is very important to contact your vet if you notice these lesions on your dog's skin.
How are hot spots treated? topical or oral steroids and antihistamines to reduce the itching. Consult your veterinarian before using any medications intended for humans as they are often toxic to dogs. It often takes a combination of all options to stop the trauma.
Hotspots look like painful scrapes or patches of raw skin. They are typically raised, red, and often hairless. They can ooze, bleed, or contain pus. If your dog has hotspots, they will lick, bite and scratch at them incessantly.
Stress is known to be a factor in hot spots. Poor grooming, dehydration, lack of exercise and environmental changes can all lead to stress for your dog. When a dog is stressed they have the tendency to lick and scratch excessively to calm themselves down which can lead to hot spots.
Dog hot spot healing time usually lasts anywhere from a few days up to a couple of weeks. Continue to clean and check the affected area daily. If the area worsens or does not show improvement in a couple of days, or in extreme cases, you should contact your veterinarian for further treatment, such as antibiotics.
Treatment. Treatment for a hot spot is likely to include: A clip and clean – clipping the fur around your dog's hot spot will allow air to reach it and speed up recovery. Cleaning at home - daily cleaning with salty water or a medicated shampoo (see wound cleaning instructions below).
For more severe hot spots, it may take about one week for the skin lesion to dry up and look more like a scab. Then it may be about two weeks before you would begin to see hair regrowth. By three to four weeks out, the majority of hot spots have fully healed.
Technically called moist dermatitis, hot spots are most common in dogs with long or thick coats, such as Newfoundlands, German Shepherd Dogs and Golden Retrievers. Dogs with drop ears or a hairy coat are most likely to develop this condition.
A frequently-used hypothesis suggests that hotspots form over exceptionally hot regions in the mantle, which is the hot, flowing layer of the Earth beneath the crust. Mantle rock in those extra-hot regions is more buoyant than the surrounding rocks, so it rises through the mantle and crust to erupt at the surface.
Prevent licking, chewing, and scratching
You can try an Elizabethan collar (cone), covering the area with a bandage/wrap, or keep them distracted with a lick mat. NOTE: In some cases, Benadryl (diphendydramine) can help relieve some of the itch. Use our handy calculator to determine your dog's dose.
The first stage of a hot spot causes the skin to be red, moist and itchy. As the infection sets in, you may see pus oozing from the area. As it continues to get worse, you may see dried pus and a damaged skin surface. Thus creating a crust and they will likely start losing fur on the infected area.
Flea or insect bites that create hot spots are more likely in spring and summer, when pests are more numerous and bites are more frequent.
They are very itchy and painful, your veterinarian can provide very fast relief. In addition, hot spots under the ears/on the cheeks, can get very deep and spread fast – in this location antibiotic therapy is almost always warranted.
However, apple cider vinegar can work well on a dog's skin when it comes to mild itchiness and irritation like hot spots because it has anti-inflammatory properties due to its acetic acid and alpha hydroxy acid, Dr. Jackson says.
A hot spot is caused by an initial traumatic incident, usually the result of conditions which prompt pets to scratch. Underlying causes include allergic skin disease, anal sacculitis, demodicosis, or other itchy skin conditions.
What's the difference? Though hot spots and mange can share some of the same symptoms, such are irritation and fur loss, the biggest difference is that hot spots are areas of moist and raw skin, whereas mange tends to cause the skin to become red, dry and flakey.
The lesion should be disinfected with a chlorhexidine solution that kills bacteria. Topical antibiotics, desiccating sprays, and soothing reagents will be more effective when applied to a clipped, clean skin surface. Oral antibiotics and steroids/antihistamines may also be in order for serious hot spots.