Hot spots can be excruciatingly painful for your dog and may indicate a bacterial infection that needs treatment. While veterinarian-prescribed treatment plans may be costly, they typically help your pup feel better quickly.
Hot spots form when your pup licks, chews or scratches a particular spot of his or her skin, leading to itchy spots that eventually break the barrier that protects against bacteria growth and promotes further itching.
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Treatment
Hot spots on dogs are sores with reddened surfaces, usually caused by excessive grooming or licking that breaks their normal skin barrier, allowing microorganisms to colonize and cause inflammation and itching, eventually becoming an ulcerous sore that requires medical intervention to heal.
Once a hot spot is detected, your vet will conduct a comprehensive examination and look for potential causes, such as fleas or skin diseases such as acne. He may swab the area and send samples off for laboratory analysis of bacteria; additionally he will trim away matted hair that traps moisture against the skin as well as trim around any matted fur that traps moisture against it; hydrocortisone cream or spray may be prescribed to reduce inflammation and itching of the area – typically this treatment will bring relief within days – most hot spots should heal within days!
Prevention
Hot spots can be avoided by limiting contact with potential irritants like fleas and skin allergies, removing mats from undercoat and keeping coat trimmed properly; grooming your pet regularly and applying nontoxic hot spot spray can also keep the area clean, dry and itch-free.
Hot spots are red, wet patches of skin with inflamed, raw edges. Often hairless and looking similar to scrapes, hot spots often contain pus and are much larger than other forms of lesions like ringworm, mange or dermatitis.
An expert should always be consulted in order to diagnose and treat hot spots on dogs. Seeking immediate veterinary treatment will prevent further irritation, infection and pain for both dog and owner alike. A hot spot must not be ignored and dogs with this issue must refrain from licking or scratching obsessively which may spread it further and increase infection risks, potentially becoming serious conditions in some cases.
Home Remedies
Most hot spots require professional treatment from a veterinarian to ensure they heal appropriately. A veterinarian will typically trim, clean with gentle cleansing products and apply hydrocortisone cream or powder to soothe itching. They may also prescribe oral antibiotics or anti-itch medication.
Home remedies for hot spots include oatmeal baths and tea bag packs (black tea only, not herbal): soak the bag in hot water, let it cool, then press against the affected area several times each day until dry – this helps dry the area more quickly while relieving any discomfort and making healing faster!
Note that hot spots must breathe to heal properly, so Neosporin should not be applied directly. Antibiotic cream can irritate and delay recovery. Shaving can help speed up healing by creating an environment for bacteria-killing processes; using an Elizabethan collar or “cone of shame” to stop your dog from biting, chewing, or licking their sensitive areas will also break up this vicious circle and speed healing timeframes significantly.
Preventing Recurrence
Untreated hot spots in your pet could quickly turn into serious fungal and bacterial infections, necessitating medication to be applied directly on a clean skin surface (if using your hands, use disposable latex medical gloves for application). Your vet may also provide medicated solutions, wipes or sprays that gently cleanse the lesion daily as well as Elizabethan collars to keep them from scratching at it and itching excessively.
Although it can be challenging to completely avoid hot spots, taking proactive steps like regular parasite and flea prevention, grooming practices that promote optimal skin health, supplementing Omega-3 fatty acids and an allergy test/feeding trial with your veterinarian could make a big difference in reducing them. Once addressed, hot spots should stop reappearing. Should they still do, count on prompt treatment from their veterinarian; your pet will feel much better and return to enjoying life again!
