Dog Hot Spots

Dog Hot Spots: Tips For Immediate Help And Permanent Prevention

Not uncommon, but dog hot spots can be quite scary to look at if you’ve never seen them before. Not long before my girl “Lulu” crossed the rainbow bridge, my old girl developed a hot spot on the left hock.

I was in shock. In 30 years with all the dogs I’ve had, not one ever had a hot spot. It was red, hairless, raw and very painful looking as you can see in the picture which is by the way, an actual picture of Lulu’s leg.

It literally appeared out of nowhere within several hours. One minute she was fine and the next minute she had this huge, horrible looking lesion on her hind leg that was spreading.

Dog hot spots (aka Moist Dermatitis or Pyotraumatic Dermatitis) are caused by a bacterial infection effecting the upper most part of the skin. The reason they’re called “hot spots” is because they usually occur during the warmer months.

Long Term Prevention Is The Cure For Dog Hot Spots

If your old dog develops a hot spot, it’s so important to take notice of not only the lesion itself, but to look for other symptoms like the ones I mention below. Dogs will typically chew and lick the lesion causing it to quickly spread.

1. Nutritional deficiencies and digestive issues are CLOSELY RELATED to the development and the reoccurrence of dog hot spots. When my Lulu developed the hot spot on her leg, she wasn’t a 100% and she wasn’t eating right. At this point, I believe cancer had taken over which of course led to a nutritional deficiency for my baby. Once again DIET IS CRITICAL – YOU MUST FEED A SUPER PREMIUM, HIGH QUALITY FOOD WITH MEAT AS THE MAIN PROTEIN. See my list of the 10 best dog food selections. Keep your dog’s immune system strong by including probiotics, digestive enzymes and an omega 3 supplement.
2. Allergies are often an underlying cause of dog hot spots. The allergy can be environmental, food or both. Try to determine where the allergy is stemming from. Take note to his behavior such as the timing of his itchiness. Does it happen when there’s alot of pollen outside? Does he scratch not long after eating? If his stool is always soft, I’d say you have a food problem.
3. Chronic skin issues such as yeast infections MUST BE ADDRESSED. Dogs with allergies and yeast issues MUST BE KEPT VERY CLEAN. It’s critical to clear up any existing yeast issues within the gut as well as on the skin. A strong immune system and a healthy diet are VERY IMPORTANT for dogs with chronic yeast issues and dog hot spots.
4. Sensitivities to flea and tick bites should be addressed by keeping your dog parasite free. I ONLY recommend a natural form of flea and tick prevention.
5. Ear Infections are closely related yeast issues which are also related to nutritional deficiencies and diet issues. You have to get the diet and yeast issues under control which ultimately clear up ongoing ear infections. Here’s an excellent product called K9 Ear Solutions that I always keep on hand for clearing up and preventing ear infections.
6. Irritated Anal Glands are another symptom similar to ear problems. They are closely related to yeast problems and nutritional issues. Once these two problems are addressed the dog’s anal gland problems typically clear up.
7. Grooming Issues play a really large role with dog hot spots. Your dog should be kept clean and if he has a thick coat or long coat, get him cut and groomed especially during warmer weather. Keep him clean at all times.

Tips and Instructions For Providing Immediate Relief to Canine Hot Spots

1. For long haired dogs, trim all the fur that’s touching the lesion although it’s probably not necessary for dogs with short hair.
2. Try to keep your dog from licking or chewing at it once you start treatment.
3. Clean the area with warm water and gently rinse the sore with hydrogen peroxide. Gently pat and dry the area.
4. You can also use fresh aloe vera leaves if you have access to them; cut open the leaf and place the aloe vera gel on the hot spot. Do this several times daily until gone. You can use aloe vera in the bottle, just make sure it 100% all natural.
5. Believe it or not, but the same product that you use to clear up dog ear infections can also be used successfully on dog hot spots. It’s a good idea to have a bottle of this on hand for both ear issues and hot spots – plus it’s inexpensive. Purchase K9 Ear Solutions here.
6. Another product that gets excellent reviews is from Dr. Ackerman. Doctor Ackerman’s Instant Hot Spot Relief Spray.

Conclusion

Remember, reoccurring hot spots on dogs are almost always a symptom of another issue. If you have any recommendations of your own for treating hot spots, please feel free to share with us!.

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