 |
Dog Hot Spots
Dog hot spots can be caused by anything that irritates or breaks the skin on your pet. Skin redness, oozing, pain to the touch, and itchiness are all hallmark signs that your dog has a hot spot. This injury in turn can create an environment perfect for all sorts of bacterial contamination. Add just a bit of moisture to the surface of the dogs skin and it doesn't take anytime at all for the bacteria to spread. "Hot spots" are also called moist dermatitis, acute moist dermatitis or Summer Sores. This term is used to describe a varied number of skin problems which are very common in many dog breeds. Also, this moist, raw skin disorder has a lot of different causes, but the most consistent factor seems to be bacteria. How do dogs get hot spots in the first place?There seems to be no one cause for developing dog hot spots but certain things such as "clipper rash", foreign objects in the coat, as well as trauma and allergies are often the cause.Typically, these circular hot spot patches will lose hair. These lesions are incredibly itchy and include massive amounts of scratching, licking and rubbing by the dog. They are also swollen, smelly and "pussie" and they can be very painful to touch for the affected dog. Any dog with a hot spot will feel compelled to scratch, lick, or bite the area - often to the point of self-mutilation. Untreated, these areas could easily spread and cause even the most even-tempered dog to bite. Dog hot spots can happen in just a matter of hours and with no prior warning of any kind. And any dog can develop these. It does seem, however, that those dogs most susceptible to hot spots in the first place are those that have heavy coats or a history of flea infestations, allergies, ear infections, irritated anal sacs or a hair matting problem. It is also true that dogs that live in warm, humid climates are more prone to develop hot spots when they shed their undercoats if they are not groomed properly and thoroughly. If the underlying cause of hot spots in your dog is as a result of tangled, matted or trapped dead hair, you can easily avoid this in the future by putting the dog on a regular and thorough grooming schedule. Tips to help avoid dog hot spots• Wet coats can be a dog hot spot problem starter. If your dog is bathed or goes swimming, be sure to rinse and dry the dog off completely.• Increase the number of grooming sessions and be careful not to scrape or damage the dogs skin when you brush your dog. • A natural approach can be very helpful when treating hot spots on dogs. Aloe vera and chamomile can help reduce pain and promote healing. Tea tree oil, chamomile or aloe vera can clear up most hot spots in just a few days.
Your main aim is to dry the hot spot out and get air into the infected area. How do you treat dog hot spots?Typically, you need to treat the sore but also remove the underlying cause to prevent future recurrences down the road. Some methods include: trimming the hair around the hot spot sore to prevent further spread of the infection.Next you'll need to wash the area with a mild water-based astringent or antiseptic. Here's what I use: a very simple mixture of water, hydrogen peroxide (3%) and rubbing alcohol. I use this to treat all my dogs whenever they have a hot spot. Here's how I make it: in a regular drinking glass (around 12 oz. or so), I fill it 1/6 full of hydrogen peroxide, add 2 teaspoons of rubbing alcohol and then fill it the rest of the way up with water. Stir it up really good and you're ready to apply to the hot spot on the dog. Important: It is very, very important that you do not put in too much alcohol or hydrogen peroxide in this mixture to treat hot spots on your dog. By itself, alcohol hurts. Hydrogen peroxide, if applied directly to any wound, can cause tissue damage. So, you want a large amount of water and only a little bit of peroxide with just a splash of alcohol added to the mix. Elizabethan collars can also help to prevent further self mutilation and to give the hot spot a chance to heal. Oral antibiotics, special shampoos, topical drying sprays, antibiotics or cortisone may be needed as well to treat the area depending on severity of the hot spots. Cool compresses can also be helpful. If your dog ever needs veterinary help for any kind of skin lesion, or hot spot problem, don't delay in making that call and asking the vet what you need to do to clear it up. Hot spots on dogs are highly treatable.
Return from Dog Hot Spots to Dog Articles
|
