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| Hot spots - HEALTH CARE - THE DEN - Canine Corner | ||||||||||||
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Robi Pack Leader 
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can be caused by anything that irritates or breaks the skin. Skin redness, oozing, pain to the touch, and itchiness are all hallmark signs that your dog has a hot spot. This 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 breeds. Also, this moist, raw skin disorder has a lot of different causes, but the most consistent factor seems to be bacteria. 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 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. Your main goal is to dry the hot spot out and get air into the infected area. Treating 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 to prevent further spread of the infection. Next you'll need to wash the area with a mild water-based astringent or antiseptic. 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 helpfull.
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| Canine Corner > THE DEN > HEALTH CARE > Hot spots | |
