What Is a Hot Spot on a Dog?
Hot spots (acute moist dermatitis) are red, inflamed, moist, circular patches on a dog's head, chest, hip, stomach or paws. Dogs persistently lick hot spots, causing the fur to fall out in the area. Hot spots are painful and irritating.
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Causes
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Hotspots can be caused by an allergy, usually to fleabites. Other causes of hot spots include arthritis, poor grooming, mange, ear infections, anal gland problems, and burrs or seeds becoming embedded in the fur.
Considerations
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Hot spots can quickly grow in size. Most of the injury is from the dog licking. The more the dog licks, the bigger the affected area becomes.
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Diagnosis
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Veterinarians diagnose hot spots by physical examination. Skin scrapings may be taken if the veterinarian suspects mange is the cause.
Treatment
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The veterinarian will isolate the cause, which will be simultaneously treated with the hot spots. The veterinarian will clip the fur surrounding the hot spot. A medicated lotion and powder will be applied. Severe cases may require antibiotics and painkillers. The dog will wear a collar that looks like a cone to stop it from biting the area.
Risk Factors
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Dogs with long or dense fur are susceptible to hot spots. Hot spots most often occur in warm weather.
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