Hot spots are one of the most prevalent skin issues in dogs. These sore red skin blisters are caused by a dog licking, gnawing, or clawing at an uncomfortable or painful location on its skin, resulting in a reddish, raw, and frequently gushing sore. Hot spots can appear fast, but early identification and treatment from Virginia Beach veterinary hospital can help prevent them from becoming more problematic.

Although any dog can get a hot spot, the uncomfortable sores are more frequent in dogs with thick coats or who enjoy swimming or playing in the water. Certain dog breeds, such as GS, rottweilers, Labrador, and Saint Bernards, are particularly prone. It can affect dogs of any age.

What Is a Dog’s Hot Spot?

A localized skin infection is referred to as a hot spot. Hot spots, also known as acute wet eczema or pyotraumatic eczema, are created by scratching and biting the skin in response to itching or discomfort, which various factors can cause. Self-trauma results in a painful red, swollen area of skin that may be seeping with drainage and entangled with hair. The dog needs to continue to lick and scratch the hot place because it hurts and itches, exacerbating the condition and hindering recovery.

Hot areas form fast and can become infected with germs. You may notice a little red patch on your dog’s body in the morning, but it has grown into a vast, irritated, and perhaps oozing or weeping sore by the end of the day. While hot spots can appear on any area of a dog’s body, the forehead, hips, and legs are the most common.

Hot Spots in Dogs: Symptoms

Hot spots typically start off tiny, and if the sore is hidden behind your dog’s fur, it might be challenging to see, especially if the coat is dense. However, when the hot area grows more extensive, you’re more likely to notice aggravation, redness, and bleeding or seeping.

A hot spot usually starts as a matted area of fur or a patch of hair loss with red, inflamed skin below. Hotspots generally have well-defined boundaries. The skin may seem lustrous or scabby, and it is typically uncomfortable to touch. Most hot spots are wet and leak a transparent or opaque secretion; however, highly inflamed or infected patches may bleed. Large, inflamed, hot spots may emit a foul odor.

When the hot spot emerges, most owners observe excessive scratching, rubbing, licking, and biting of the skin. Due to irritation or pain, dogs frequently continue to lick the hot place, causing more skin harm. If you suspect your dog has hot spots, you should take them to the nearest veterinary hospital.

Hot Spots in Dogs: Causes 

Self-trauma is the source of hot patches. Scratching too many damages the skin, leaving it more prone to infection. Continuing to lick the area keeps it wet, creating an ideal habitat for germs to grow and increase. The hair may get tangled over the skin, absorbing moisture and allowing infection to spread. The skin eventually becomes raw and uncomfortable.

The most common cause of excessive brushing is stinging or pain caused by a skin issue. Dogs may also scratch the skin over internal discomfort areas, such as joints. Over-grooming is more seldom linked to a behavioral issue.

Hot Spots in Dogs: Treatment

If you find a hot area on your dog, contact your vet. Without medical intervention, they can quickly worsen, leading to a more severe illness. While there are OTC treatments for these sores, they seldom treat the subsequent bacterial infections that are so frequent with hot spots.

Because hot places are frequently uncomfortable, your dog may refuse to be touched. For the surgery, some dogs will require to be sedated.