Expand To Show Full Article
Dog Hot Spots: Treating Hot Spots with Home Remedies

Please note that some posts contains affiliate links & I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links Find out More

Dog Hot Spots & Home Remedies

by | Oct 7, 2016 | Dog Training & Care | 9 comments

Dog hot spots often happen during both the spring and fall shedding season and are the bane of many dogs’ existence. Some develop hot spots all year long, especially those with very thick, wooly coats. Have your dogs ever suffered from hot spots, a kind of moist dermatitis in dogs?

Fortunately, hot spots are not a problem for cats. Kitties, though, do have their own issues with shedding and hairballs. Bathing cats can help with that.

When dog hot spots are a chronic problem, it can be aggravating and frustrating for pet owners. And painful for the dog! While severe problems need veterinary attention, home remedies for dog hot spots often help enormously.

furry chow chow prone to dog hot spots

Thickly furred dogs like the Chow are more prone to hot spots during shedding season.

I’m sharing this entry about dog HOT SPOTS which is an excerpt from Dog Facts. This chapter covers a lot of ground, and here’s the topic list:

Hair, Hair Loss, Heart Disease, Heartworm Disease, Hematoma, Hemophilia, Herbs, Hernia, Hip Dysplasia, Holistic Medicine, Homeopathy, Hookworms, Hot Spots, House Training, Human-Animal Bond, Hunting Behavior, Hyperparathyroidism, Hyperthermia (Heatstroke), Hyperthyroidism, Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Sugar), Hypoparathyroidism, Hypothermia, and Hypothyroidism.

I’ve broken the massive book into discounted treat-size alpha-chapter sections available ONLY to subscribers of my PETS PEEVES NEWSLETTER. Folks can choose which ones they most need. Each chapter will release every other week. Of course, you can still get the entire DOG FACTS book either in Kindle or 630+ pages of print.

WHAT ARE DOG HOT SPOTS?

Also referred to as acute moist dermatitis, a hot spot is a localized area of self-induced trauma that becomes infected. Dogs suffering from atopy (inhalant allergy) are at the highest risk. But all dogs can develop these sores.

Dog breeds with heavy double coats like Chow Chows and German Shepherds like Magic seem most prone to developing hot spots immediately prior to shedding, when dead hair may be trapped next to the skin. For unknown reasons, Golden Retrievers tend to develop deeply infected hot spots.

These days, Magic is shedding like crazy, leaving drifts of black woolly fur everywhere. If I didn’t constantly comb and pull off the dead clumps, chances are he’d develop dog hot spots, too.

shepherds prone to hot spots

Magic never had a hot spot–but he shed fur like crazy!

DIAGNOSING DOG HOT SPOTS

Hot spots can appear anywhere on the dog’s body, but the rump, tail, back, and flanks are common sites. Usually, the hot spot appears suddenly as an initially small circular area of hair loss, but they can spread rapidly. Sores can grow to several inches in diameter within a few hours. The infection often smells bad and secretes pus, and hot spots typically are moist due to licking and/or the weeping of the wound, and hot because of infection and inflammation.

No one is certain what causes a hot spot to form, but it’s thought to be prompted by some minor irritation, like a flea bite. Itchiness and discomfort prompt licking and nibbling, and when the dog can’t leave the wound alone, a hot spot erupts.

HOW TO TREAT DOG HOT SPOTS WITH HOME REMEDIES

Treatment consists of getting air to the infection so it will heal and dry, and preventing further self-mutilation. A collar restraint prevents him from licking or nibbling the sore.

Hot spots are both itchy and painful, and often require a veterinarian to sedate the dog before treatment can begin. The fur surrounding the area is clipped away, the skin is cleansed with an antibacterial preparation like diluted hydrogen peroxide, Nolvasan, Betadine, Oxydex or pHisoHex. Pet-formulations of benzoyl peroxide-containing cleansers help reduce the itchiness, dry the lesion, and flush out hair follicles, as well as kill certain bacteria.

Once cleansed, a medication like Burrow’s solution, available at most drug stores or pet stores, may be applied and seems to work quite well to dry the sore. Holistic veterinarians recommend using calendula to soothe the sore. Witch hazel can help cool down the heat of hot spots because it evaporates as quickly as alcohol but without the sting. You can use that two or three times a day.

Another natural remedy for hot spots is the tannic acid found in black tea. This astringent helps dry out the sores so they heal more quickly. Soak a tea bag in hot water, let it cool, and apply the bag directly to the sore for five minutes. You can do this three or four times a day.

VETERINARY TREATMENTS FOR DOG HOT SPOTS

The veterinarian may prescribe ointments like Panalog or Neocort, or short-acting corticosteroids like prednisone that reduce the irritation. Occasionally, antibiotics are required to clear up deep infection. The underlying problem, fleas, allergy, or whatever, must also be addressed.

Since dogs aren’t able to adequately groom themselves, owners must take great responsibility for seeing that coat care is provided. Grooming during shedding season is particularly important and can help prevent problems like hot spots from developing.

How about your dogs? Do they suffer from hot spots? How do you manage the sores?

YouTube Button

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book giveaways and appearances related to my September Day pet-centric THRILLERS WITH BITE!

Amy Shojai, CABC is a certified cat & dog behavior consultant, a consultant to the pet industry, and the award-winning author of 35+ pet-centric books and Thrillers with Bite! Oh, and she loves bling!

 

 

9 Comments

  1. The Bearden Pack

    Holistic treatments are always preferred over prescription treatment. Luckily hot spots can treated fairly easily.

    Reply
  2. Pitbull

    Great remedies here, I will have to try these out with my baby Pitbull.

    Reply
  3. Karen Sartor

    Help! My 6 yr.old kitty is working on a spot, hair is gone & I don’t know what I can use on her. She has never had this problem before. It is not an open sore, just itching like crazy ! She has me wanting to scratch.Can she have anything like Benadryl ? She weighs 13 lb.’s. I’m not physically able to take her into the Vet right now.

    Reply
    • Amy Shojai

      Hi Karen,

      So sorry your cat is miserable with an itchy spot. There are SOOO many kinds of things can make cats itch. Where is the spot? on her body? behind an ear? on a leg? that can sometimes point to the cause. Yes, you can safely give Benadryl to cats at a dose of 1 mg for every pound they weigh, once every 8 hours or so. If she weighs 13 lbs, that would be 13 mg. BUT…it’s hard to know if that would help her or not, again, depending on the underlying cause. Even if you can’t take her to the vet, I’d strongly urge you to give them a call, describe what’s going on, and maybe they can offer more specific advice. Good luck!

      Reply
      • Karen Sartor

        The itchy spot is on her side. My husband put Hartz UltraGaurd Pro on her & her sister about three wk.’s ago because I found a flea on me !. Haven’t seen another one since. No problems on her sister, her skin is just fine. This is the first problem we have had since I adopted them 6 yr.’s ago. They are my first cats ever. I was hoping to find a home remedy I suppose. We went by the directions on the package. She doesn’t like water, but I’m tempted to try & bathe her.Thank you so much for getting back to me. I am one of your followers !

        Reply
        • Amy Shojai

          Awww….every pet is different and some cats are quite sensitive. If it’s been 3 weeks, a bath probably won’t affect the Hartz product. You can bathe, though, or use Witch Hazel on a cotton ball (that might help relieve the itch). Nice to “meet” you!

          Reply
  4. Mary McCauley

    My parents had a part GSD and evry summer he had reaction to the pollen from the backyard. Ralph llicked and scratched & ended up with no hair at the base of his spine. They took him to the Vet. Every summer he was absolutely miserable and a big bare area. They moved to another house when Ralph was about 3. Before then he never had problems. This went on through the 70’s & early 80’s.

    Reply
    • Amy Shojai

      Mary, that’s so frustrating. Our first dog had horrific skin allergies when we lived in Kentucky and Tennessee but curiously they resolved when we moved to Texas. Go figure.

      Reply
  5. Patsy Flores

    Thanks Amy, These are very useful remedies. I impress from you!

    Reply

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

  1. DOG FACTS On Sale, 4 Days Only: Discounted from $9.99 to $2.99 - […] your dogs and keep them safe with first aid and information about fireworks fears, heat stroke, hot spots,  summer…
  2. First Aid Medicine Chest: Home Remedies to Save Pet Lives - […] Burow’s solution: topical antiseptic (great for hot spots!) […]
  3. Dog Ear Infection: Symptoms, Diagnosis & Medications & Treatment - […] ear infections just like canine hot spots also quite often develop due to allergies.  If your dog has seasonal…
  4. WHY PETS SHED & 6 TIPS WHEN THE FUR FLIES - […] Dog Hot Spots & Home Remedies […]

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Categories:

Recent Posts

P’ETiQuette Column Farewell–and Hello to New Readers!

For 30 years, the Herald Democrat editors and readers have been part of my extended family. I only rarely missed a deadline, those times of illness or holidays. So, it surprised me to learn that the column hadn’t published in several weeks despite my having sent one each week for Tuesday publication.

Blame technology, and nothing else. But I owe y’all, my extended family, an explanation of why the column disappeared…

Pet Rescue Breathing & CPR Saves Cat & Dog Lives

May 19 is “Rescue Dog Day” and how better to celebrate than to learn about Pet Rescue Breathing and pet CPR? You can save your dog or cat’s life by knowing how to do pet CPR and how to perform rescue breathing. Pets suffer brain injury and death if oxygen is cut off for only a few minutes. When minutes count, rescue breathing can save your pet’s life.

Cat in Heat Behavior, What to Know About Feline Estrus

What to Know About Feline Estrus

Recently, a friend contacted me about her cat in heat. She wanted to know about a cat in heat behavior, how long are cats in heat, if cats in heat feel pain, and what to do to relieve the cat’s discomfort until spay surgery. Cats in heat signs include several distinctive behaviors common to feline estrus (the technical term). In fact, her newly adopted girl, although she looked too young, had already had kittens (they didn’t survive), and now loudly proclaimed Kitty’s determination to repeat the process.

I planned to refer my friend to one of my blogs—and instead realized I hadn’t specifically addressed cats in heat behavior, feline reproduction, and what to know about cat estrus. Yes, I write about this in my Complete Kitten Care and Cat Facts books in more detail, and now you get the kitty Cliff’s notes here.

CAT & DOG SHEDDING? 6 TIPS FOR WHEN THE FUR FLIES

Pets shed in both the spring and fall. Shadow-Pup leaves mini-drifts of fuzz I sweep up daily, all summer long. Karma-Kat’s URK-factor (hairballs) increases with pet shedding season. Yuck! The fur flies about the same time as allergy season begins. If you suffer from allergic reactions to your cat or dog, check out these pet allergy tips.

Dog Shedding Time!

Cat and dog shedding may be a big hairy deal—but it is normal. Magical-Dawg used to leave drifts of black fur everywhere. Although Shadow-Pup’s medium-coarse fur, and Karma-Kat’s short light fur isn’t nearly as noticeable, they also shed.

Year-round floating fur increases the challenge of keeping dry cleaned apparel in a Fido-free zone. You can’t stop pet shedding. Unless you’re a passionate pet lover who considers pet hair to be a condiment, understanding how to tame the hairy mess will keep your pet’s coat and skin healthy and simplify housecleaning…

How to Prepare for a Disaster: Pet Preparedness & Tips

With the latest awful weather and more on the way, it’s time to revisit your pet disaster plan. You do have one, right? Everyone should understand the importance of disaster preparation.

I posted this in June for National Pet Preparedness Month. September is Disaster Preparation Month. And today is National Animal Disaster Preparedness Day. Hurricane Ian drives home the importance of having a disaster plan not only for yourself when Mother Nature throws a tantrum but also to keep your pets safe. Whether you must deal with tornadoes, floods, landslides, typhoons, wildfires, or other emergencies, there’s a rule that we must always PLAN FOR THE WORST.

And then pray it doesn’t happen. Learn more in the post…

Fearful Fido? Know the Signs of Dog Fear, Anxiety, and Stress (FAS)

May 7-13 is Dog anxiety Awareness Week, and June is Pet Anxiety Awareness Month. Do you have a fearful Fido? Do you need help with the fireworks and loud thunderstorms happening this time of year that makes dogs scared? It seems silly, but some dogs feel stress when their human wears a hat! I wanted to share some resources for recognizing and understanding signs of canine fear, anxiety, and stress.

While it’s normal for dogs to be cautious and not run head on into traffic, too much stress and anxiety isn’t healthy. Fear, anxiety, and stress (FAS) also affect the immune system, impacting both physical and emotional health.

Up to 20 percent of dogs will be born prone to introversion and fear. Proper socialization improves puppy confidence, but abuse or poor socialization can result in anxiety-ridden adults. Pain or illness also can cause anxiety so these dogs associate certain kinds of handling with discomfort. Ongoing anxiety, stress or fear may lead to fear aggression.

Extreme fear interferes with learning, making it even more difficult to help dogs overcome the angst. Fearful dogs quickly recognize that escape behaviors or fear aggression makes the scary situation go away, so they learn to repeat these behaviors…

Author Audio Books: How to Self Publish Audio Books

Do you love audio books — and thrillers? Yep, I also self publish audio books, including my nonfiction and my thrillers. And since my latest thriller DARE OR DIE released yesterday on all Ebook platforms, plus paperback and hardcover, I’m now planning the audiobook version.

And, that’s MY voice reading the story. How (and why) am I the one reading the book? And for authors out there, how can you do it? What mic do you need, what software…and if you want to hire someone, where do you find the perfect person to “voice” your book?

Read on! Here are the highlights. And if you want or need more step-by-step details, you can check out my on-demand webinar on the subject.

Adopt A Shelter Pet Day: Tips for Cat Adoptions & Dog Adoptions

Will you adopt a new furry friend soon? There are many things to consider when adopting a pet. With Adopt A Shelter Pet Day on April 30th, I wanted to share some sobering adoption facts. In the ASPCA alone, 6.3 million dogs and cats enter their shelters each year, and only about 52% get adopted. I wrote about my pets’ adoption days here, and they chose me more than I chose them. But you don’t need to wait for happy accidents to get your pet, and can adopt shelter pets anytime all year long.

Dare Or Die RELEASES: Amy Shojai Thriller Book #7

DARE OR DIE RELEASES

It’s a book baby birthday today–DARE OR DIE releases, thriller #7 in my THRILLERS WITH BITE series featuring September and Shadow. Get your copy from any of the Ebook platforms.

Or if you prefer physical copies, I gotcha covered with trade paperback and also hardcover versions, available on Amazon, Barnes and Nobel, or (maybe) if you ask your librarian nicely to order a copy. For all the audiobook lovers out there–yes, in the works, so stay tuned. I hope to have the recording finished and sent to the editor for a late May release on all audiobook platforms.

ADVANCE PRAISE FOR DARE OR DIE!

“Wow—what a ride! I cannot express how much I loved DARE OR DIE. I enjoy thrillers, but you gave new meaning to the genre with this one. Now I have to go back and read the entire series!” ~Mary H.

“Such a great page turner. Twisty.” ~Carol S.

“This might be the best one yet! As always, you are the queen of the (chapter ending) cliffhanger…” ~Kristi B.

“Another great addition to the Thrillers with Bite series.” ~Nicola A.

Get your copy now…Ebook, paperback, or hardcover. Ya know ya want to…

Cat Urinary Blockage, Feline Urinary Tract Disorders & The “Stoned” Cat

Do you know the signs of a cat urinary blockage? Do you know about FLUTD? Maybe you’re puzzled why your cat suddenly pees outside the box? Or maybe he strains and strains but can’t elminate. Is it constipation? Or does he have a cat urinary blockage? How can I stop my cat from peeing on the carpet?

If you’re asking these questions, you’ve come to the right place. Feline lower urinary tract disorders (FLUTD) can cause deadly cat urinary blockage. It frustrates cat owners—and also the cats! A cat urinary blockage can be deadly, so it’s vital to recognize the signs of a feline urinary tract disorder. This post is dedicated to my friend Susan Richardson-Cripps and the memory of Heathcliff, her fun-loving orange kitty boy.

Visit Amy's Website

Amy Shojai CACB is an award winning author.  You can find all her publications and book her to speak via her website. 

On Demand Writer Coaching

AmyShojai.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com http://amazon.com/.

Awards

Memberships