How to Treat Hot Spots on Your Dogs

Living with a pet animal makes your life a little happier place on earth. There is no better feeling of love than a dog’s love when you have a dog. Hot spots are common in dog’s skin ailment which you’ve probably seen but don’t know about it. Hot spots affect the superficial layer of the skin and causing infection there. Hot spots show common typical features as moist, oozing, reddened areas of any shape. As animals, they are more prone to parasites and bacterial infections, and the worst part of it is if you don’t notice it, they’ll suffer in silence as they can’t speak to communicate. Hot spots are one of those kinds of ailment in dogs. Hot spots typically start with a localized area which shows symptoms of itching and irritation.

A hot spot is also known as pyotraumatic or moist dermatitis, in which dogs develop a condition which involves an area of skin that becomes inflamed or infected. This is very often set off by a dog through scratching, licking, gnawing and chewing in the area. In its early stages of formation, there is involvement of the skin, which becomes moist, itchy and red. In its advanced stage, there is involvement of a full-blown infection with pus oozing out of the wounded area.

Causes

When any skin irritation that makes your dog gnaw, scratch and lick the irritated area, which makes skin red and inflamed. Other reasons for occurrence of hot spots in dogs may be:

• Mites and allergic to grass and dust.
• Very Poor hygiene and grooming.
• Some type of food allergies.
• Gland infections, ear infections etc.
• Bites of insects.
• To remain frequently being in a pool, lake or rain.

Following home remedies will help to cure hot spots in dogs and controlling the symptoms.

1. Coconut Oil

Coconut oil contains saturated fats, which help in reduction of your dog’s allergic reaction and it is enough to stop the itching/scratching cycle that leads to hot spots. Use of coconut oil to any active hot spots to benefit from its antibacterial properties, but as some dogs will lick it off so the best way to benefit from it is to give your dog about a 1 teaspoon (for a medium sized dog, so less for a small dog and more for a large or giant dog) on top of his food once a day to control the infection.

2. Corn Starch (for the itching)

Apply some cool corn starch on the affected part of skin. Corn starch helps in absorbing moisture readily. It is easily dusted off by brushing gently. Cornstarch feels very cool and very soothing. One can instantly notice a decrease in the irritability of the dog. It prevents the dog from biting at the hot spot, and thus helping the dog recover very fast.

3. Apple Cider Vinegar

Dogs like apple cider vinegar. Take 1 cup of apple cider vinegar and add to equal amount of water. Take a cotton cloth, wet it in the solution and apply it over the hot spot. Remove it after 5 minutes. Then dry the hot spot using a dryer. ACV helps in soothing the irritated skin and reduces itching. Vinegar also acts as an antiseptic, so it prevents the growth of microbes in that region.

4. Aloe Vera Gel

The aloe Vera gel is very soothing for dermatitis. It reduces the redness and lowers itching. It is one of the best natural coolants available. Take an aloe leaf, cut it into small section and rub the gel over the hotspot and other affected parts. Rub it for 1 minute. Do not wash it off, and then throw away this part of the gel as it may contain microbes from the hot spot. Reapply it after the gap of 2 hours with a newly exposed surface from Aloe Vera.

5. Turmeric Powder

Dusting with turmeric powder provides almost immediate relief from the hotspot .Turmeric is a very powerful natural antiseptic and anti-inflammatory. It is good to dust it on the hotspot than applying a paste because the paste may leave behind moisture in the skin and the remedy may not be that effective. Dust the skin with turmeric powder 2 times a day.

6. Wash with Soap

The tannic acid present in black tea inhibits the biofilm development from the Staph infection which makes it more difficult for the Staph to develop a colony on the skin. Prepare the skin by clipping and cleaning, apply a wet tea bag over it and squeeze the cool liquid over the area and do not wipe it off.

Dog owners should make sure that their dog is groomed on a regular basis to prevent hot spots. Keeping your pet’s hair clipped short, mostly during warmer months, can also help.

Groom your dog yourself, follow this rule

“A good rule of thumb is to rinse the hair coat twice in a day, as long as it took to shampoo the pet, to ensure complete removal of the product. A complete drying of the hair coat is also very helpful.”