Having to deal with hot spots (or moist dermatitis) can be a harrowing experience for your pup. Hot spots is a skin condition that often shows up as red, angry and moist skin lesions on your dog. They are incredibly painful and itchy to the point it drives your pup nuts!

How to treat them

It’s an agonising ordeal that our dogs have to go through and as pet parents, we want to assuage the painful itch and effectively treat the hot spots to the best of our abilities. Aside from the vet visits, here are some ways you can help at home:

Form a barrier

Dogs will scratch and lick their wounds in a bid to relieve any itch that they’re experiencing. However, that will only hinder the healing process and cause more trauma to the skin. Put on a KONG cloud collar to prevent further wound aggravation and to stop the infection from spreading.

Snip snip

Trimming the hair around the affected area will help to dry out the moisture and accelerate healing. Be careful when you’re trimming around the area as the skin is very delicate - any accidental irritation will delay recovery and cause your dog more distress. 

Topical treatments

Using products containing tea tree oil will help to combat the hot spots as tea tree oil has antibacterial and antiseptic properties. Natural products for hot spots such as Kin+Kind Hot Spot Dog Relief Stick are absorbed into the skin quickly and shows visible relief in 2 weeks. For weekly maintenance, use shampoos with soothing properties like Washbar’s to reduce skin inflammations without the harsh chemicals.

Prevention

Prevention methods should always be put in place to prevent the need to seek any treatment. Hot spots are triggered by many things but the common ground between all of them is a moist environment that leads to itchiness and eventually inflammation of the skin.

Getting rid of these environments will cut back on hot spot incidences. You could do so by thoroughly drying your dogs after any water activity/ baths (especially the heavy coated dogs).

Tick and flea prevention is also an essential part of the prevention process as it keeps your dog from licking and gnawing on any itchy areas which could potentially lead to the development of hot spots. Consider the Artero Grooming Tick / Flea Comb for your pup. It is ideal for removing fleas or for brushing out delicate, difficult areas such as around the eyebrow area.

KIM LEE

Kim is an avid dog lover, serial guac and chips eater, and thrill seeker - all in one body. Currently chillin’ with her dogs.