Hot Spot??

[dobermom]

I think Clifford has a hot spot. I have never dealt with these on my dogs. Its a red spot, looks irritated, and he wont leave it alone.

1. What causes them?
2. What can I do for him?

[Dax]

There could be many causes. Dax's are likely tied to her long hair and thyroid condition.

For long haired dogs, you cut the hair in and around the area away so the air can get to it.

I've never seen hot spots on a short haired dog.

[Hudsons~Mom]

Hudson had one....what you can do is put some ice on it to cool it down a bit...wash the area, then put some poly on it.

Keep an eye on it...ohh and anouther thing you could try is foot powder...that will help keep the moister away.

[shadowfacedanes]

EMT spray works wonders. Keep the area as dry as possible - moisture is what causes these things to get so angry and keep spreading. If you have or can get EMT spray, apply that to the hot spot and it will get rid of it in no time.

[saluki-sue]

A bug bite or small nick can be the start of a hot spot, really anything that bugs the dog enough to lick, clean the area over and over again.

Years ago we has a Lasa who had hot spot endlessly and our old vet had us clean the fur off of the spot and then clean it with Witch Hazle 5 or 6 times a day. Then put Gold Bond powder on it. We have never had a problem with any of our other dogs since then. If I even think there is a hot spot lerking I get out the witch hazle and gold bond.

[Dobified]

Dobe's are not known to have " hot Spots " however that doesn't mean they won't occur in rare cases.

Here is some info for you, see link for entire article and for treatment:

http://www.canismajor.com/dog/hotspots.html

Hot spots are surface skin infections caused when populations of normal skin bacteria grow and overwhelm normal resistance. They are generally circular patches that lose hair, can be swollen, may exude a smelly pus, and can be painfully itchy, causing the dog to scratch, lick, or bite to the point of self-mutilation. Untreated hot spots can spread and provoke a normally even-tempered dog to growl or nip when touched.

These troublesome sores can seem to arise in a matter of hours with no warning, but they do tend to follow a pattern that helps in predicting their occurrence.

Dogs most susceptible to hot spots are those with heavy coats and histories of allergies, ear infections, flea infestations, irritated anal sacs, and grooming problems such as hair tangles and mats, but any dog can develop this infection. Dogs in warm, humid climates may develop hot spots when they shed their undercoats if the dead hair is trapped next to the skin, and dogs with behavior problems may mutilate themselves by licking and thus encourage an infection to become established.

The most common locations for hot spots are the legs and feet, flanks, and rump — areas that can be reached by licking or biting — but these localized infections can also appear on ears, neck, and chest if the dog is continually scratching.

[golden&hovawart]

Priska just got a hot spot!Cut the hair around the area,I use ChlorhexiDerm shampoo and hot water but you can also use soap,dry it well and use goldbond to keep it dry!.If it doesn't get better,in the next 3 days,take him to the vet.

[Ladida]

Also hot spots are "addictive" in a sense because the more they itch the spot, the better it feels. So Dobermom he may have gotten a bug bite and then scratched it into a hot spot.