Hot Spots in Pets
When their skin feels on fire from itching, your pet may scratch, lick, and chew so much that they create a hot spot. Help your furry pal beat the itch by learning more about these incredibly uncomfortable sores.
What are hot spots in pets?
Hot spots, which are also known as acute moist dermatitis or pyotraumatic dermatitis, are inflamed sores that develop on a pet’s skin. These spots often seem to pop up overnight, and can quickly become an oozing, painful mess that is extremely painful for your pet.
What results in hot spots in animals?
Hot spots are typically brought on by allergic reactions to food, fleas, or the environment. Nevertheless, anything that prompts your pet to lick, chew, or scratch an area until raw skin is exposed can be the cause.
Hot spots can be triggered by:
- Ear infections
- Skin infections
- Matted fur
- Urinary tract infections
- Anal gland issues
How are hot spots in pets treated?
Treating your pet’s hot spots requires quick action to prevent a deep skin infection. As soon as you notice a small area of inflammation, you must put an Elizabethan collar (i.e., e-collar) on your pet to prevent them from further irritating the skin.
As hot spots can be excruciatingly painful to the touch, when your pet comes to our hospital for hot spot treatment, we may sedate them and give them a potent analgesic. We will clip away matted fur to make the area more airy once your pet is at ease. To help the hot spot heal, the wet, matted fur that acts as a breeding ground for infection must be cut out.
To remove fur and other debris, we will gently clean the area with an antiseptic rinse. Next, we will apply topical medications to the clean, dry skin to relieve the itch and treat the infection. Depending on what caused the hot spot in the first place, we may advise allergy medication, anal gland expression, ear medication, routine grooming, or other therapies.
If you notice an irritated, inflamed area on your pet’s skin, don’t wait. Give our team a call to schedule an appointment before a minor irritation flares into a large, painful hot spot.