How to identify and prevent hot spots in dogs and cats
It sure can keep you up at night to hear your pet obsessively licking and scratching at a specific spot on their body. You may be concerned about the discomfort your pet is feeling, or perhaps you just can’t sleep with such distracting sounds in the background (likely both)!
Hot spots (pyotraumatic dermatitis or acute moist dermatitis) are a potential cause of obsessive licking and scratching in both dogs and cats, though they’re more commonly associated with dogs. These red, inflamed skin lesions appear quickly and may ooze and scab. The most common places to find hot spots on dogs are the head, legs and hips. On cats, they’re commonly found on the face, chin, base of the tail, behind the ears and on the belly. However, they can appear anywhere on the body in both dogs and cats.
The hot spot first develops when your pet scratches an itch vigorously enough to cause an open wound. While the original itch could have been due to allergies, bug bites, a skin infection or other issue, the hot spot becomes a problem in and of itself. A vicious cycle of licking and itching worsens the wound. Treatment of the hot spot will focus on preventing your pet from continuing to self-traumatize the area, reducing inflammation and managing the underlying cause.
If your pet is prone to hot spots, you may be searching for ways to save them from the discomfort they cause. The following are tips to prevent hot spots in dogs and cats:
