We are in the middle of the Summer heat, and it is Hot! Lapping up the aircon and spending as much time in the pool is a great way to cool down, especially when our pets can join us. However, this can lead to other health concerns for our four-legged friends including, hotspots.
Hotspots are a form of dermatitis that can occur for many reasons including, excessive moisture from swimming or being hosed down/bathed, excessive licking, poor grooming, ear infections and other allergies and skin conditions. Hotspot presents as a very red, inflamed and moist wound that can vary in size and generally has hair loss in or around the area.
Hotspots are commonly found on the face, neck, limbs and hips but can develop on any body area. The wounds can grow to a large size in a matter of days if not treated quickly.
If they are left untreated the wounds can begin to consistently bleed, have coloured discharge and become even more painful and itchy for your dog. This can lead to more serious medical conditions including widespread infection or deeper skin ulcerations.
Your veterinarian will do a thorough exam to ensure all hotspot areas are identified then the affected areas will be clipped and cleaned. A combination of oral antibiotics and anti-itch medications can be prescribed as well as an e-collar to prevent your dog from licking and scratching at the wound further.
It is important to not put any human medications such as Neosporin, hydrocortisone and Vaseline on your dogs' hotspots. This causes dogs to lick at the wound more, which will cause an increase in the growth of the hotspot.
Once treated, identifying the underlying cause of the hotspot can prevent any future occurrences. Some breeds are more predisposed to hotspots than others some of these breeds are golden retrievers, English bulldogs and German shepherds. It is important to treat any other skin conditions that may be present, have your dog regularly groomed especially, after being wet, regularly cleaning their ears and maintaining a flea and tick prevention regime to reduce their risk of any future occurrences.
We understand that it is very hot and we do not want to take away your pets swimming and air-con privileges but these measures will help reduce their risk of developing a hotspot in the future. If you're unsure about a wound on your dog make sure to book a consultation with your vet.