What are dog skin “Hot Spots” and how do you treat them?
Hot spots on your dog’s skin is no walk in the park. The discomforting hot spots which are also know as “Accute Moist Dermatitis” are inflamed, infected areas of your dog’s skin often caused by allergies, excessive licking or flea infestation. This can be a common occurrence on dogs and is fully treatable by following a few simple steps.
What are the warning signs of “Hot Spots” on your dog’s skin?
Typical signs of this hot spots are redness, itchiness & hair loss on your dog’s skin & fur, While not a serious condition, hot spots are uncomfortable for your dog and can cause daily discomfort if not treated. There can be many factors which can add to the cause of hot spots including your dog’s diet, an allergic reaction, condition of their fur, flea infestation or can also be the first sign of a serious underlying condition.
Before you try and treat this condition with a home remedy we recommend speaking with your vet, they can help narrow down the root cause of the condition and also set a course of natural remedies to which will help combat this infection.
How do I treat the hot spots with a natural remedy?
A common natural treatment for hot spots can be achieved by the use of Aloe Vera which can be applied to your dog’s skin to provide some much needed relief to the red itchy areas which are affected.
You can apply Aloe Vera safely with these simple steps:
1) Carefully trim the fur from the area of which affected by hot spot.
2) Soak a clean cloth in cool water and then gently cleanse the hot spots (be sure to not scrub the area with force as this may be painful for your dog).
3) Apply a thin coating of Aloe Vera gel to the hot spot area and to any part of which you have removed fur. For added relief you may also like to add a touch of tea tree oil to the Aloe Vera gel, this can add extra cooling to the area and relief.
4) Repeat this process 1-2 times per day for several days until the hot spot area begin to heal.
5) Provide a cool bath 1-2 times per week with the use of an Aloe Vera (dog friendly) shampoo. Once your dog is dry you can then also apply a coating of Aloe Vera gel as per above.
Be sure to also check for fleas in your dogs coat, these can also cause hot spots to appear and may be the initial cause of the outbreak. We recommend following a flea treatment programme to avoid a flea infestation.
Of course before following any of the steps above, please speak with your vet to ensure Aloe Vera is a suitable remedy for your dog’s symptoms. It is also advised to use Aloe Vera with caution and to NEVER use Aloe Vera for internal use or allow your dog to lick nor digest the gel which has been applied to the skin. After you have followed all the steps the hot spots should heal themselves without any further issues, if the symptoms continue please revisit your vet for more advice.
If you notice hot spots to be a recurring issue, you should consider looking into an underlying problem which may be causing them such as fleas or ticks and also food allergies.
Have you experienced hot spots before and treated with another natural remedy? Comment below with any extra tips for your fellow dog owners.
