Nobody likes a bad hair day, not even your dog. But what if he is vigorously licking or scratching at his hair and still not achieving that ’80s big hair look he so desires? Your pooch may have a hot spot that needs immediate medical attention.
Known medically as acute moist dermatitis, hot spots generally appear as localized, moist, reddish sores. They are the result of a bacterial infection triggered by a simple chain of events: Your dog’s skin becomes irritated, the irritation becomes itchy and, lacking opposable thumbs, he scratches with his foot, licks the area or both.
Passionate licking or scratching, hair loss and irritated skin that is oozing, crusty or scabby are tell-tale signs of hot spots. The hot spots are circular in shape and most often found on the head, over the hip and along the side of the chest.
But what causes the irritation in the first place? Many things such as:
– Allergies, such as food or environmental
– Mange
– Anal gland disease
– Poor grooming. Dogs with long, dense coats are more susceptible to hot spots.
– Warm weather
– Ticks, fleas and mosquito bites
The key to preventing hot spots is keeping your dog’s skin healthy! Make sure he is free of fleas and ticks; if he has a thick or heavy coat, have him groomed regularly to prevent matting. But above all, if your furry friend seems to be itchier more than usual, contact us so we can identify the cause and get a treatment going before the itch gets worse.