January 26, 2012
Dog Hot Spots: Some Quick Notes
If you have a dog as a pet, you know that they sometimes get something that looks like a rash on their skin, and that it is known as a dog hot spots. Basically it is just one of several skin problems that a dog can have that can be very uncomfortable and irritating for them.
Essentially, hot spots are areas that started out as some sort of irritation to the dog, and it bit or scratched at them until it became infected. Compulsive licking makes it worse, and then the fact that their fur mats the area down just makes it spread more quickly, exacerbating the situation and the discomfort involved.
As far as what caused the initial irritation, there are several possibilities. It could have been an environmental or physical skin condition, or it could be something like parasites, bacteria, fungi, or potentially a virus. All of these things can cause a dog to itch initially, and from there it can all go down hill quickly, as when a dog wants to itch, it itches!
Allergies also irritate a dog's skin to the point where it will bite and scratch at those areas. Yes, just like humans, dog have allergies as well, and one study suggests that has many as one in seven dogs have the condition severely enough to impact its life quite negatively. Food allergies are often a culprit as well, depending on what kind of diet you are feeding your dog.
Another major source of initial skin irritation is any sort of bite by a flea or a tick. You dog can pick these up just about anywhere, including from other animals, wandering around a new hours or apartment, or heading off exploring into the woods or through any type of farmland or extremely natural area.
If your dog is shedding a lot or has any other type of excessive hair loss, that also may be an indication of an underlying problem that should get checked out right away, as hot spots may accompany those symptoms as well, and any deviation from normal health conditions should be a cause for concern.
Treatments for hot spots usually come in the order of something like a cream or ointment, potentially something like an antibiotic, or in cases more severe, check with your vet to see if there is something more powerful that will help you pooch get better faster.
So if you think your dog has hot spots, check on the internet to see if the symptoms are right, then take it to the vet and find out what the best remedies are so you and you pet can get back to having fun!
Tags: health dog treats, differential diagnosis of dog skin diseases, dog disease symptoms lump under skin, dog health blood in stool, pug dog health, dog health info
Filed under Dog Health by Jennifer Gretson

















