Unveiling Pet Hot Spots: Understanding the Effects of Heat on Your Furry Friend
When your pet’s skin becomes intensely itchy, excessive scratching, licking, and chewing can lead to the formation of painful hot spots. Learn more about these discomforting sores and how to help your furry companion find relief.
What are Hot Spots in Pets?
Hot spots, also known as acute moist dermatitis or pyotraumatic dermatitis, are inflamed sores that develop on a pet’s skin. These spots can seemingly appear overnight, rapidly progressing into oozing, painful lesions that cause significant distress to your pet.
What Causes Hot Spots in Pets?
Hot spots are commonly triggered by skin inflammation resulting from environmental, flea, or food allergies. However, any factor that compels your pet to excessively lick, chew, or scratch an area, leading to raw skin, can contribute to hot spot formation.
Hot spots can be caused by:
– Ear infections
– Skin infections
– Matted fur
– Urinary tract infections
– Anal gland issues
How are Hot Spots in Pets Treated?
Prompt action is crucial to prevent deep skin infections when treating your pet’s hot spots. Once you notice a small area of inflammation, it’s important to use an Elizabethan collar (e-collar) to prevent further irritation of the skin.
When you bring your pet to our hospital for hot spot treatment, we may administer sedation along with potent analgesic medication, as hot spots can be exceptionally painful. Once your pet is comfortable, we will carefully remove matted fur to allow air to reach the affected area. Wet and tangled fur serves as a breeding ground for infection and must be eliminated to promote healing.
Next, we will gently cleanse the area with an antiseptic rinse, effectively removing fur and debris. Topical medications will be applied to soothe the itch and address the infection on clean, dry skin. Further treatment will depend on the underlying cause of the hot spot, and we may recommend allergvy management, anal gland expression, ear medication, regular grooming, or other appropriate therapies.
If you observe an irritated and inflamed area on your pet’s skin, don’t delay. Contact our team to schedule an appointment before a minor irritation escalates into a larger, more painful hot spot.