Many dogs will encounter this at some point: a hotspot. It is a painful spot that is very bothersome for your dog. A hotspot is a skin inflammation caused by excessive scratching and licking. Often, the cause of this is itching. This itching causes your dog to scratch and lick a lot. A hotspot can develop quickly and may seem to appear "out of nowhere." In this blog, we will tell you how hotspots develop and how to treat them!
Cause of a Hotspot
Hotspots arise from the excessive proliferation of bacteria that irritate the skin. Constant scratching and licking at the site provide the perfect breeding ground for bacteria – moisture and heat are preferred conditions for bacteria. Dogs prone to hotspots often already have a disturbed microbiome. When the skin becomes bare and 'raw,' it is more susceptible to bacteria that can cause inflammation. It can even bleed and ooze pus. It is even more important to find out why your dog is itching and therefore starts licking and scratching. However, itching is a symptom and can have many different causes. In our blog: “Help, my dog is itching!” you can read all about the causes of itching in your dog.
Treating a Hotspot
If your dog has a hotspot, it is important to prevent them from licking and scratching it. This will only make the hotspot worse. To prevent your dog from reaching it for a while, you can purchase various collars at the pet store or from the vet. Furthermore, it is important that the hotspot area remains dry, as moisture is needed for a comfortable climate for bacteria. It is also important that the area remains both clean and dry. Therefore, it is not advisable to play in the mud and swim. You can also trim or shave the hair around the area a bit so that no dirt can remain in the surrounding fur.
If the area is dirty, you can rinse it with lukewarm water and then support the skin with Doderm Hydro Repair Gel. What makes our skin gel unique is that it contains filtered antibodies from the colostrum (first milk) of cows, which naturally supports skin irritation during recovery. Do you want to know? Learn more about how Doderm Hydro RepairGel can relieve your dog's itching? Then read our page on how Doderm Hydro RepairGel works exactly. If you have any questions, please contact us. We are happy to advise you!
All treatment steps at a glance:
- Prevent further licking and scratching;
- Keep the hotspot dry and clean;
- Support the skin with Doderm Hydro RepairGel;
- Immediately call the vet if your dog shows signs of illness, such as lethargy, not eating/drinking, elevated temperature.
The Difference with Doderm Hydro RepairGel
We received a very nice review from Mariska. Her dog, Beike, had a hotspot which she treated with Doderm Hydro Repair Gel. Read Mariska’s full review below, see the before and after photos, and judge for yourself!
Before:
After 7 days:
"Beike is an 11-year-old Frisian Stabyhoun. She has a thick coat, which makes her suffer from hotspots, especially during prolonged humidity. We have now used honey ointment for the first time, but it didn't work very well with her long hair. We then shaved the area and then used Doderm daily for a week. The wound is now almost gone, and it no longer bothers her; she hardly licks it. New hair is also starting to grow back!"
Is a hotspot contagious?
The hotspot itself is not contagious. Whether it is contagious or not mainly depends on the cause of the hotspot. Is your dog licking and scratching excessively because they are bothered by fleas or mites? These parasites can easily be transmitted to other dogs, causing them to experience discomfort and potentially develop a hotspot. Therefore, regularly check your dog for fleas and mites and treat them promptly if necessary.
With proper treatment, a hotspot will completely disappear in about two weeks. If a hotspot is not treated correctly, the skin inflammation can worsen, and your dog can even become seriously ill. So, intervene in time to prevent worse. Always consult your vet for the right treatment.
0 comments