Moist dermatitis
What are hot spots on dogs?
A hot spot can go from a damp patch at bedtime to a raw circle the size of your palm by breakfast. This page explains why they spread so quickly, why swimmers and thick coats get them, what the vet does that you should not try at home, and what a groomer notices on the table.
What they are
A hot spot is an itch the dog turns into a wound
Cornell's Riney Canine Health Center calls them moist dermatitis and says the name comes from the warmth the inflammation gives off. VCA describes red, inflamed, oozing sores that can contain pus, smell, hurt and itch, most often on the head, legs and hips. What sets them apart is that the dog does the damage: VCA explains that a hot spot usually results from self-trauma, a dog licking or scratching an itchy area until it becomes an open wound.
The itch underneath can come from many places. VCA lists allergies to food or the environment, bites from fleas and mites, ear infections, bacterial or yeast skin infections, matted fur that traps moisture, a coat left wet after swimming or rain, boredom, arthritis or back pain that makes a dog lick a joint, and impacted or infected anal glands. Cornell names allergies and external parasites such as fleas as the primary causes, and notes that wet ears from swimming can lead to a hot spot below the ear.
- Fleas and other biting insects
- Allergies to food or the environment
- An ear infection, with the sore below the ear
- Anal gland trouble, with the sore near the tail
- A coat left damp after a swim, a bath or rain
Why they spread
Licking feeds the sore, so it can double in size while you sleep
VCA describes a lick-itch-lick cycle: licking soothes for a moment, keeps the skin wet and inflamed, and makes it itch more. Cornell adds that licking increases inflammation, spreads the sore area and delays healing, and VCA says hot spots can dramatically increase in size in a very short period. Thick hair makes things worse by hiding the early stage, and VCA notes that a hot spot can sit unseen under matted fur until the dog's fixation or the smell gives it away.
That is why thick-coated dogs and swimmers top the list. Cornell says hot spots are most common in dogs with long or thick coats, naming Newfoundlands, German shepherds and golden retrievers, and that warm weather brings more cases, although they can appear at any time of year. On Cape Ann that means two seasons of risk: the humid weeks of July and August, and the off-season swims from October to April, when the Gloucester beaches reopen to dogs and a long drive home follows in a coat wet to the skin.
First steps
Stop the licking, leave the scissors in the drawer, and call the vet the same day
VCA's treatment outline starts with the part you can do: stop the self-trauma with a cone or a barrier such as a sock or a light bandage. Then it moves to the vet's work, which includes finding and treating the cause, clipping the hair around the sore, a step VCA calls crucial and one that may need sedation, and cleaning the skin before any treatment goes on. VCA also warns against trimming the hair with scissors, because of the risk of cutting the skin.
Cornell gives a clock to act on: if a sore is more than 24 hours old, infection is likely and a trip to the vet is in order. In practice, call the same day you find one. Leave creams, oils and human products in the cabinet, since they will be licked off and can make the vet's job harder. Tell the vet about recent swims, fleas, ear scratching or scooting, because a hot spot that keeps returning usually has a cause nobody has dealt with yet.
- 01
Part the hair and look for a red, wet, warm patch, often with a smell
- 02
Stop the licking with a cone, or a loose sock or T-shirt over the spot
- 03
Keep scissors and clippers away from the skin
- 04
Put nothing on the sore until your vet says what it needs
- 05
Call your vet the same day, and sooner if the patch is growing
- 06
Tell the vet about swims, fleas, ear scratching and scooting
On the grooming table
What a groomer sees, and why the groom waits until the skin heals
Groomers part a coat all over, so they often find a hot spot before an owner does: under a mat behind the ear, beneath the collar, at the top of a back leg or near the tail, usually on a dog that flinches when the brush gets close. At Dogtown, anything red, wet or sore that turns up on the table is pointed out to you at pick-up with the advice to see your vet. A groom goes over healed skin, not an open sore; clipping around a raw patch is the vet's job.
Once the skin has healed, grooming becomes part of prevention. VCA says some dogs benefit from seasonal grooming, regular brushing and bathing, and a thick coat kept free of mats lets air reach the skin. A Dogtown bath is $55 to $95 by size; Shed Release at $10 clears loose undercoat from heavy coats, dematting is $15 per 20 minutes, and the $8 antiseptic or fungal shampoo is for skin your vet has asked to have washed that way. Cornell's most important preventive step is good flea and tick control.
- Brush a thick coat right down to the skin, especially in summer
- Dry to the skin after every swim, ears included
- Keep fleas and ticks under control all season
- Book a de-shed before the heaviest coat blow
At Dogtown
Grooming that keeps thick coats dry and clear
Brush-outs, de-shedding and a thorough dry help healed skin stay healthy; open sores go to the vet first.
Asked and answered
Questions people ask about this
Short, complete answers you can act on today. More in the full FAQ.
Why do hot spots appear so fast?
Can I treat a hot spot at home?
Which dogs get hot spots most?
Will a bath help my dog's hot spot?
How do I prevent hot spots after swimming?
More questions? Read the full FAQ
Sources
Rules and dates change. We re-check every beach, licensing and ordinance page each spring and fall; the source above is the current word.
Keep reading
Next step
Keep a thick coat dry to the skin
Book a bath or a de-shed online once your vet has cleared any sore; grooming needs no evaluation.
- 01Free evaluationWeekdays 6:30 – 9:30 AM
- 02Book a dayOnline, in the app or by phone
- 03Play, rest, repeatReport card at pick-up
