Dog hot spots are the areas on the dog's skin where there is an inflammation. As the name suggest, it appears as a red hot mess that often destroys the dermatitis part of the skin. The medical term for dog hot spots is known to be moist dermatitis. There are many known causes for it but among them is biting and other external factors that cause allergies.
Because of its appearance, it's quite easy to note if your dog has this. You should first notice this when your dog starts to scratch with an unnatural frequency. When he begins to do this, you should inspect the area where the dog often scratches.
If you see an inflammation that might already be a hot spot. Of course it helps to bring him as soon as possible to the vet but if you can't just yet, there are important things you can do on your own to treat it.
First off, you should consider shaving the area. This is especially important if your dog has a heavy coat on him. This will help you see how much damage has been done on the skin already. Dogs who have hot spots often have falling hair as well but if you shave it off, you would see more clearly if there are severe and larger problem areas that would need to be attended by a vet.
Soon as you have the area shaved, you can cleanse the wound by using a gentle skin cleanser like the ones you use on your face and a cool water. Cleaning the area can stop further infections from happening. It can also stop the itchy sensation felt by your dog. Gently wash the area especially if there are small wounds already.
Once you've done the cleansing and until such time that you can bring your dog to the vet or he gets better, you can apply a cool compress over the dog hot spots. You can do this for two to four times daily using a clean wash cloth submerged in cool water. Tea bag compresses are also known to help dry and disinfect the area.
You can also put an Elizabethan collar over your pet dog to stop him from scratching and licking the area much further which can just worsen the hot spot. This way, he would prevent from making the hot spot infected by such actions.
If the hot spots still persist for more than three days, you should already take your dog to the vet. They can prescribe your pet with oral antibiotics as well as topical drying sprays. To help cure the affected area, a specialized shampoo may also be prescribed by your veterinarian.
