Hot Spots

Hot spots are inflamed areas on the skin that are aggravated by the animal licking, biting and scratching at the area.  These are often found on the legs, but they can occur anywhere on the body.  Hot spots vary in severity depending on how long or intensely the animal has been biting or scratching at the area.  The lesions start red or pink and can become hairless owing to the animal's constant biting.  The hotspot  may end up as bleeding, infected areas. 

Causes

• The area may have originally been irritated by a sting, an external parasite such as s flea, a foreign object, a scrape or an allergic condition. 

• Food allergies

• Psychological causes, such as boredom. 

Tip:    Create an interesting environment for your pet to relieve boredom.  Give your cat or dog safe toys, exercise and lots of attention. 

First Aid

 1.    Shave the area with grooming clippers or a razor. 

 2.    Clean the area with warm water. 

 3.    Look for the presence of any foreign objects, including insect stingers or fleas. 

 4.    You can try a topical over-the-counter antibiotic and steroid cream or ointment, but this generally will not be enough for severe hot spots. 

 5.    You may place an Elizabethan collar on the animal.  You can purchase one from your veterinarian or pet supply store.  These collars fasten around your pet's neck and extend around the head like a cone.  This keeps the animal from biting at most parts of the body. 

 6.    If topical treatments don't work, have the animal examined by a veterinarian.