Health
Hot Spots: Why a Small Itch Becomes a Raw Sore Overnight
What a hot spot is
A hot spot starts as a small skin irritation — a flea bite, a damp coat after swimming, an allergy itch — that the dog licks and chews into a raw, weeping, rapidly expanding sore. Thick-coated breeds in warm humid weather are classic victims.
Break the cycle fast
The treatment logic: clip the fur around the sore so air reaches it, clean gently with an antiseptic solution, and stop the licking — a cone or recovery suit isn't cruel, it's the cure. Most hot spots need a vet visit for proper clipping, topical or oral medication, and pain relief, because they hurt more than they look.
Find the trigger
A hot spot is a symptom. Fleas are the number-one cause (one bite can do it in an allergic dog), followed by allergies, ear infections (cheek hot spots), and coats that stay damp after swims. Fix the trigger or the spots return.
Prevention
Year-round flea control, thorough drying after water, regular grooming to prevent matting, and treating underlying allergies. Catch new spots early — a coin-sized sore treated today beats a dinner-plate one treated Friday.
If the day is coming
Ease The Paw coordinates in-home pet euthanasia across South Africa — we find and book the vet, arrange the cremation and handle the keepsakes, so you can simply be present. A flat R950 covers the coordination and your keepsake memorial; the vet and cremation are billed separately at their own rates.
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