My dog has a hot spot on her back near her tail. How to treat?

I like to trim the hair around the hot spot to open up the skin to the air. Then wash it with antibacterial soap to remove the discharge. After drying it then apply thin film of antibacterial ointment on it. You can also apply some cortisone cream on it to reduce the itch. It's best to use a restraint collar to prevent licking and scratching so it will heal. Make sure there are no fleas or ear infection as these can cause itching resulting in hot spots. If they are severe and you are unable to get them to heal then I would bring Princess to your veterinarian for treatment. They may give an injection to prevent scratching and an oral antibiotic to heal the skin infection. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Princess.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Based on the picture, it does appear that this could be a hot spot. I typically recommend using products that soothe and treat infection. What I would recommend would be Well & Good Hydrocortisone spray (at Petco) and Miconahex + Triz spray and apply both of these twice daily until resolved. If there is no improvement within 7 days, I would recommend taking your dog in to be seen by a veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps!

Hi there. Most hot spots need antibiotic therapy. You can try shaving it and cleaning it with an antiseptic rinse which will sometimes be enough to make it heal, but if it doesn't resolve I would have Hunter seen by your veterinarian for antibiotics and to confirm that it is a hot spot. I hope that helps! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

If the hot spot is small you can try putting some triple antibiotic ointment on it. You will want to try and prevent your dog from licking the area as much as possible, like with an E-collar, to allow it to heal. If the area is very large and inflamed your dog may benefit from oral antibiotics to help it heal more quickly. If treatment at home doesn’t work then you will probably need to have her examined by a vet. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

This looks like an area of moist dermatitis, or hot spot. They get these from licking or rubbing an area of skin that was irritated from an insect bite, allergy or injury. To treat this I recommend trimming the fur around the area, then cleaning off the discharge with warm water and antibacterial soap. Once it’s rinsed and dried you can apply a thin film of antibacterial ointment on it. The most important thing is to prevent her from scratching or rubbing this area so it can heal. Use a cone if needed. If it’s not improving then I recommend a veterinary exam and treatment. They may give medication to prevent the itching, and possible a topical spray or ointment to dry up the skin. Hot spots are common in Goldens so I’d have a cone and medication on hand to treat these at home before they get bad. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Daisy.

Hello, & thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It looks like chocolate has a bit of a hotspot developed there, probably from some sort of allergy. If she is not on a good flea preventative, then start her on the best one you can afford. You can also treat the area with a little cortisone ointment, rubbing just a dab onto the skin 1-2 times daily. If the area seems to be getting worse, please have your veterinarian examine the skin as soon as possible to make sure the area is not infected or something else is developing. Take care.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It could be the start of a hot spot. The mainstay of treatment is to shave the fur away to allow better air flow to help it dry out. Also Hatty would need to stop chewing and licking the area. That requires the use of an Elizabethan collar (cone) or donut. Also we usually prescribe a course of steroids and antibiotics. Since it is getting worse and hot spots are of the the true skin "emergencies" (because they spread quickly and are uncomfortable) I recommend having her seen today before the weekend. I hope this helps and I wish Hatty a speedy recovery!