Why does my dog have sensitive, licking hot spots near her tail?

Hi, I am sorry to hear about Marley. Based on your description and the pictures you took, it appears that Marley may have a "hot spot". This is a moist dermatitis that causes discomfort, inflammation, and a secondary infection. When you say that he "received an allergy shot", I presume this is a steroid injection. If that is the case, the steroid injection should help to reduce his discomfort within less than 24hrs after the shot. Generally, I always treat a hot spots with a prescription of oral antibiotics, rather then topical. I allow the affected area to "dry out", as this is considered a "moist dermatitis" and we want it to no longer be "moist". Steroids are key to helping him feel more comfortable. Make sure to keep the ecollar on at all times to prevent him from chewing or licking at that sore area. I would recommend to contact your vet and ask if a prescription of oral antibiotics is warranted in Marley's case. They are the ones who can get this medication for you if it will help him and is indicated in his case. Best of luck to you and Marley.

It looks like Stella has a hot spot. The area should be clipped with clippers and scrubbed with an antiseptic wound cleaner. An oral antibiotic and a corticosteroid may also be needed to help the lesion heal. A lot of times hot spots are associated with allergies so you could talk to your vet about keeping her on an oral anti-histamine. Hope she gets better soon!

The spot on the tail looks like a hotspot right now. Hot spots can be common with food allergies and fleas (which you are already treating). The article below discusses treating hot spots. If Summer can still lick his tail, you may need a long e-collar. https://www.petcoach.co/article/hot-spots-acute-moist-dermatitis-in-dogs/

This looks like an area of moist dermatitis or a hot spot. She probably had an insect bite or a small injury and has licked the area and made it more inflammed and larger. You need to use a cone or a shirt to stop her from getting to the area so it can heal. I would wash this with antibacterial soap and after rinsing apply a thin film of antibacterial ointment on it. You can also put some cortisone cream on it to reduce the itching and inflammation. Usually these heal quickly if you can prevent her from irritating the area. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Pearl.

Hello, and thank you for your question. A recurring hot spot may be caused by a stubborn bacterial infection, or underlying allergies, or both. Did you keep Dewey on the new diet for a minimum of 8 weeks, with no other treats or table scraps, and did the spot come back after you stopped the food? If so, he may have a food allergy and need to stay on a hypoallergenic diet for life. It is also possible he may need something stronger than a topical antibiotic. I would take Dewey back the vet within the next 2-3 days and discuss if he should be on an oral antibiotic for a longer time period, if they suspect a stubborn bacterial infection. They may also want to conduct other tests such as a skin scraping or fungal culture, to rule out other causes of itchy red skin (e.g. mites, ringworm). In the meantime, I would put an e-collar (cone) on Dewey to ensure he does not further damage the skin. I hope this helps, and that your pup is feeling better soon!

Thank you for sending the additional information to our customer service email address! Yes, I agree with your suspicion that Kona likely has a hot spot. You can try to manage this area by first clipping the fur from the the affected area, as air flow to the area is important. Antiseptic sprays, like Vetericyn (https://vetericyn.com/product/vetericyn-plus-all-animal-wound-and-skin-care/?attribute_size=3oz), can work wonders when used a few times per day. One of the most important aspects of hot spot treatment is to prevent Kona from licking at this area. It may involve some tough love, but keep an e-collar (cone) on her until this area has fully resolved. Most hot spots show pretty significant improvement within a week or so. However, if it isn't improving in a week or gets worse at any point, Kona will need to visit her vet. While most hot spots can be treated with topical treatments, like the Vetericyn spray, some require courses of antibiotics and steroids. I hope this helps and that she's on the mend soon!

I'm not 100% sure what this spot is from just by looking at a photo. It could be just an injury but it could also be ringworm or skin mites (mange) or the start of a hot spot. I suggest you try this hot spot spray gel, 3-4 times per day. If after about a week or so you don't noticed much improvement or he starts to get spots in other areas then he needs to see a vet. https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/vetericyn-plus-hot-spot-antimicrobial-gel-for-dogs