My dog keeps licking a spot. Is it a hot spot? Should I see a vet?

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!

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

Those spots on Riley could be several things including allergies, skin mites, flea bites, ringworm (which humans can get) or a bacterial infection. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing his diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. You can wash the lesions with soap once a day and rinse well (don't wash his whole body, just those spots). Protect the areas from licking or scratching and he may need to wear and Elizabethan collar at all times. Since he is still licking the lesions, it's hard to know if the changes to the lesions are a sign of recovery or a worsening. You MUST stop the licking. If the lesions don't start looking better within about a week or if they get worse, have him examined again by the veterinarian who may prescribe additional medications. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hi there and thank you for your post! From the pictures you posted, it looks like Chico may have a hot spot (moist dermatitis) area in front of his prepuce / penis. Some of the area appears to be yellow and this might indicate it is infected. I would get your vet to check this out so that Chico can receive the appropriate treatment. Most likely he will need an oral antibiotic and some topical ointments to treat the area. If he is constantly licking the area, I would get a plastic cone to keep around his head to prevent him from licking the area and making it worse. I hope this helps! Please feel free to contact me with any other questions / concerns you may have. I am also available via consultation.

I'd be worried in that Harley keeps licking it, which shows it's bothering him. From your picture, it looks like he has licked that area raw in a spot, so I would definitely have this checked out by the vet. Give the vet a call today or tomorrow to make an appointment for him. Until you can have him seen, put an Ecollar on him to keep him from licking at it. You can get one at a pet store, or I can put a link below on how to make one at home. Best of luck, I hope this helps. http://dogsaholic.com/care/homemade-dog-cone.html

It doesn't have the appearance of a lick granuloma. It could be a hotspot. Hot spots typically have an allergic component. You can discuss allergy testing, hydrolyzed diets, food elimination trials and antihistamine use with your veterinarian An e-collar (cone) can be used to prevent licking. Minor hot spots are treated topically. The spot is clipped, cleaned and an antibiotic/steroid ointment is applied until resolved. https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/acral-lick-dermatitis/ https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/hot-spots/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-treat-and-prevent-hot-spots-on-dogs/

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.