1st Hot Spot...

[Breanne, Dave & Maizy!]

Maizy had a clump of hard fur under her ear canal and I thought it was just wax. I brought her to my groomer/friend to have her take a look. She said it is a hot spot. It does not seem to hurt her when I touch it. Groomer shaved around it. She said it looks as if it is drying up. She gave me some first aide cream to put on it. I am going to keep my eye on it. If it is hard and drying up do I still need to take her to the vet?

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

No.  I would use the medicine and watch it to make sure it is going away.

[Breanne, Dave & Maizy!]

Thanks nancy :)

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I'm not sure I would use medication "prescribed" by a groomer, nor have her diagnosis something. A "hot spot" is a form of moist dermatitis and can become infected if not properly treated. Your description doesn't sound like a hot spot to me. Personally, I'd have a vet take a look and also check that the cream is safe and the right thing to be using. 

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Karen, I didn't think about a groomer perhaps giving an unhelpful medication, but that is something to think about.  Pet stores have over the counter things, so I figure a groomer med. can't hurt.

We did take Ned to the vet when he got his first hot spot, but we don't now -  he gets one only about once a year on his cheek or chin. For the dog who occasionally gets a hot spot and it seems dry when you find it, we keep Animax on hand and that is what we use.  It is a general purpose medication from the vet.  Clancy had  what seemed like a mild rash on his tummy and, luckily we took him for that because it turned out to be an infection that he needed both antibiotics and a topical. 

I guess bottom line for me, unless my 'gut' tells me otherwise, is I would watch it for a few days using the medication the groomer gave, but if it doesn't seem to be getting better or isn't 'dry' any longer or gets bigger, I would go to the vet.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I've never seen a hot spot that was already dry when it was discovered, they are usually raw and horribly itchy, with hair loss, which makes me question how you would know that you're dealing with a hot spot? In this case, the groomer made that diagnosis, and it may or may not be accurate. But real true "hot spots" are a big deal, and I would want to know what I was dealing with. There is almost always some type of bacteria involved.

Some information on hot spots: http://www.vetinfo.com/canine-eczema-moist-dermatitis-dogs.html

 

[Bonnie and Kona]

We had a Golden very prone to hot spots and looked the way Karen has described. If the hot spot went untreated for a day we would be in real trouble. They would spread like wild fire. 

[Bonnie and Kona]

We had a Golden very prone to hot spots and looked the way Karen has described. If the hot spot went untreated for a day we would be in real trouble. They would spread like wild fire. 

[Gail and Bailey]

Maybe this is a matter of symantics.  After reading the article, it is apparent that what they describe is different than the spots around the face and neck that I have dealt with.  I suppose we are using the term "hot spots" more loosely than the condition the article refers to.  True hot spots as described, would certainly need to be evaluated by a vet. I am thinking that these self inflicted injuries some of us describe are just benign over-scratched spots that get "hot" and bleed.  If you happen to be present at the time of bleeding you notice it.....if you are not around for a matter of hours after the area bleeds, it could presumably dry, scab, and be left undetected under the attached fur until it is discovered while petting or grooming. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

What you're describing are not hot spots. I know it seems like just a casual term to describe any irritated area that is scratched and subsequently bleeds, but the term does have an actual definiton, as described in the link. And hot spots are serious. So when someone says, " the groomer says it is a hot spot and gave me a cream", that's alarming, lol.

What is being discussed here is  not a hot spot.  For those of us who have dealt with dogs who have hot spots resulting from some serious diseases or illnesses, and know how bad they can be and how miserable the dogs are from them, it's important to make the distinction.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Calla gets things on her head from time to time which are black and crumbly I always thought they were scabs from putting her head where she shouldn't like into rose bushes, trying to poke under gates etc. Eventually the black crumbly things get further up her hair shaft where I could pick/brush them out. She had some of this the last time I visited the vet. So while I was there I asked. The vet checked the black stuff to see if it tested positive for blood, which it did, confirming it was a scab most likely. I never did anything for these spots. I just let nature take it's course.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Ned's 'hot spots' may not be true hot spots -obviously I used the term too generally.  He scratches himself a lot and once in a great while rubs a sore on his cheek or chin (where he has a hair).  These crust up/dry up and clear up with a simple topical. 

[Lee Seidman]

Billabong has had numerous hot spots. We have had him to the Vet and an allergist.  He currently receives an allergy shot weekly, given at home but is still prone to getting hot spots.  We believe it is due to his excessive swimming and not drying thoroughly. We even try to blow dry after swimming but he still stays a little damp.

We have several different meds to dry them up but have found that shaving the area and treating with prescription meds is the best thing. Keep the area dry and try anything to prevent his scratching. The Hot spots will  spread rapidly if not caught early and are prone to infection. I would suggest seeing a vet to start treating properly and just keep an eye on any skin abrasions. Again,  not treated they can spread to cover a large area in a few hours.