The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Diagnosing Hot Spots
Posted by Christi (Morris Chapel, Tennessee, Us) on 09/21/2009
My lab has a sore next to his eye, I guess what would be his cheek. I am trying to decide if this could be a hot spot. I dont have the money now to take him to the vet, but dont want this to go untreated for long. His sore showed up all of a sudden and he has scratched it til it looks awful. In the center, about dime size or so, it is really dark almost like tree bark but smooth. All around that is like a normal sore, oozing and bloody. Can someone please help me decide if this is a hot spot. If not, any suggestions on what it is? Thanks!
EC: They aren't pretty to look at, but have you checked out photos of hot spots on google images? Here's the link: http://images.google.com. If you search "hot spots for dogs", you'll see some good photos.
Epsom Salt, Povidone Iodine, Flea Control
Posted by Deirdre (Atlanta, GA) on 02/14/2007
Turns out that all the things I was doing to treat Max (tea tree and lavender oil, cayenne, ACV, etc.) made the hotspot much worse -- poor guy! Mea culpa! In fact, the hotspot turned into a bad staph infection and I had to treat it with antibiotics. My holistic vet told me to keep the area shaved and next time, to use a solution of epsom salts dissolved in water with a drop of Povidone iodine by holding a soaked piece of gauze to the area. I also have to keep Max on flea control year round since hotspots are most likely caused by flea bites. 3 months of Advantage, then 3 months of Frontline, back and forth, since fleas become "immune" to one brand if you use it too long. If the hotspot was not caused by an allergy, the vet told me, it's possible his hips are painful and he is biting that area to get at the pain.
Replied by Deirdre
(Atlanta, GA)
06/26/2007
★★★★★
Replied by Deborah
(Cartersville, Georgia)
06/22/2008
Replied by KDenise
(Stone Mountain, GA)
05/29/2009
Eucalyptus and Spearmint Oil
Posted by Linda (Las Vegas, Nv) on 12/29/2014
I just soaked my chihuahua in eucalytus and spearmint oil for hot spots, did not use any shampoo. Just towel dried him and he looks like he is in heaven right now. I hope this works.
Fish Oil
Posted by Mary (South Dakota, US) on 08/30/2014
★★★★★
Our Bassett hound had hot spots (red irritated skin where he lost his hair) and after researching online I started giving him fish oil capsule daily and it has really helped him.
General Feedback
Posted by Kathy (Toronto, Canada) on 10/16/2007
★★★★★
I adopted a 3 year old golden and he is very prone to hot spots only on his tail. He will chew it until it bleeds But He seems to do it if I work late or am away over night There are other family members in the home But I have switched food cut out all treats and for two months no hot spot, I went away last thursday overnight came home friday and there was a hot spot on the tail. Is this possible? is he afraid that I will leave him? all I know about him is he was dumped at a shelter .
EC: Kathy, our dog (a rescue as well) also has hot spot issues. We've noticed that they are nonexistent during the spring and summer months with typically dry, hot weather. When the weather gets cooler and starts to rain, the hot spots start appearing, one after the other. After years of going through the same cycle, we are beginning to suspect that it has to do with the weather.
Gentian Violet
Posted by Marianne (Chepachet, Ri) on 10/12/2009
★★★★★
hi everyone!! i have seen many unfortunate dogs over the years; who for many different reasons, have suffered from severe itching, red bellies, and inside of ears, and horrible hot spots on legs, base of tail, and bottom of paws. what i find works best is; go to the pharmacy, and ask the pharmacist for gentian violet, they mix it up fresh, or have to order it, it has a very short shelf-life. it`s a viricide, fungicide, and a bacteriacide. i start out by giving the animal a warm bath, with any moiturizing anti-bacterial soap; rinsing well, and using a vineagar rinse. i rip up an old towel in squares, that can be thrown away after one use. apply the gentian violet with a damp towel square, making sure it has soaked in well to all of the wounds. it`s ok to lick, they used to put it in baby`s mouths for thrush, it`s bright dark blue, but you`ll learn to live with it. wash, rinse, and reapply to areas when the beight color has faded out, about once a day, and bathe as you feel you should, about once a week. using a grain-free food, keeping an anxious dog calm, and well-exercised and busy also helps. i have seen this work wonders, and no steroids, or invasive meds are involved. just passing along what i have seen help these poor dogs, it`s just awful to see them suffer so.
Gold Bond Powder
Posted by Sb (Simcoe, Canada ) on 05/11/2013
★★★★★
We have a 2 year old Newfoundland Dog , with the nice warm weather she has been swimming 5/7 days this week, the other night she was acting out of sorts so I was taking her collar off and a horrible smell came out from under it, she had developered a large hot spot along the collar line of her neck. I went out and got tinactin and gold bond powder on suggestion from this site. Her hair was so thick I kinda just massaged it into her chest best I could, this relieved the pain.. Next morning got her shaved under the neck at the groomers so I could actually see it, it was enormous, not broken skin but very red irritated and gooey in some spots. We have been giving her 3 Benadryl a day and applying the powder 2-3x a day and she's like a new dog, its clearing up and we are on day 2. Tinactin works well too but the spray sound scared her too much.
Replied by Richard
(Scottville, Michigan)
09/15/2015
★☆☆☆☆
Gold Bond Powder
Posted by Sue (Maili, Hawaii) on 10/19/2012
★★★★★
I had my dog groomed and two days later she was loaded with hot spots. She had a hot spot a long time ago and I brought her to the vet $125 later she was healed. This time she had them literally from head to toe and was miserable. I rescearched this web site and learned I could use ACV which I am a fan of or Golds Bond powder. I choose the powder (orange bottle) and I am sold. Twice a day I put the powder right on the spot and I didn't even shave around the sores. I could see it in her eyes that there was instant relief. I saw immediate results. So now I share this with everyone. Sue
Replied by Jj
(Canada)
04/16/2014
Gold Bond Powder
Posted by Jill (Brinnon, Wa) on 08/21/2012
★★★★★
My 6 year old Aussie/heeler had started scratching one evening and by the next morning had raw underarm pits. Little red patches were springing up. Maybe 4 of them. I put 1%hydrocortisone cream on her underarms then a sprinkling of the Green label gold bond powder. I then put one of my tshirts on her and took it up at the waist( held it in place with some duct tape) so she couldn't get her foot up under it. Make sure the tshirt isn't rubbing under the arms. This kept her from licking or scratching the armpits. After 2 days of applying this 3 times a day her armpits look normal. She has added Omega oil caps to diet.
Gold Bond Powder
Posted by Sarah Reyburn (Brewster, Massachusetts USA) on 02/14/2009
★★★★★
Gold bond Powder helps my Silky terrier when he chews and licks hot spots which he tend to get on his lower back and near his tail.
EC: FYI -- the active ingredients of Gold Bond Powder (an over-the-counter skin irritation powder) are Menthol (0.15%) and zinc oxide (1.0%).
Replied by Mary
(Springfield, MO)
06/19/2009
Hydrogen Peroxide and Borax
Posted by Anne (Finger Lakes, New York) on 03/24/2015
★★★★★
Om is right. We tried everything on our Bulldog. The only thing that worked was a diluted Hydrogen Peroxide and borax mixture that we spray on. After months of agony, this remedy gave improvement overnight and cleared up his skin completely in about a week. The recipe is:
1 part 3% Hydrogen Peroxide, 2 Parts water, add 50 mule Borax until solution is cloudy (i.e. no more granules will dissolve). Apply with a wet cloth to thoroughly soak affected area. Later you can use a spray a few times a day.
Lavender Oil
Posted by Fenimore (UK) on 05/29/2024
★★★★★
Coconut oil w/ Lavender for dog hotspots
Last week my beloved 7 year old Bichon suddenly developed a painful hot spot on his back haunch. I was very concerned as we had been through hot spot horrors before with our previous Bichon, Thisbe. I read testimony after testimony here on Earthclinic. First I tried the ACV diluted half and half with water. It did immediately seem to relieve the pain and itching. He stopped scratching himself. But after three days the sore was still weeping and actually hot. Also his entire backside was now the light brown colour of ACV...not a good look. I tried a saline and hypochlorous spray from Amazon. Again it did seem to help a little. But again the spot was still active and troubling. THEN I found the testimony by Tara of Baton Rouge. https://www.earthclinic.com/pets/hot_spots3.html#lavenderoil
She recommended 5-6 drops of Lavender essential oil added to 1 tbsp of coconut oil.I heated it and added a little bit of extra virgin olive oil to keep it liquid and mixed it, then applied it. Florrie was completely comfortable with it unlike the sprays I had been subjecting him to. It smells lovely. Within a few hours (!!!) the angry red patch was mostly pale pink with only a central small circle of bright red. It was no longer hot but cool to the touch. 24 hours later and the sore is gone. Only a bit of scab on pale pink skin is left!! He is happy and comfortable. I am so amazed and grateful to Tara and Earthclinic! to have found this easy, painless, FAST, zero side-effects resolution to an awful problem is just so wonderful. I wish everyone whose pet suffers with this problem would try this. It's the best solution ever.
Lavender Oil
Posted by Tara (Baton Rouge, La) on 05/27/2016
★★★★★
We have a 10 year old Beagle/Bassett hound mix, and he gets a few hot spots every year. Recently I tried mixing approximately a tablespoon of virgin coconut oil with 5 or 6 drops of lavender essential oil (lavandula angustifolia) and rubbing it on the spot. It disappeared within a few days. The hot spots have been so stubborn in the past, so this felt like a miracle. Hooray!
Replied by Tara
(Baton Rouge, La)
03/09/2017
Lavender Oil
Posted by Pat (Hadley, Massachusetts,usa) on 12/03/2011
★★★★★
On hot spots, burns, etc. I have mixed a couple of drops of lavender essential oil w/ a cup of water, sprayed it on, and in a few days it heals...
Light Weight Coat
Posted by Lucrec (Wantagh, New York) on 07/26/2009
★★★★☆
I just came across this site so I haven't tried the ACV or any of the other natural remedies yet. Max, a 6 year old mini schnauzer is really suffering, so I will try this immediately. But what does seem to help, which is strange is a coat. I put a light weight jersey coat on him and for some reason he stops licking the hot spots. I know they cannot heal just because of the coat, but it does provide him relief and he doesn't have to wear a collar which has to be so frustrating to an itchy animal.
