Hot Days & Hot Spots
What is a hot spot?
A hot spot (officially known as acute moist dermatitis) is a skin infection formed by excessive licking, chewing and scratching. They’re typically round in shape and easily identified by their red, inflamed, crusty appearance, often oozing puss. Hot spots are painful, and spread quickly - within hours, they can grow in size from a penny to a softball.
What causes hot spots?
While your dog can get a hot spot year round, they’re most common during hot, humid months - this is the time when bacteria can most easily reproduce. There are four main causes of hot spots. Allergies, such as food and the environment, excess moisture from swimming or bathing without drying to the base of the coat, infections or irritations that lead to intense itching, and boredom & stress, when behavioral itching and chewing penetrates the skin.
How can hot spots be managed at home?
Itching, licking and chewing lead to a hot spot. A hot spot leads to itching, licking and chewing. In order for a hot spot to heal, you have to break the cycle. This requires a physical barrier, such as an Elizabethan or inflatable collar.
It’s a myth that you shouldn’t use a topical cream or salve because they’ll trap moisture and prolong healing. Upon identification, a hot spot should be cleaned and fully dried to prevent sealing in moisture, but your next step should be to apply a thin layer of our Manuka Honey Salve.
Manuka Honey is proven to speed up the healing of hot spots. It naturally contains a high concentration of MGO (Methylglyoxal), arguably the most powerful topical antibiotic. Its MGO content, in combination with its low pH, creates an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory powerhouse. And, as it causes the multi-system failure of bacteria, they’re unable to build up a resistance.
The Manuka in our salve is blended into an olive oil herbal infusion, including Arnica, Witch Hazel Bark, Calendula and Marshmallow Root. This infusion helps to calm the skin by relieving itching and inflammation. Our salve is held together with beeswax, which creates a breathable barrier that helps to shield skin from dirt and more bacteria. If you’re ready to heal your dog’s hot spot naturally, our hand-made, small batch Manuka Honey Salve is just a click away from your doorstep.
Hot spots can take several weeks to heal depending on severity. The healing process has begun when a scab forms and the inflammation & redness starts to subside. As always, we recommend consulting your vet if the hot spot worsens, or if you’re unsure of or uncomfortable with treating your dog’s hot spot at home.