How to prevent hot spots: A vet-approved guide

If your dog or cat has experienced a hot spot, you’ll know that these distinctive skin lesions can develop remarkably rapidly and are often quite painful for the poor pet. Unfortunately, some fur-babies are also particularly prone to them!

The good news is that there’s lots that you can do to keep your pet from ‘feeling the heat’ of recurrent hot spot issues.

Stay cool and read on to get all the hot information about how to prevent pet hot spots from our vet-approved guide; including common triggers for hot spots, how to help prevent these ouchy skin lesions in your pet, and when to seek professional help.

What is a pet hot spot (and why do they happen?)

Hot spots, otherwise known as acute moist dermatitis or pyotraumatic dermatitis are patches of skin inflammation that occur most commonly around the ears, neck and rump of affected pets, and can develop and spread within a matter of hours. They are caused when some kind of irritation triggers the pet to chew or scratch heavily at a particular area on their body, causing damage to the skin surface.

Contrary to what you’d think, these lesions don’t start out as skin infections. However, the damaged surface skin of a hot spot can go on to become colonised with bacteria.

Hot spots are distinctive skin lesions, appearing as very red, raw, and painful skin patches that are usually oozing a weepy or blood-tinged discharge (although they will dry out and scab up as they start to heal). Much of the hair overlying the lesion may get scratched off by your fur-bestie, but many hot spots are bigger than they first appear and will extend even further under the surrounding fur.

Top 5 triggers for hot spots

While hot spots on dogs are a significant issue in themselves, they are often ‘red flags’ for an underlying problem that has driven a pet to scratch or chew heavily at a particular area of skin.

Some of the most common triggers for hot spots in dogs and cats are:

• Parasites: External parasites such as fleas, ticks and mites can cause significant skin irritation, particularly in pets with flea allergy dermatitis (an allergy to flea bites).
• Environmental or food allergies: Pets with allergies to certain airborne particles such as pollens, dust mites or moulds (known as atopy) or food allergies (usually to specific proteins) can develop recurrent skin or ear irritations.
• Trapped moisture: In double-coated/thick-coated pets and breeds with significant skin folds, activities such as swimming, bathing, or rainy-day walks can lead to retained moisture against the skin if the pet is not thoroughly dried off. This can cause maceration (read: soggy skin), which damages the natural protective skin barrier.
• Skin damage: Physical irritants, such as dirt or sand trapped by fur matting or a coat left on too long, can also damage the skin barrier and lead to irritation.
• Underlying pain or stress: Hot spots can also occur secondary to other health problems, such as a pet licking at a painful arthritic joint or obsessively overgrooming a particular spot due to behavioural issues (such as anxiety or a compulsive disorder.)

A vet’s perspective: The case of Rusty the Retriever

Rusty the Retriever presented to our veterinary clinic on a Tuesday, after a fun long weekend spent playing at the beach with his family.

His owner Liz had heard him rustling around and scratching in the night and awoke the next morning to see an odd-looking wet patch in the fur on Rusty’s neck. When she went to examine the area more closely, Rusty yelped. However, she’d caught sight of some very red, raw-looking skin, and booked him for a consultation.

At the appointment, Liz mentioned that Rusty’s thick fur had stayed damp most of the weekend, as he’d been ‘living his best life’ running in and out of the surf after his ball. This information, combined with the rapidly developing, red, oozing skin patch on Rusty’s neck, fitted with a diagnosis of a hot spot. Rusty’s consistently damp, sandy fur had likely led to irritation which he had then been driven to scratch at, causing damage to the surface of the skin.

Rusty was sedated so that the fur could be clipped away from his painful hot spot, and the lesion was gently cleaned with an antibacterial solution. He was sent home with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory ointment for his skin, and a short course of anti-inflammatory steroid tablets to settle his discomfort more rapidly.

Your vet-approved prevention plan

Although dog hot spots can be treated, we’re pretty sure your pet would vote for a plan of prevention instead! Luckily, there are lots of actions that you can take to control many of the common triggers.

Here are our vet-approved recommendations to help prevent pet hot spots:

Good parasite control:

• Ensure that pets who go outdoors are kept up to date year-round with preventative treatments for fleas, ticks and mites.
• Indoor cats will still benefit from being kept up to date with flea prevention, as flea eggs can be carried in on your shoes or by other pets in the household.
• Ask your veterinarian if you’re unsure about the safest and most effective products for your pet.
  

Allergy diagnosis and management:

• If your dog or cat suffers from recurrent skin or ear irritations, work with your vet to assess your pet for any underlying allergies, so that an effective long-term allergy management plan can be developed to help control your pet’s symptoms.

Staying dry:

• Ensure that pets are dried off thoroughly after swimming, rainy walks, or bathing, particularly those breeds with thick coats/double-coats. Don’t forget to dry out their ears too!

Skin barrier maintenance:

• Groom your dog or cat regularly (at least twice weekly for most pets) to remove dead hairs and prevent fur matting.
• Bathe dogs in a gentle pet-shampoo every 4-6 weeks (or anytime they get dirty or sandy) to prevent the build-up of excessive skin oil and dirt against their skin.
• If your pet wears a winter coat, ensure it is kept clean and dry and is not rubbing uncomfortably against any areas of their skin.

General health care

As well as a general health check every 6-12 months, have your vet assess your pet if you notice any changes in their general comfort, activities, or behaviours.

When to call your vet: Red-flag signs

Because pet hot spots can develop and worsen rapidly, it’s a good idea to seek prompt veterinary help if you notice:

• Your pet excessively chewing, licking or scratching at their skin
  
• Any painful skin areas
  
• Any red or oozing skin lesions
  
• Patches of fur loss

With your vigilance and care, you can help keep your fur-baby feeling comfortable and cool as a cucumber!

Hot spots can flare up fast and leave your furry friend feeling pretty miserable. With Buddy Pet Insurance, you can get cover for eligible vet visits, treatment, and more – so you can focus on getting them back to their happy, healthy selves.

31 Oct 2025