The low-down on those itchy, inflamed and painful (ouch!) areas on your dog’s skin that he just won’t leave alone.
Most dog owners are familiar with “hot spots”— unfortunately, their dogs are too. A hot spot is an area of the skin that is raw and very painful. It is usually red and the hair has been rubbed out or fallen out. Any hair that remains in or around the area of ouch is caked with moist, smelly crusts. The spots look like a big smelly carpet burn. To get you into the veterinary vernacular, the medical term for a hot spot is pyotrau- matic dermatitis. Because hot spots smell foul and hurt, you (and your dog) likely want to know how to treat and prevent them.