ACUTE MOIST DERMATITIS/HOT SPOTS
Acute Moist Dermatitis
is often called “Hot Spots.” This condition causes a very painful, inflamed area of skin, usually with a bad discharge and odor. It is thought to be an allergic reaction to a bacterial skin infection. Lesions often spread RAPIDLY to surrounding skin.Underlying causes of this condition often involve flea bites, inflamed anal glands, ear infection, clipper burn during grooming or other injuries to the skin. Usually something starts a pet licking or scratching at an area, which becomes raw and inflamed, then infected, and then more inflamed due to the infection. The infection is by bacteria found on the normal hair. Normal, healthy skin is usually very resistant to bacterial infection until the skin is somehow damaged.
Treatment for hot spots includes topical (applied directly onto the sore in a cream, ointment or spray) or systemic (administered orally or by injection and thus available to the entire body) antibiotics to cure the bacterial infection. It is also important to clip or cut the hair around the affected area and to clean away the odorous material that collects from the infection. A mild surgical soap works well for this and does not sting. The underlying cause that started the itching is also treated - with steroids or antihistamines for allergic reaction or flea control products, for example.
