My dog has pink hot spots on his rear. What causes them & home relief?

Hello, and thank you for your question. A recurring hot spot may be caused by a stubborn bacterial infection, or underlying allergies, or both. Did you keep Dewey on the new diet for a minimum of 8 weeks, with no other treats or table scraps, and did the spot come back after you stopped the food? If so, he may have a food allergy and need to stay on a hypoallergenic diet for life. It is also possible he may need something stronger than a topical antibiotic. I would take Dewey back the vet within the next 2-3 days and discuss if he should be on an oral antibiotic for a longer time period, if they suspect a stubborn bacterial infection. They may also want to conduct other tests such as a skin scraping or fungal culture, to rule out other causes of itchy red skin (e.g. mites, ringworm). In the meantime, I would put an e-collar (cone) on Dewey to ensure he does not further damage the skin. I hope this helps, and that your pup is feeling better soon!

This presentation could be due to a trauma or localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria and commonly called hot spot). A check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. Disinfection can eventually be started at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths. Buster collar may be useful as well to avoid any licking/scratching. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

That looks like a pretty nasty hot spot. Hot spots are caused by chronic moisture against the skin (which is common with a collar or something else wrapped around the neck). The best way to treat a hot spot is to clip the hair from the area so that it can fully dry out. You will need to use buzzing clipper, not a razor or scissors. You can try an OTC pet antimicrobial spray, but often prescription sprays or ointments work a little better since they contain a steroid and real antibiotics. You may also have to get creative in finding ways to prevent Peyton from scratching this area, as that will delay healing and can damage the skin. You can try socks, dog booties, or bandaging the feet to cover the nails. Unfortunately, due to the location, he won't be able to use an e-collar. If the hotspot isn't looking better in 48 hours, I would recommend that you have Peyton checked out by a vet.

Poor Jackson. From your description, I would guess that Jackson likely has a superficial infection and needs antibiotics or antifungals to get the itching under control. He may also need steroids or an anti-inflammatory and/or anti-itch medication. You've tried the right home remedies, but since that's not cutting it, I would recommend a vet ASAP. They will sample the surface of his skin to see if there is bacteria or yeast there, and then treat the infection. It's also worthwhile to talk with the vet about the underlying cause of this itching. It could be allergies (but new allergies in a 11 year old would be odd) or an endocrine disorder disrupting the normal functioning of the skin, or other issues.

It looks like a hot spot which is similar to human ezcema. Usually it is treated with cleaning, steroids and antibiotics. If you can't get to a vet most importantly stop him licking it, make a collar. Keep it clean with chlorhexidine or iodine then pat dry. If you have a cream such as hydrocortisone you can apply it daily. If it is not improving or spreading, which may occur, you will have to head to the vet

Hot spots are most commonly treated by clipping the hair from the affected area, cleaning it thoroughly, and giving prescription medication including antibiotics and/or steroids to treat the underlying problem - usually allergies, fleas, or skin mites (mange) with a secondary skin infection. I would recommend taking Max to the vet for an exam to get the necessary medication to treat his hot spots.

Those spots on Jax could be several things including allergies, skin mites, flea bites, ringworm (which humans can get) or a bacterial infection. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing his diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. You can wash the lesions with soap once a day and rinse well (don't wash his whole body, just those spots). Protect the areas from licking or scratching and he may need to wear an Elizabethan collar at all times. If the lesions don't start looking better within about a week or if they get worse, have him examined by the veterinarian who may prescribe medications. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.