Adin Has a Hotspot!

My Golden Boy Adin developed a hotspot! There is a medical term for it, but it is a long name and is also referred to as a" hotspot". It is very common in Golden Retrievers and other breeds that have long hair.As I have read it is caused by  several things, one being moisture building up in the skin.Other things that can contribute is if the dog has fleas, a bite or allergies.Whatever the cause, it a miserable thing for your dog to go through. It starts out with a little dry spot that irritates the skin and when the dog starts licking and biting that area, it becomes inflamed and ozzing. It must be very painful as well. The best treatment is first shave all the hair from around it, as the hair sticks to the open wound and can cause it to be more inflamed. Then you want to wash the area with a mild soap.The idea is to keep the area dry. There are also topical products to spray on the wound. I would suggest talking to your vet for advise as to how to treat this problem. He will most likely want to see your dog before he will subscribe any medication. If not properly attended to it can get out of control. I had to take my boy, Adin to his vet and I am so glad I did. When she shaved the area, it was much larger than I had expected. She washed off the wound with a mild soap(she said I could use Dawn dish liquid) just make sure you rinse it off. She gave him medication, an antibiotic and predizone. I also got an ecollar, so he isn't able to lick or chew at himself.
So if you see your dog biting at himself, check to see if he has fleas or a sore spot, like I mentioned above. If so, there is a good chance he has a hotspot.