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Its flea season and that weird itchy patch is a hot spot
So, the signs of summer are here…sun, fun, blue skies and warm nights. Wait, stop the presses! What about the still air? What about the sweat? And, think about it, what about those nasty FLEAS??? Ah yes. The fleas, those funky gross little biters who infest your sweetie pie Corgi, causing them to bite, scratch and keep you up in the middle of the night.
We know about why our beloved pets need to be on flea control, but this article is about the effects of flea bites, those dreaded HOT SPOTS. If you are new to this, you will freak out when you see your first one. Here is a short description:
“You will see your pup scratching and biting. Of course, you think its fleas. You will be reminded to find the medication and give them a dose, thinking to yourself that all will be well after you give them a nice bath. True, but just wait. There will be an unsightly scabby patch of lost hair. Crusty to be exact. It may even be moist and weepy. Well, my friend, you have seen your first and not last of the hot spots.”
Dang, those hot spots are gross!
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At first glance, you may think its ringworm, but it won’t be that severe. No ring and not perfectly circular, and you find more than one. What do you do? I’ve tried everything from tea tree oil to pet store treatments. Nothing really works, sad to say. And, believe me, the last thing I want to do is spend unneeded cash on a vet visit. I know. The weirdest thing about hot spots is that they hair just kind of pulls off with a scabby kind of skin rash. So gross.
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The first time I had to take Hambone to the vet for a hot spot, it was pretty traumatic. They shaved around the sore, and it took a very long time to grow back. But it went away. It looked worse than it really was. The vet will give you Betagen, an alcohol based spray that should do the trick. Its alcohol based so that it dries fast, and won’t get licked off. The good thing is that you can reuse it if anything comes up again. So, spend the visit and get it over it. Check your pet’s fur often to ensure that you catch them small when they start, makes your life so much easier!
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Lastly, if you do choose to go, you can request that they don’t shave the fur, no problem.
Ok, so what did we learn? Summer equals fleas = HOT SPOTS. Take your pooch to the vet. Get an alcohol based spray. Check often for new ones. Love your furbaby!
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We deal with those dreaded hot spots every spring summer and fall and we catch them before they start weeping….and clean the area real well and then use a dab of !% hyrodocortisone (to stop the itchies) and they seem to clear up lickety split without the drying effects of alcohol…as long you catch them before they start breaking out you are good to go! Our girl has allergies of all kinds and the hot spots are not from fleas but from allergies to the pollen in the air and other environmental allergies. We started giving grain free Merrick last year and noticed a BIG difference in the amount of hot spots and they are now easy to control.
Yes, they are pretty much a slave to the grooming in the summer. They are on a grain free diet, all home cooked. Hambone had the most, but recently Cupcake has gotten a few. Yes, summer is here!