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Can I safely treat my dog's hot spots at home without a vet visit?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Black and Tan Coonhound | Female | spayed | 48 lbs

my dog has 2 hpt spots that i am trying to get rid of at home

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on January 8th, 2020

Unfortunately hot spots require prescription medication to treat. Usually a topical steroid is needed, but the underlying cause of the hot spot has to be diagnosed as well. Hot spots can be caused by things like allergies, so it the underlying cause isn't treated, they can come back. Please have Collette seen by a vet to have them treated.

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1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Questions

Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
How to treat hot spots?
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.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My dog has hot spots. I am trying everything that I can find to help her! I've tried hydrocortisone spray for dogs, 3 way ointment for dogs, medicated baths, oatmeal baths, and benadryl. I've tried putting a cone on her but she ends up hurting hersel
Poor pup! It does sound like she's very uncomfortable. In my experience, unless they are very mild, hot spots virtually always require prescription antibiotics and a short-term steroid or other anti-inflammatory medication to treat effectively - topical shampoos and ointments are not enough to fix the problem. Because of this, I would really recommend taking her to the vet for an exam as soon as you can - he/she can prescribe appropriate medication to get rid of the hot spots, and can also talk to you about possible underlying allergies or other problems that may be causing them.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Hi there. My dog has what I think is a hot spot. Is this what it is. If so what are the treatment options. Are hot spot products sold at the pet store safe to use?
Hi there and thank you for using Boop by Petco! Based on the picture, it does appear that this could be a hot spot. I typically recommend using products that soothe and treat infection. What I would recommend would be Well & Good Hydrocortisone spray (at Petco) and Miconahex + Triz spray and apply both of these twice daily until resolved. If there is no improvement within 7 days, I would recommend taking your dog in to be seen by a veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Skin lesion she has had for a couple years. Just lately got bigger. Putting various anti fungals, benzoyl peroxide and hydrogen peroxide on it over last few months. What is it? Can I treat it naturally ? Vets in San Diego charge $500 just to look at
It looks like your dog has acute moist dermatitis with an infection. I think your dog needs prescription medications to treat the problem, including an oral antibiotic. I don't think topical or natural treatments are going to be enough so please call a vet and schedule an exam. You could call around to a few different vets and get an estimate to treat a skin infection/hot spot.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My dog is 30 pounds or more and has a hot spot can I give her 500 mg cephalexin
Unfortunately, by law it is illegal for the experts at Boop by Petco to recommend giving a prescription drug without seeing the animal in person first. That's because doing so requires a veterinary client patient relationship which cannot be achieved via an internet forum. In addition, the experts cannot say for certain if a specific drug is safe for Cleo. Typically antibiotics are not given to treat hot spots unless there is a secondary infection, treating them requires a steroid cream that is available by prescription only from the vet. I would take Cleo into the vet first thing Monday to have the hot spot treatment. In the meantime, you can give her an Epsom salt bath to see if that gives her temporary relief, and put an Ecollar on her to keep her from licking at it and making it worse. You can get an Ecollar from a pet store or make one at home: http://dogsaholic.com/care/homemade-dog-cone.html
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
How to treat a hot spot at home
I like to trim the hair around the hot spot to open up the skin to the air. Then wash it with antibacterial soap to remove the discharge. After drying it then apply thin film of antibacterial ointment on it. You can also apply some cortisone cream on it to reduce the itch. It's best to use a restraint collar to prevent licking and scratching so it will heal. Make sure there are no fleas or ear infection as these can cause itching resulting in hot spots. If they are severe and you are unable to get them to heal then I would bring Princess to your veterinarian for treatment. They may give an injection to prevent scratching and an oral antibiotic to heal the skin infection. Thanks for using Boop by Petco to help you care for Princess.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My cat is getting hot spots what is a safe home remedy to help him. I don't have the money to go to vet right now.
First, confirm he has no fleas. Flea bites are a common cause of hot spots (moist dermatitis) to to an allergy to the bite. In sensitive pets, just one flea bite is enought to set off a reaction. Treat Mayham and the environment for fleas. Next, place an e-collar (cone) on him to prevent licking. Ideally, the spot should be shaved and gently cleaned. A course of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications are typically prescribed to treat infection and prevent itching. If this is not possible now, gently clean the area with a diluted Betadine or chlorhexidine (Hibiclens) solution daily. Dry thoroughly afterwards. If the spot does not begin to dry up and heal in several days, he will need to see your veterinarian.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My dog has hot spots but I’m not sure how to treat him I’ve tried several things but they don’t seem to go away
Antibiotics (systemic) and a combination between local disinfection (betadine or hibiscrub solution ) and anti-inflammatory/antibiotic ointment are usually enough to resolve efficiently the problem. I would strongly recommend an immediate check up to have all these prescribed.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Should a hot spot on a dog be bathed and can it be spayed with hydrocortisone
Yes you can bathe a dog with a hot spot. The area of the hot spot really needs to have the hair shaved away over and around it and the area cleaned with mild soap and rinse well with water. You can use hydrocortisone spray in that area but it may not heal without any antibiotics. You can also give her benadryl twice a day. See link below. If it is an area she can chew, I would put a cone collar on her. If it isn't improving, I would have your vet take a look at her as she may need oral antibiotics and stronger allergy meds to help it heal. I hope this helps! https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/benadryl
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
I think my dog has a “hotspot” on his head. I was hoping you could give me some examples of things I can get at the store or around the house to help it it heal. I would like to avoid the vet because I do not have that kind of money right now. Thanks
I am sorry to hear about Hunter. This does look like it could be a hot spot. Sometimes topical treatment alone is enough, but sometimes we may need a short course of antibiotics and steroids to clean it up. They can also be painful so I am not sure how much Hunter will allow you to do at home. In the clinic we would normally shave the area with clippers to remove the soiled hair and debris. We would then clean the area with a chlorhexidine scrub. You can find a scrub like this at your drug store under the brand name Hibiclens. For topical treatment we would usually use a Gentocin spray, such as Gentaspray. This product is usually prescription only though. You could try an over the counter hotspot spray from the pet store or the product Zymox Topical Spray which can be purchased online, but these products may not be effective depending on response you may need to make an appointment to see the vet. Best of luck to you and Hunter!
Updated on September 24th, 2025

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