Hot spots not Wifi
Hot spots, heat rashes, pyoderma, pyotraumatic dermatitis - regardless of the name the little bald patches are painful, intensely itchy and drive both you and your pets nuts!
So what are they?
Hot spots are surface skin infections caused when populations of normal skin bacteria grow and overwhelm normal resistance. The infection is often deep in the skin. Once the skin is weakend other bacterias like staph take hold and take advantage of the damaged, weakend inflammed area creating even more problems. Any system that is weakened is often attacked further creating even bigger problems.
What do they look like?
Hot spots appear as a moist, oozing, reddened area that is painful and intensely itchy.
Bald patches develop which are invariably worsened by your pet licking, chewing, scratching.
The infection is often deep in the pet’s skin and, in addition to the moist oozing appearance, an odour can be present.
Sometimes they can look like a lot of tiny little red skinpricks
What causes hot spots?
Anything that causes itchiness of the skin can lead to the development of hot spots in pets. Some common triggers are allergies to: grasses, trees, weeds, dust mites, food, fleas, mites, insect bites and skin wounds.
These troublesome sores can seem to arise in a matter of hours with no warning, but they do tend to follow a pattern that helps in predicting their occurrence. My previous blog on the benefits of keeping a daily diary may help – more tips here
Who can get hot spots?
Pets most susceptible to hot spots are those with heavy coats and histories of allergies, ear infections, flea infestations, irritated anal sacs, and grooming problems such as hair tangles and mats.
Pets in warm, humid climates may develop hot spots when they shed their undercoats if the dead hair is trapped next to the skin. Licking often encourages an infection to become established.
Where would I see a hot spot?
The most common locations for hot spots are the legs and feet, flanks, and rump — areas that can be reached by licking or biting — but these localized infections can also appear on ears, neck, and chest if the dog is continually scratching. Another common area is at the base of the tail.
How do you treat hot spots?
The goal to treatment is to clear the bacterial infection, relieve the itching and the pain. Most recommendations are to leave the area alone while it is moist, whilst also not allowing your pet to scratch the area! But the problem with this is that Hot spots often grow at an alarming rate within a short period of time and are intensely itchy! Introduce Eezapet: We have heard from many pet owners that have been struggling with hot spots for months without success, even under vet advice. Once they start using Eezapet they have been surprised at how quickly it takes control of the skin and itching, giving instant relief.
So why can you apply Eezapet yet not other creams?
Eezapet is a natural barrier application made with beeswax - a natural pain reliever - and contains powerful herbs that have been used for a thousand years for their medicinal properties. For example peony has powerful anti-inflammatory properties, cinnamon provides anti-bacterial properties and angelica provides anti-microbial properties. Applying Eezapet has an almost immediate effect. As it soaks into the skin it soothes and heals and importantly stops the itch! This now means your pet will leave this area alone and the herb’s properties start to take hold, allowing the skin to heal.
Be prepared this summer – make sure you have Eezapet in your first aid kit/travel kit or emergency kit, not only can it save you money but time too. The last thing you need when away on holidays is tracking down a vet to take your balding, itching pooch too.
As for us we often go away remote and are nowhere near any help - last summer the princess had a case of 3 hot spots all developing within 12 hours! I could see her suffering with the itching but Eezapet provided the immediate relief she needed without the need for a vet trip!