Hot spots seem to appear overnight and without warning. They worsen quickly as the dog licks and chews at the skin to find relief from the pain caused by the moist, swollen, foul smelling area. Treatment should include clipping or shaving the area as well as a portion of the unaffected area around the hot spot, cleaning and medicating as soon as the symptoms appear. Owners need to use caution if they attempt treatment on their own. Hot spots are extremely painful and even the best natured dog may attempt to bite during the clipping and cleansing process.
Hypothyroidism is the cause of many of the skin problems seen by veterinarians.
Certain breeds even seem to have a prevalence towards the condition. When an insufficiency occurs, the dog will often gain weight, become less active, and lose hair from the main portion of the body. There will often be a darkening of skin pigmentation while it also becomes scaly. Bacterial and ear infections often set in as well. To determine whether your dog suffers from hypothyroidism, a veterinarian will do testing on a sample of blood.