A common problem that our dogs will eventually run into – and will keep running into – is moist dermatitis, also known as dog hot spots. Hot spots occur when your dog’s skin gets irritated, and since dogs are good at hiding their pain, they take care of it themselves – by licking, scratching, or chewing on it. Eventually, the irritated spot opens up and gets infected. 

A hot spot on your dog means taking preventive measures such as:

• A trip to the vet.
• Shaving fur over the infected area.
• Applying prescription medication on the hot spot. 

We love our dogs, but since dog hot spots occur regularly, the process of healing them will become costly and exhausting.

By informing yourself on why dog hotspots occur, you will lessen the frequency that your dog gets a hot spot. But when your dog does, it’s helpful to know that there are alternative treatments, such as CBD oil administration, that you can treat your dog with instead. 

What Causes Dog Hot Spots?

Hot spots start when a portion of your dog’s skin gets irritated. There are many reasons why your dog’s skin gets irritated. A few reasons are: 

• allergens
• mosquito bites
• mites
• parasites
• unattended cuts/wounds
• excessive grooming

Humid weather also increases the chances of your dog getting a hot spot, which is especially true with dogs with heavier coats. The humidity encourages moisture and bacterial growth in the air, which eventually gets trapped under your dog’s fur and causes irritation. 

The same logic applies when your dog gets wet – especially in dirty water. 

After your dog’s skin gets irritated, they seek relief in the form of licking, scratching, or chewing on it. Finally, the skin gets infected, and a lesion will start to form very quickly. 

Fresh lesions will be swollen, red, moist and can vary in size. Smaller lesions, especially on a heavy-coated dog, may be unnoticeable at first, so do make sure that you’re checking on your dog regularly for any unusual behaviours. 

The usual areas to check for hot spots on dogs are their head, limbs, or hips. 

Preventing Hot Spots on Your Dog

Now that you have a better understanding of how hot spots on your dog form, you’ll develop ideas on how to prevent them. But just in case you don’t, here are a few ways to prevent your dog from getting those hot spots. 

• Trim your dog regularly, especially when it’s humid

You might not want to, but regularly trimming your dog’s beautiful and shiny fur will lessen the chances of moisture and bacteria building upon their skin. Do not fret since your dog can always grow back the fur and keep it on for longer during colder seasons. 

• Restrict your dog from getting wet

As mentioned, dogs can contract hot spots due to bacterial growth resulting from unnecessary wet exposure. By restricting them from always getting wet, outside of grooming sessions, you can prevent moisture and bacteria build up on your dog’s skin. 

• Opt for no collar

A wet collar is a good place for bacteria to build up if left on for some time. What’s worse is that your dog’s collar is continually rubbing back and forth on its neck, which irritates your dog’s skin while spreading built-up bacteria on it. Remember to remove your dog’s collar after a walk or playing outside. 

• Change your dog’s diet

Check with your veterinarian if your dog’s diet could be causing skin irritations. If so, it’s a good time to change their diet. 

These simple measures can decrease the frequency your dogs get hot spots. Unfortunately, it is not practical to keep watch of your dog all the time. They can still get wet, cuts, and mosquito bites and aggravate these when you’re not around. 

If your dog gets another unwanted hot spot, a trip to the vet may not be necessary. There are alternative remedies, like CBD oil, that you can treat your dog with at home. 

What is CBD?

CBD, or cannabidiol, is a chemical compound found in either cannabis or hemp. Unlike cannabis and hemp, CBD contains little to no traces of THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), which is the compound associated with giving users psychoactive sensations. It’s important to know that hemp-sourced CBD contains no THC, while cannabis-sourced CBD may contain minute traces. 

Regardless of not having THC, CBD still maintains other health benefits associated with cannabis and hemp when consumed or applied. 

Some health benefits associated with CBD application/consumption are properties against: 

• inflammation
• anxiety
• arthritis
• appetite

Will these health benefits work for my dog?

Of course. CBD works by interacting with neuroreceptors in our endocannabinoid system, which signals brain cells to regulate our mood and the immune system. Luckily, your dog has an endocannabinoid system as well for CBD to do its work. 

CBD will calm your dog from its itchy hotspot, preventing them from aggravating it further. Most importantly, CBD’s inflammatory benefits will help regulate your dog’s skin cells back to their healthy state. CBD can maintain your dog’s skin and coat health and prevent other hotspots from happening if administered regularly. 

If you’re worried about your dog getting psychoactive sensations, do make sure that you’re getting CBD sourced from hemp only. 

How do I treat my dog’s hotspots with CBD?

There are a variety of CBD products that you can treat your dog’s hotspots with. 

The most common product is CBD oil, which is administered to your dog orally or topically. For oral usage, the dosage of CBD oil to give your dog will depend on its size, so do make sure to follow instructions from the vendor. You can also refer to websites that calculate the appropriate dosage to administer to your dog. 

If you want to add some fun and flavour to what you feed your dog, you can also opt for CBD dog treats. These CBD-infused treats have a certain amount of CBD in each one, so make sure you’re only giving your dog the appropriate serving. 

With orally administered CBD products, your dog will reap all the health benefits associated with CBD and not just its anti-inflammatory effect. 

There are also specific CBD-based creams that you can treat your dog’s hot spots with topically. CBD-based creams are healing creams infused with CBD Oil to apply on pets’ with irritated skin and hot spots. This is the perfect product for you if you only want to treat your dog’s hotspot specifically  

Final Thoughts

It is instinctive for our dogs to hide any discomfort that they are experiencing. This is a behaviour that dogs adapted to survive in the wild. 

But since your dog is in your care now, it’s essential to check in with your dog regularly if your dog is experiencing any discomfort. A common and recurring pain they might be experiencing is hot spots. 

Luckily, there are precautionary measures that you can do to prevent discomforts like hotspots from happening to your dog. There are products like CBD that can not only cure your dog’s hotspots but maintain his well-being as well. 

With CBD, you can reassure yourself that no matter where your dog is in the house, he’s in an excellent mental and physical state with lowered risks of developing illnesses such as hotspots.