Hot spots, known clinically as acute moist dermatitis, are raw, inflamed patches of skin that dogs create by obsessively licking, scratching, or chewing one area. They can appear seemingly overnight, expanding from a small irritated spot to a painful, oozing lesion in just hours. The good news is that most hot spots are preventable once you understand what triggers them and take a few consistent steps to keep your dog’s skin healthy.
Why Hot Spots Form
A hot spot starts with something that makes your dog’s skin itch or hurt. That could be a flea bite, an allergic reaction, a small wound, an ear infection, or even boredom. Your dog responds by scratching, licking, or biting the area, which damages the skin surface and creates a warm, moist environment where bacteria thrive. The bacteria already living on your dog’s skin overgrow rapidly on that damaged patch, which makes the itch worse, which makes your dog scratch more. It’s a cycle that escalates fast.
Dogs with heavy, dense undercoats are especially vulnerable. Their thick fur traps moisture against the skin and limits air circulation, creating the exact conditions bacteria need to multiply. That’s why breeds like Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, German Shepherds, Saint Bernards, and Bernese Mountain Dogs tend to get hot spots more frequently than short-coated breeds. But any dog can develop one if the conditions are right.
Keep Your Dog’s Coat Dry
Moisture is the single biggest environmental factor in hot spot formation. A dog who goes swimming, wades through puddles, or gets caught in the rain is at elevated risk if their coat doesn’t dry fully afterward. Matted areas are particularly dangerous because they hold water right against the skin, sometimes for hours, softening the skin’s outer layer and making it easy for bacteria to take hold.
If your dog has a thick coat, towel-dry them thoroughly after any water exposure, paying special attention to the areas behind the ears, under the collar, along the neck, and around the hindquarters. These are common hot spot locations because they stay damp longest. A high-velocity pet dryer can reach the undercoat in ways a towel can’t. During humid summer months, consider keeping your dog’s coat trimmed shorter to improve airflow to the skin, especially if they swim regularly.
Stay on Top of Flea Prevention
Flea allergy dermatitis is one of the most common triggers for hot spots. Some dogs are hypersensitive to flea saliva, meaning a single bite can set off an intense itching response that leads to frantic scratching and skin damage. For these dogs, even occasional flea exposure is enough to start the cycle.
Year-round flea prevention is the simplest way to eliminate this trigger. Monthly topical treatments or oral preventatives keep flea populations from establishing on your dog. If you live in a warm, humid climate where fleas are active in every season, consistency matters more than the specific product you use. Gaps in coverage, even a week or two, can be enough for a sensitive dog to get bitten and start scratching.
Groom Regularly to Prevent Matting
Matted fur does more than look unkempt. It traps heat, moisture, and debris against the skin, blocking the ventilation your dog’s skin needs to stay healthy. For double-coated breeds, regular brushing removes loose undercoat before it tangles. During shedding season (typically spring and fall), daily brushing can make a real difference.
Focus on areas that mat easily: behind the ears, under the legs, around the collar line, and near the tail base. If you find a mat that’s too tight to brush out, cut it away carefully rather than leaving it in place. A professional groomer can help establish a schedule that matches your dog’s coat type. For breeds prone to hot spots, a trim every six to eight weeks during warm months keeps the coat manageable and allows better air circulation.
Address the Underlying Itch
Preventing hot spots isn’t just about grooming and drying. If your dog keeps getting them despite good coat care, something else is driving the itch. The most common underlying causes are environmental allergies (pollen, dust mites, mold), food sensitivities, ear infections, and anal gland problems. Each of these creates discomfort that your dog tries to relieve by chewing or scratching, and the resulting skin damage becomes a hot spot.
Pay attention to patterns. Hot spots that show up every spring or summer often point to seasonal allergies. Lesions that keep appearing near the ears may signal a chronic ear infection. Hot spots around the tail base and hindquarters frequently trace back to flea allergy or anal gland issues. Identifying and treating the root cause is the only way to break the cycle for dogs who get recurrent hot spots.
If food sensitivity is suspected, your vet may recommend an elimination diet, where your dog eats a simplified diet for eight to twelve weeks to see if the itching resolves. Environmental allergies can be managed with regular bathing to remove allergens from the coat, keeping your dog indoors during high pollen counts, and in some cases allergy testing to identify specific triggers.
Support Skin Health With Nutrition
Your dog’s skin is a barrier, and the stronger that barrier is, the harder it is for bacteria to cause problems. Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly EPA and DHA found in fish oil, help reduce inflammatory responses in the skin and support a healthier coat. Many veterinary dermatologists recommend omega-3 supplementation for dogs with chronic skin issues, though the ideal dose varies based on your dog’s size and condition.
A complete, high-quality diet also plays a role. Dogs fed diets that meet their full nutritional needs tend to have healthier skin and coats with better natural oil production. If your dog’s coat looks dull or dry, or if they’re shedding excessively, it’s worth reviewing their diet with your vet.
Catch Problems Early
Hot spots escalate quickly, sometimes going from a small pink patch to a large, oozing wound within a single day. The earlier you intervene, the less likely a minor irritation is to turn into a full-blown lesion. Get in the habit of running your hands over your dog’s skin regularly, especially during warm weather. You’re feeling for warm spots, damp patches, or areas where the fur feels sticky or clumped.
Watch your dog’s behavior, too. Repeated licking or chewing at one spot, sudden head shaking, scooting, or rubbing against furniture are all signs something is irritating the skin. If you notice your dog fixating on one area, part the fur and check the skin underneath. A small area of redness or dampness caught early can often be managed before bacteria take over and a hot spot develops.
Manage Boredom and Stress
Not all hot spots start with a physical itch. Some dogs lick or chew compulsively out of boredom, anxiety, or stress, and the repetitive trauma to the skin creates the same conditions for a hot spot. Dogs who are left alone for long periods, under-exercised, or experiencing changes in their routine (a new home, a new pet, a family member leaving) may develop these behaviors.
Adequate daily exercise, mental stimulation through puzzle toys or training, and a predictable routine all reduce the likelihood of compulsive licking. If your dog has a specific area they tend to lick when stressed, keeping the fur trimmed short in that spot makes it easier to monitor and harder for moisture to accumulate.