Hotspots are a red, swollen, sometimes bloody, pussing, area of your dogs skin that sometimes look as though he were burned. The fur is usually partially missing from licking & scratching and the remaining fur wet with discharge. They look horrifying but are not a medical emergency and they very easy to treat and will dry up in 24 hours if treated properly. Do this IMMEDIATELY because hotspots can go from the size of a pin prick to 6" in diameter within hours adn it will continue spreading like wild fire from hair to hair infecting the entire dog wihtin a day.

1. Give your dog a benadryl to calm him and ease the itching while you tend to his wound. Hotspots are painful and he may fight you.

2. Cut the fur off the infected area and then use an electric dog trimmers to get down to the skin. Get all the ahir off the area! Also, make a half inch border outside the infected area with the trimmers. This stops the bacteria from spreading to more skin.

3. Pour some peroxide or betadine on the hotspots and blot it up with a paper towl.

4. Use a topical steroid spray from your Vet, or, Tea Tree anti-septic lotion from your whole foods store or any natural foods or vitamin store. It's about $10.00 but it works just as good as the steroid spray does for $11.00, lasts longer, and it is safe to use on pregnant dogs. The sprays can not be used on pregnant or nursing bitches.

5. Give your dog a Rimidahl pill if you have some (pain medicine for dogs, but just for the first day).

6. You might need to put your dog on an anti-biotic. If it doesn't look dry the next morning, ask your Vet for some Cephalexin and how often & how much you need to administer it.

To be continued with photos and more in depth solutions (what works, what doesn't work, and so on)