2025-07-25
Canine Hot Spots: Understanding, Treating, and Preventing Summer Skin Woes
As summer approaches, dog owners may notice their furry friends developing hot spots, a common and often painful skin condition. This raises questions about what causes these lesions, how they are treated, and most importantly, how to prevent them in the first place. "Many pet owners see a hot spot and think it's just a surface irritation, but it's often a symptom of something deeper, like an allergy or even an ear infection," says Ivan Ravera, a clinical assistant professor of veterinary dermatology at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine.