This is Daisy, an 11 year old black lab who was in today for treatment of moist dermatitis or "hot spot" on her neck. This is a problem we see frequently this time of year. What you can't appreciate from the picture is the odor of infection and discomfort Daisy feels from the inflammation. Hot spots may be caused by an allergic reaction to fleas or the environment, moisture trapped in an area such as under a collar allowing bacterial growth, or self trauma as the animal licks or scratches a small irritation or wound. As infection sets in, the damaged skin oozes, increasing the area of moisture and infection, and causes the animal more and more discomfort (thus usually causing more self-trauma).
To treat her, we clipped up the entire affected area (the photo is after clipping and cleaning), scrubbed it thoroughly with antiseptic scrub and solution, and then prescribed a topical antibacterial/anti-inflammatory spray, as well as oral antibiotics and steroids to reduce the inflammation. She should be feeling better within a day or two. To prevent recurrence, her parents will try to dry her thoroughly after she swims, and keep her collar off of her when she is wet. These hot spots can triple in size overnight, and are often hard to see under a thick coat of hair, so timely detection and treatment is important.
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