hot spot....

[wolfsoul]

It seems like the rainy weather does it, whenever its wet or rainy out he gets them like crazy. sometimes it could be the food also because i switch it off and on to see what they like better, right now they are on purina dog chow but I dont know if its actually the dog food though.

Ah I didn't see this before I posted -- when moisture comes in contact with the skin and usually when it becomes trapped in the coat, it tends to feed bacteria which cause hot spots. Istill believe it's an immune system issue but in order to prevent the hot spots I would keep him out of the water all together and when he becomes wet, dry him really well.

[borzoimom]

yes rinsing the feet really helps..

[cyber-sibes]

Ugh, I hate hot spots. Do you have either a cone collar or a no-bite collar? You've got to keep him from licking it, it will get ugly fast.
Star used to get them fairly frequently. Stress seemed to trigger them, and we re-roofed their sleeping area so it no longer gets wet. As you noted, moisture made it worse. If it's getting bigger, I'd get to the vets for a shot. It really helps. This last time the vet told me to give her benedryl when I first noticed one. It really seems to have helped - she hasn't had any large hot spots for quite a while now.
Good luck with it, hope your sweetie heals up quickly.

[Giselle]

Yup, that's absolutely correct. Moisture builds up and it can really aggravate hot spots. If you don't want to switch foods, the least you can do is to help aerate the inflamed area by swabbing down the spot with a cotton ball once or more a day. When the hot spot clears down, you can opt to clip/thin down the hair on the irritated areas to improve aeration. Other than that, you've received fabulous advice and I hope your dog gets better.

[cyber-sibes]

Oh, I forgot to mention that I use Tea Tree Oil on Star when she has a hot spot. You can get it at some health food stores & pharmacies.