TL;DR: An oozing hot spot is a painful bacterial skin infection that requires veterinary attention within 24 to 48 hours to prevent the infection from spreading or deepening.
What exactly is an oozing hot spot on my dog's skin?
- Hot spots, or acute moist dermatitis, occur when a localized area of skin becomes severely inflamed and infected.
- The presence of pus indicates that a secondary bacterial infection has developed.
- These spots are typically triggered by allergies, insect bites, or trapped moisture and are aggravated by persistent licking and chewing.
How urgent is it if my dog has an oozing hot spot?
- This is a medium-urgency situation that is rarely life-threatening but is often quite painful.
- Pus signifies an active infection that requires professional treatment, such as antibiotics or medical-grade topicals.
- Untreated infections can spread rapidly across the skin or lead to deeper tissue issues.
- A veterinary appointment should be scheduled within the next 24 to 48 hours.
Why should I take a photo of the hot spot to help with triage?
- A clear, well-lit photo provides a baseline for the veterinarian to monitor the rate of the infection's spread.
- Sharing an image with the triage team helps them determine if your dog needs to be squeezed in for an earlier appointment.
- Photos allow the clinic to suggest specific at-home precautions you can take immediately before your visit.
Clinical Context (Merck Veterinary Manual)
In dogs presenting with a hot spot on the hip exhibiting oozing pus, triage should include immediate attention to rule out deep pyoderma. Hallmarks of deep pyoderma are pain, crusting, odor, and exudation of blood and pus. Erythema, swelling, ulcerations, hemorrhagic crusts, bullae, hair loss, and draining tracts with serosanguinous or purulent exudate may also be seen. Multiple deep skin scrapings are needed to exclude parasitic infections, particularly Demodex canis, and dermatophyte cultures should be done to exclude dermatophytosis. Bacterial culture and susceptibility testing is highly recommended because of the increased prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococci. Pending culture and susceptibility, topical antimicrobial therapy is recommended, using chlorhexidine-based baths or solutions.
Chapter: Dermatology
Source: The Merck Veterinary Manual, 11th Edition (Page 973)