Natural Dog Hot Spots Remedies

Natural dog hot spots remedies such as herbs can be used to effectively treat canine hot spots. This page looks at some simple ways to prepare home remedies for hot spots as well as some natural products that are effective for this dog skin problem.

Hot spots can arise very quickly - sometimes in a matter of hours. They can cause a lot of discomfort and pain to your dog, although in most cases hot spots in dogs are not serious and can be managed at home - depending on the underlying cause. As a general rule of thumb, if the hot spots do not go away after home treatment for a couple of days, or if they are spreading quickly with weeping, oozing sores, then you need to take your dog to the vet.

Conventional treatment of canine hot spots involves the use of medications such as antihistamines, steroids, and/or antibiotics, which may bring relief to your dog but at the same time may further weaken your dog's immune system. Some dogs may also develop adverse side effects if such medications are used.

If your dog has hot spots and you would like to first use natural remedies to treat the problem, read on. This page takes a look at some natural dog hot spot remedies, such as herbal remedies, both for topical and internal uses.

(For information on the symptoms and causes of dog hot spots, please visit this page.)

Herbal Dog Hot Spots Remedies

Herbal dog hot spots remedies are effective in treating this dog skin problem. Follow these steps:

Clip the hair away from the hot spots

The most important point to remember when treating dog hot spots is to keep the affected areas dry, so it is advisable to clip the hair away from the hot spots. Also, remove any hair that has become stuck to the sore because of oozing pus. Since the sore can be painful to the dog, he might not let you handle him so care has to be taken - put a muzzle on him if necessary.

Clean the hot spots

Use a mild gentle skin cleanser to clean the wound. Then use a disinfectant such as povidone iodine (Betadine) to disinfect the hot spots. Povidone iodine should be diluted (to ice-tea color) before use. After disinfecting the hot spots, apply a few drops of aloe juice to the hot spots for a soothing effect. (Aloe is antibacterial as well). Alternatively, if you have Manuka honey, you can apply a thin layer of the honey to the hot spots.

Apply a cool compress

If your dog's hot spots are very itchy and irritating, apply a cool compress to the affected area 2-4 times a day with a cool wet washcloth. This will alleviate the intense itching.

Apply an antibacterial herbal poultice to the wound

You can also apply an herbal poultice to the hot spots to speed up healing. Use an infusion of herbs that are antibacterial - for example, calendula, aloe, or Saint-John's wort are good choices. Apply the infusion 3-4 times a day.

Remember to dry off the spots after each treatment.

Herbal Honey

Alternatively, you can apply herbal honey to the wound. Honey is antibacterial and is excellent for wound healing.

Green Tree Poultice

If you don't have herbs at home, a simple home remedy is to use green tea bags. Green tea has been found to be antibiotic and antibacterial, and it is therefore effective in treating dog skin irritation such as hot spots.

A quick and simple way is to steep two green tea bags in a cup of hot water. Let it cool down and use the tea as a poultice and apply it to the affected area. Repeat 2-3 times a day.

Aloe Gel

If the hot spot on the skin is dry, you can apply aloe vera gel to the affected area.

Here is a video that gives good information on how to treat dog hot spots naturally:

Top

Dog Hot Spots Remedies - Natural Products

Below are some products of dog hot spots remedies that contain herbs and other natural ingredients. They are safe, gentle but very effective in treating hot spots.

For Topical Use

Only Natural Pet Herbal Ointment
This ointment contains a lot of effective herbs for dog skin problems, such as calendula, goldenseal, red clover, marshmallow root, and eucalyptus and tea tree oils.
Doc Ackerman's Instant Hot Spot Relief Spray
This spray contains skin soothing herbs such as green tea extract, aloe vera oil, eucalyptus oil, St.-John's wort, witch hazel, etc. This spray can give almost instant relief to skin irritations such as hot spots.
Doc Ackerman's Herbal Colloidal Oatmeal Shampoo
This shampoo contains a lot of good herbs - such as green tea, goldenseal, slippery elm, marshmallow root, garlic, etc., and is effective in treating not only hot spots but also skin allergies caused by fleas and other irritants. It makes your dog smell good too!

For Internal Use

LoveMyPet Skin Comfort
This herbal formula contains aloe, burdock, calendula, cleavers, dandelion, yarrow, marshmallow and so on, and can be fed to your dog as a natural herbal dog hot spots remedy.

Did you know that...
Essential fatty acids are good for dogs who are prone to skin problems?
Don't forget to also use the navigation bar on the left of this page
to find more information on hot spots, other skin problems and common allergies in dogs.