Home Remedies for Itchy Hot Spots on a Dog

Canine hot spots are also called moist eczema or moist pyoderma. They are characterized by painful, itchy red patches on the skin and hair loss. Hot spots frequently occur during the summer months. They can be triggered by fleas, ticks, allergies, parasites, or generalized skin infections. You can use a number of home remedies to treat hot spots.

  1. Salt Water Wash

    • According to Vet Info, hot spots can be treated at home using a salt water solution. The site advises clipping or shaving the hair around the affected area. Trimming the hair will allow air to get to the area, and this helps the hot spot heal faster. The area should then be cleaned with a mild salt water solution. This can be made by adding one spoonful of salt to a medium-sized bowl of water. A washcloth should be soaked in the saltwater solution and applied as a compress to the affected area. The warm compress will clean the wound, reduce the swelling and draw out any pus.

    Tea Treatment

    • Tea can be used as a home remedy for hot spots. The Regards Bull Mastiffs website suggests adding 15 bags of black tea to two cups of water and rinsing the spot with the tea at least three times a day. The Vet Info website also suggests using tea, but recommends using either green or black tea bags as a compress. The tea bag should be dipped in hot water, cooled, then applied directly to the hot spot. These treatments are helpful because tea bags contain tannic acids that can be used to heal wounds.

    Apple Cider Vinegar

    • According to the Home Remedies for Dogs website, apple cider vinegar can be used as a home remedy for hot spots. The hair around the wound needs to be shaved or cut, then the wound should be cleaned using an apple cider vinegar solution made of one part apple cider vinegar to four parts water. The vinegar kills off the bacteria and dries out the skin. The site recommends using an Elizabethan collar on the dog until the wound heals to prevent the dog from licking or chewing on the spot.

    Sage and Epsom Salts

    • The Dog Health by Lowchen Australia website offers a recipe that can be used to treat hot spots at home. The recipe calls for three capsules of sage, 1/4 teaspoon of Epsom salts and 2 cups of water. The ingredients should be boiled together, strained and cooled. The mixture can be applied to hot spots either by direct contact or by spraying the wound several times a day. The injury will begin to heal in about three days, and hair growth should appear shortly afterward.