Hot spots in Florida dogs
A hot spot (acute moist dermatitis) is a raw, oozing, painful patch of skin that appears suddenly. In Florida, hot spots can go from invisible to dinner-plate-sized in 12 hours, especially during summer.
The trigger: anything that traps moisture against the skin — wet fur, sweat, allergic itching, or a mild scratch. Once the skin is moist and the dog starts licking or scratching, bacteria multiply rapidly and the spot grows.
Most common in: Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds, Labs, Saint Bernards, and any thick-coated breed. Florida's humidity makes them more common than in dry climates.
Spot a forming hot spot: focused scratching or licking, a damp patch in the fur, redness when you part the hair. Catch it at this stage and you can stop progression.
Treatment: clip the fur around the spot, clean with chlorhexidine solution, apply a vet-prescribed topical, and prevent licking with an e-collar. Severe spots need oral antibiotics.
Prevention: thorough drying after baths and swimming, daily brushing to spot early signs, and preventing the underlying itch (allergy treatment, flea control).
Schedule a grooming appointment within 7 days of any healed hot spot to clip the surrounding area cleanly and let the skin breathe.