Hi Gabby. I can only stand by what I’ve written in the article, but please consult your vet if it doesn’t seem right for your situation. Good luck.

My dog has broken out in two big scabs and red rashes. One on her jaw, under her neck folds and one on the back of her neck (where the top of her spine is)

She has very sensitive skin which is why I think this happened so fast, and she’s hard to wash as if she’s not dried properly she’ll get a skin irritation. I’m reading this and you say to wash the dog many times a day but I’m worried I will irritate her further. Especially as I can never her dry her completely. What should I do?

She’s also a cavalier so her ear keeps going into the spot on her neck so it keeps scanning then opening again.

She’s on antibiotics but I’m worried I should be cleaning but not sure. (I am applying a disinfectant daily)

Thank you

Hi Dee. As in most hotspots, the most important part of stopping new lesions is to understand their cause and treat it effectively. In your case, it appears you are treating for a skin allergy, which seems appropriate. Here is a page of other ways we treat allergy skin in dogs.

I’m not a vet, but a pup parent too. Consider switching foods to a decent brand and maybe a single protein food. Lamb is often gentle for dogs with allergies. The other thing I would do is get a good Omega 3 supplement. Ultra Oil Skin and Coat Supplement for Dogs from Amazon is a terrific one since Salmon oil in the stores is not always fresh or the best thing. This will really help the skin heal. Good luck!

Don’t mess around, borrow the money or something to get your dog to a vet or your dog will become very sick from the bacterial infection. These spots are very painful. Usually you will have the cost of the vet visit and meds, not horrific. Most need antibiotics to calm it from the inside out and treat the infection, and the wound(s) absolutely needed clipped/shaved to allow air to get to it and must be cleansed with an antibacterial/antiseptic cleaner for the wound to start to heal. It will then get a crust from the pus that you can gently clean daily with warm water and a little hotspot shampoo. Rinse soap with fresh water, pat dry and then apply antibacterial spray. You can use diluted Povidone-iodine to keep the wound disinfected, it’s cheap and will help with healing. I have dealt with many of these and am dealing with one now on my dogs neck. They can get very bad if not treated, there is nothing from home you can do, it absolutely requires a vet visit and meds. Good luck and hope your pup gets better soon!

Hi Jennifer. You will need to see a vet sooner or later to stop the underlying cause, but in the meantime, the most important thing is (as I stress in the article) that you completely remove the crusts from each hotspot, using a detergent disinfectant, and lots of patience and soaking, not brute force. Once you remove the crusts, they need to be kept away for healing to occur by frequent gentle cleaning.

Hi Vicki. I can’t see any way the two problems are related.