https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/2015-06-04-nl-hot-spot-treatment/
By Dr. Becker
Hot spots are most commonly associated with dogs, but kittens can also develop this miserable skin condition – particularly with dense or long haired cats.
Hot spots, also called pyotraumatic dermatitis or superficial pyoderma, are characterized by inflamed and infected skin. They appear as round lesions that most commonly appear on a cat’s head, neck, tail, or thigh and are created when your cat’s natural bacteria overpopulates certain areas of its skin.
Hot spots usually start as mild skin sensitivity, but when your cat starts licking, biting, rubbing, or scratching the area, they become irritated. If left untreated, the cat will begin to lick the area obsessively, which increases the itching and makes the area wet, red, and inflamed. Then comes infection and finally ulceration. There is also usually hair loss at the spot and/or discolored fur.
Hot spots are more common in hot, humid weather, but they can occur year-round depending on the cause. When an infection comes from a cat’s own bacteria, there is almost always a root cause. Hot spots often occur in animals with weakened immune systems.
A hot spot on your cat can grow very large and very quickly, so it is important to recognize the problem and begin treatment before the hot spot covers a large part of its body.
If your cat develops a hot spot, you will need to do two things: 1) treat the sore and 2) identify the underlying cause.
Step One: A Shave and a Sharpie
To treat the cat’s wound, the first thing to do is to remove the hair on, in and around the affected area. Now I realize that you may not want to do this, and your cat may not want to either. But if you don’t remove the hairs, they will be trapped in the wound by the pus and you will have a much harder time healing the hot spot. In fact, the hair in and around the affected area can create the perfect environment for the sore to grow and the infection to worsen.
I recommend shaving the hot spot area and then marking the edges of the lesion with a Sharpie type pen so you can see if the infection is spreading. If it spreads, you will know that you are not treating it effectively at home and you should see your veterinarian as soon as possible.
Some hot spots can lead to fever and serious underlying skin problems. If you notice that the wound is getting bigger instead of better after a few days, it’s time to see a veterinarian.
Disinfect the wound
Once you’ve shaved the area and identified the margins with your Sharpie, trim the hair until you see healthy skin. Then you can begin to gently disinfect the wound with a solution that will kill bacteria.
I recommend using povidone-iodine, often sold under the brand name Betadine. It is an organic iodine with no side effects and good control of most skin bacteria. You can buy povidone-iodine at most pharmacies and some health food stores. Dilute the solution with purified water until it is the color of iced tea and apply it to the wound using a soft washcloth or gauze.
Initially, for the first two days at least, as long as there is oozing from the wound, you will need to repeat the disinfection procedure as often as necessary to keep the area clean, dry and free of pus. The goal is to keep the area clean and dry at all times. So, for the first few days, you may need to disinfect the wound as often as every two hours.
Protect the wound while it heals
After cleaning the wound, you can apply a topical solution like colloidal silver, calendula cream, raw aloe, or a thin layer of manuka honey, which is a raw honey made from the tea tree. You can also use a cool chamomile tea bag against the wound to provide a soothing effect.
Do not use anything with stinging or astringent properties on a raw, open wound. Solutions like vinegar or oregano distillates, although antimicrobial, are very painful when applied to an open wound.
Then repeat the disinfection procedure and application of a light, natural topical soothing gel until the wound shrinks, the infection disappears, and your cat is no longer bothered by the hot spot.
Ensuring your cat leaves the hot spot alone is essential for healing. If your cat has the ability to retraumatize the wound, the infection will not go away and the hot spot will grow larger.
You will probably need to put an E-collar on him to prevent him from licking and biting the affected skin. As an alternative to an e-collar, you may be able to protect the wound by applying a light wrap or putting a child’s t-shirt on your pet, as long as you are sure he will leave the wound alone.
Finding the Cause of Your Cat’s Hot Spots
Allergies, both food and environmental, can cause hot spots. If your cat is on a processed, grain-based diet, I recommend slowly transitioning to a more species-appropriate diet. Cats are not designed to process grains or carbohydrates, and these ingredients can cause allergies or sensitivities that are expressed through the skin. If you’re wondering if your cat might react to a certain food but aren’t sure, consider Dr. Dodd’s recommendations. Nutriscan saliva test.
Environmental allergies can also cause hot spots. Ragweed, grasses, pollens, and molds are typical allergens, but it can also be polluted water or even toxic air that causes a secondary hot spot on your pet. You will need to evaluate not only your cat’s diet, but also its environment to look for sources of allergens that may be causing hot spots.
Flea allergy dermatitis is also a major reason why pets have hot spots. You may not even be able to see the fleas, but if your cat is sensitive, the bite of a single flea can cause a raging hot spot. Check your pet with a flea comb regularly against fleas and flea dirt.
If your cat has a sore spot on its body and it begins to lick and chew that area, it may create a hot spot. For example, if you have an older cat who has never suffered from hot spots but suddenly begins to experience skin problems around the hip joint, this could be an answer to underlying pain.
If your pet suffers from neuralgia or perhaps sciatica – which is an irritated, tingling nerve pain similar to the feeling in your foot when waking up after falling asleep – you may notice him chewing or licking an ankle or a toe. This behavior can cause a secondary infection which is essentially a hot spot. In this case, there is no underlying allergy, but rather an underlying muscle, nerve, or bone problem.
If you think a painful condition might be the cause of your cat’s hot spot, I recommend a wellness visit to your veterinarian.
What if the root cause is psychogenic?
Sometimes there may be an underlying mental or emotional cause for the hot spots, such as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), even boredom. These behavioral problems can cause licking and chewing that creates hot spots.
If your cat exhibits OCD behaviors, it’s important to keep in mind that changes in routine are extremely stressful for felines. So the first thing I recommend is to significantly limit the number of unusual outdoor events your cat is exposed to.
Suggestions for environmental enrichment for cats include:
- Routine feeding and care (litter box scooping, brushing, etc.) should occur at the same time each day.
- Keep food bowls and litter boxes in the same place – don’t move them around unnecessarily.
- Keep litter boxes clean, as well as bedding.
- Provide an assortment of appropriate cat toys, hiding places, scratching posts/trees, etc., and make sure your pet has sufficient, if not constant, access to these treats.
- Consider playing calming music for an hour or two each day.
You might also consider cat treat or food dispensing toys, window perches, and kitten videos. Also try to spend time each day playing with your cat using interactive toys.
You may also consider feline stress remedies by Spiritual essences Or OptiBalance formulas for cats and kittens. Also discuss homeopathic remedies for obsessive behaviors with your holistic veterinarian.
It can be very difficult to discover the cause of hot spots in an animal, but if you only treat the wound and don’t find the source of the problem, there is a good chance the condition will recur.
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