What are hot spots and can food help?

Hot spots are areas of localised pyoderma (bacterial skin infection) that are inflamed, full of puss and intensely itchy. They generally occur due to self-trauma – scratching, licking and biting of the skin due to itchiness that can be caused by flea or environmental allergies, foreign body (e.g. grass awn) and possibly food allergy. The infection increases the itchiness and irritation which increases the self-trauma to the skin, helping to spread the infected area. Matting of the hair with pus also helps spread the infected area.

Acute treatment for existing hotspots includes shaving, cleaning and localised treatment with antibacterial/anti-itch lotions and possibly systemic antibiotics. The use of a specially formulated food can alleviate the itchiness that caused the problem in the first place. Hill’s™ Prescription Diet™ Derm Defense™ would be the best diet for this, as it strengthens the skin barrier, reduces the effects of allergens and reduces inflammation.