---
title: "Hot Spots on Dogs: Groomer's Prevention Guide | Fluffs York"
description: A York groomer explains hot spots on dogs (acute moist dermatitis), what causes them, how grooming prevents them, and when your dog needs the vet.
---
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Dog Health
# Hot Spots on Dogs: What They Are and How Grooming Prevents Them
A York groomer explains hot spots on dogs (acute moist dermatitis), what causes them, how grooming prevents them, and when your dog needs the vet.
[Lucy](https://www.fluffsyork.co.uk/dog-grooming-tips-and-tricks/author/lucy)
Oct 21, 2026
---
A hot spot can appear almost overnight. One day your dog's coat looks fine, the next there's a red, raw, weepy patch of skin that they can't stop licking or chewing. If you've spotted one, the honest answer is that active hot spots usually need a vet, because they get worse fast and are genuinely sore. What I can tell you, as a groomer, is exactly what they are, why they start, and how good coat care prevents most of them in the first place.
Hot spots are one of the clearest examples of how grooming and skin health are linked, so this one's close to my heart at the salon here in York.
## What a hot spot actually is
A hot spot is the everyday name for **acute moist dermatitis**, sometimes called pyotraumatic dermatitis. You can read the medical background on [hot spots and acute moist dermatitis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_spot_(veterinary_medicine)). In plain terms, it's a patch of inflamed, infected skin that flares up quickly, usually because the dog has been licking, scratching or chewing one spot until the skin breaks down.
You'll typically see:
- A red, moist, sometimes oozing patch of skin
- Hair loss over the area (or matted, damp fur hiding it)
- Heat and swelling
- A dog who won't leave it alone
They're most common on the neck, hips, cheeks and base of the tail, and they can spread alarmingly quickly once the licking cycle starts.
## What causes hot spots
A hot spot is really the end result of two things: something that starts an itch or irritation, and moisture trapped against the skin that lets bacteria take hold. Common triggers include:
- **Trapped moisture under a matted or damp coat.** This is the big one for groomers. A coat that stays wet after swimming, rain or a bath, or a matt that holds damp against the skin, creates the warm, airless conditions a hot spot loves.
- **Scratching and licking.** Once [an itchy dog](https://www.fluffsyork.co.uk/dog-grooming-tips-and-tricks/why-is-my-dog-so-itchy) starts, the friction and saliva break the skin and it snowballs.
- **Allergies.** Food or environmental allergies and atopic skin all cause the initial itch.
- **Fleas and parasites.** Flea allergy dermatitis is a classic starting point, especially around the tail base.
- **Ear infections, anal gland trouble or minor wounds** that get the dog fixating on one area.
> **Groomer's tip:** The single most preventable cause I see is a coat that never fully dried. After a wet walk, a swim or a bath, get your dog properly dry right down to the skin, not just towel-damp. Thick double coats in particular can stay wet underneath for hours.
## How grooming prevents hot spots
This is where regular grooming earns its keep. Prevention is far kinder than treatment, and most of it is about keeping air moving and moisture out.
- **Clipping and thinning to let air in.** On dense or long coats, keeping things trimmed and free of packed undercoat lets the skin breathe and dry. A [professional deshedding groom](https://www.fluffsyork.co.uk/dog-deshedding-prices-in-york) removes the dead undercoat that traps damp.
- **Thorough drying.** A proper blow-dry gets the coat dry to the skin, which a towel simply can't do on a thick coat.
- **Matt prevention.** Regular brushing and professional grooming stop [matts forming](https://www.fluffsyork.co.uk/dog-grooming-tips-and-tricks/what-causes-matting-in-dogs), and a matt-free coat can't trap moisture and dirt against the skin.
- **Flea control.** Keeping on top of parasites with a vet-recommended or pharmacy product removes one of the most common triggers.
- **Regular skin checks.** Every groom and every home brush is a chance to spot redness or a hot spot starting, before it becomes a raw, infected patch.
For long-coated and double-coated breeds especially, a regular grooming routine is genuinely one of the best ways to keep hot spots away.
## Treating an active hot spot: this is a vet job
If your dog already has a hot spot, please don't try to manage it alone. They're painful and prone to spreading and infection. Your vet will usually:
- Clip and clean the area to expose it to air (a groomer should not clip an active, painful lesion without vet guidance)
- Treat the infection and inflammation with the appropriate medication
- Fit a buster collar or similar to stop the licking cycle
- Look for and treat the underlying cause, whether that's fleas, an allergy or something else
Getting on top of it quickly makes a huge difference to how fast it heals, so early is best.
## Frequently asked questions
**Can I treat a hot spot on my dog at home?** Because hot spots are painful, spread quickly and are usually infected, they really do need a vet rather than home remedies or human creams. Your job at home is to stop your dog licking the area and get to the vet promptly.
**How do I stop my dog getting hot spots?** Keep the coat matt-free and fully dried after any wet, stay on top of flea control, manage any known allergies with your vet, and book regular grooming so the skin can breathe and problems are caught early.
**Why does my dog keep getting hot spots in the same place?** Recurring hot spots usually point to an ongoing trigger, such as an allergy, fleas, an ear or anal gland problem, or a coat that repeatedly traps moisture there. It's worth investigating the cause with your vet.
**Do hot spots hurt my dog?** Yes, they're sore and itchy, which is exactly why dogs lick and chew at them and why they spread. Prompt vet treatment brings real relief.
## This isn't veterinary advice
We're professional dog groomers, not vets, so please treat this as friendly general guidance. If you're worried about your dog, or before acting on anything here, speak to your local vet, who can examine your dog and advise properly. In an emergency, contact your vet or nearest out-of-hours clinic.
---
*Fluffs is a professional dog grooming salon in Wigginton, York, offering one-to-one grooming for dogs of every breed and coat type across Haxby, Strensall, Huntington, New Earswick and the surrounding villages. Regular grooming with proper drying is one of the best ways to keep hot spots away. [Book a grooming session.](https://www.fluffsyork.co.uk/contact-fluffs)*
[Dog Health](https://www.fluffsyork.co.uk/dog-grooming-tips-and-tricks/tag/dog-health)
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