• Increase the number of grooming sessions to remove all of the shedding undercoat. Be careful not to scrape or damage the dogs skin by putting too much pressure on the comb or brush.

• Damp coats are another problem causer. If your dog goes swimming, be sure to rinse the dog off with clean water and dry the coat thoroughly with towels or a hair dryer set on cool.

• A natural approach can be very helpful as well. Pet skin care products that contain chamomile, tea tree oil or aloe vera can clear up most hot spots in just a few days. Aloe vera and chamomile are soothing ingredients to help reduce pain and promote healing. There seems to be no single cause for developing these itchy spots, however, the problem can be associated with any of the following things, such as: surface skin infection, "clipper rash", irritants, foreign objects in the coat, as well as trauma and allergies.

The most common areas for hot spots to occur are the rump, legs, feet and flanks - but these infections can also appear other places such as on the back, ears, neck, and chest.

To treat, you need to treat the sore and then remove the underlying cause to prevent recurrences. Suggested methods include trimming the hair around the sore to prevent further spread of the infection. You want to dry the spot out and get air into the infected area.

Next, wash the area with a mild water-based astringent or antiseptic. Personally, I use a simple mixture of water, hydrogen peroxide (3%) and rubbing alcohol to treat my dogs if they ever come down with a hot spot. Here's how I make it: in a regular drinking glass, I fill about 3 tablespoons full of hydrogen peroxide, add 1 teaspoon of rubbing alcohol and then fill it the rest of the way up with water and stir.

It is very important that you do not put in too much alcohol or peroxide. By itself, alcohol can burn intensely. Would you put straight alcohol on a fresh wound on yourself? I didn't think so. And concerning hydrogen peroxide, if applied directly to any wound it can kill tissue which will not allow for correct healing. So, you want a large amount of water and only a small amount of peroxide with just a splash of alcohol.

Cool compresses can be applied several times a day as well. Medications such as oral antibiotics, topical drying sprays, special shampoos, antibiotics or cortisone may be needed as well depending on severity of the hot spots.

In severe cases, your veterinarian may even suggest the use of an Elizabethan collar to prevent further self mutilation and to give the spot a chance to heal completely. If your dog needs veterinary help for any skin lesion, or hot spot, don't delay in making that call.

Cool compresses can be applied several times a day as well. Medications such as oral antibiotics, topical drying sprays, special shampoos, antibiotics or cortisone may be needed as well depending on severity of the hot spots.

In severe cases, your veterinarian may even suggest the use of an Elizabethan collar to prevent further self mutilation and to give the spot a chance to heal completely. If your dog needs veterinary help for any skin lesion, or hot spot, don't delay in making that call.

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"Hot spots", also called moist dermatitis, acute moist dermatitis, or Summer Sores, is a term used to describe a varied number of skin problems which are very common in the German Shepherd Dog.

Anything that irritates or breaks the skin of a dog can create an environment perfect for bacterial contamination.

And if the dogs skin surface has just a bit of moisture on it, it doesn't take anytime at all for the bacteria to spread.

Typically, these circular patches lose hair, are swollen and "pussie" and can be very itchy and painful to touch.

Also, this moist, raw skin disorder has a lot of different causes, but the most consistent factor seems to be bacteria.

The affected dog will feel compelled to scratch, lick, or bite the affected area to the point of self-mutilation. Skin redness, oozing, pain to the touch, and itchiness are all hallmark signs that your dog has a hot spot.

Untreated, these areas could easily spread and cause even the most even-tempered dog to bite if touched near the affected area. These lesions are incredibly itchy and include massive amounts of scratching, licking and rubbing by the dog. These painful sores can happen in just a matter of hours with no warning of any kind. Any dog can develop these, but those dogs most susceptible to these infections are those with heavy coats and histories of allergies, ear infections, flea infestations, irritated anal sacs or grooming problems such as hair mats.

Dogs in warm, humid climates are more prone to develop hot spots too when they shed their undercoats if they are not groomed thoroughly. If the underlying cause is indeed tangled or matted hair or trapped dead hair, put the dog on a regular and thorough grooming schedule to help reduce this problem.

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