Unfortunately, hot spots on bulldogs are common. This breed is known for the numerous illnesses and conditions that can easily plague their lives. While situations like this can be sudden, most are easily preventable.
Let’s talk about what you – as a bulldog owner – need to know about hot spots, what causes them, how to treat them, and what you can do to save your chunky little friend from experiencing such skin conditions.
What are Bulldog Hot Spots?
While hot spots do not just appear on bulldogs, this dog breed does suffer more frequently from them.
But what exactly are they?
Hot sports on bulldogs are itchy and unpleasant areas on the skin which appear due to versatile external factors. This skin condition is also known as acute moist dermatitis, which can show up on the dog’s skin. They are especially prevalent in skin areas prone to moisture buildup – like the dog’s neck, between skinfolds, hips, under their small tails.
Hot spots appear as lesions on the skin, which are red, moist, and itchy. They can give out an unusual odor, which can be quite unpleasant. This skin condition will irritate your bulldog, as it is a painful experience.
Generally speaking, there are two types of hot spots that can appear on your bulldog’s skin. Some hot spots are merely superficial, only affecting the top layers of the skin. However, some go deeper and cause more discomfort.
Bulldogs are prone to getting hot spots easily due to their skin type. The multiple folds of the skin can easily build up moisture, which can lead to this unfortunate skin condition developing.
What are the Causes of Bulldog Hot Spots?
There are multiple reasons why hot spots appear on bulldogs, but all boils down to one thing. Hot spots appear on irritated skin areas. However, some of the reasons for skin irritation can be:
- Moisture build-up between the skin folds
- Allergic reactions
- Different types of insect bites
- Bacterial infections
- Licking, biting, or scratching the skin
All of these factors can easily lead to hot spots developing on your bulldog’s skin. But additional determinants also need to be taken into account.
The first one is warm weather. While hot spots can appear all year round, they generally cause bigger problems when temperatures rise. Warmer weather allows for moisture to build up between the bulldog’s skin folds.
If bulldogs keep scratching, licking, or biting the hot spot it will spread – quite quickly. It can spread and get infected in just a matter of hours.
However, when it comes to bulldogs two reasons jump out at owners. The most common ways your bulldog can develop hot spots is as an allergic reaction or due to moisture build-up.
What type of Treatment to Use for Bulldog Hot Spots?
Even though this skin condition is common with bulldogs, it still must be treated. Hot spots will not go away on their own, but they are easy to take care of.
The most important part is to prevent your bulldog from further irritating the concerned area of their skin – as it will spread the hot spots and can get them infected. A ‘Cone of Shame’ is not as shameful as it sounds. E-collars are a great way to prevent your pet from trying to soothe the itching by licking the area.
After that, the treatment starts. These treatments can be oral or topical treatments that lessen your pet’s discomfort by soothing the itchiness of the skin.
It’s safe to state that you need to contact your veterinarian. They will be able to let you know what has caused the breakout on your bulldog’s skin. Additionally, they can give you the necessary ointments and extra medication your canine will need – depending on the type of hot spots they have developed. Different types of hot spots require various treatments.
The hot spot needs to be cleaned with cool water and mild soap. Dry the skin and apply the ointment to the infected skin area. A well-loved solution to such issues is the Verticyn AntiMicrobial Hot Spot Spray which disinfects the area and helps the hot spot heal.
You can also put a cold compress onto the infected area. Do this three times a day for about 10 minutes. While this does not necessarily help the skin heal, it will ease your bulldog’s discomfort and need to scratch – remember scratching is not a good thing, no matter how tempting it may be for them.
Bathing your pet with medicated shampoo will also help accelerate the healing process. This can be done twice a week, but remember to completely dry their coats off. Moisture can cause the hot spots to spread.
In severe cases – if the hot spots are too widespread or too deep, your veterinarian will most likely also prescribe antibiotics for your bulldog to take.
How to Prevent Bulldog Hot Spots?
Unfortunately, some hot spots cannot be prevented. You cannot guard your dog 24/7 against mosquito bites and prevent them from licking the bite mark.
However, as we have mentioned before, the most common reason hot spots appear on a bulldog’s skin are allergic reactions and moisture build-up between their skinfolds.
It is important to monitor your bulldog’s diet. Make sure you are not giving them anything that might act as an allergen to this breed. If you are interested in what bulldogs should not eat, take a look at our previous article.
Secondly, their wrinkly skin and multiple skin folds will trap moisture in warmer weather. You can easily wipe your bulldog clean in hot temperatures, to prevent their sweat from causing hot spots to appear. It is also essential to completely dry off your pet after a bath and to clean their paws after they go outside – especially when their outside activity includes water.
While mosquito, flea, and tick bites are harder to prevent, you can still check their skin and apply the necessary ointment to soothe their discomfort. This will prevent your pet from licking and biting at the area.
Adding omega-3 fish oils to your bulldog’s diet will also help you lessen the risk of hot spots. It will give your pet a healthier coat which will be resistant to inflammatory skin problems.
Dry Coat, Healthy Bulldog
When it comes to bulldogs, most skin issues can be prevented by keeping their coat dry. This breed is prone to build up moisture between its folds, which can easily lead to skin diseases – like hot spots.
As responsible bulldog owners, it is our job to keep our pets healthy. No matter if they sweat from the heat, enjoy a few laps in the pool, or just simply end up in the rain, we must maintain their health by keeping them dry. Drying off your bulldog will help to prevent nasty skin infections from causing them major discomfort.
Your bulldog will thank you for the care given to them through cuddles. Because as we all know, a dog that feels safe next to you is a kind dog.
This was a really great read I been wanting a English bulldog for awhile now and really wanna know more about how to take care of one before I get one. This was very helpful!