When your cat has a hot spot, it can be hard to watch them itch and lick without relief in sight. Often, the spots will resolve on their own, but you can help your cat get over them with the right tools. Thankfully a lot of these tools already exist in your medicine cabinet. By knowing what medicines to use for your cat's hot spots you'll be able to help your cat heal.
Allergic Reactions That Cause Hot Spots
The first step to treating hot spots at home is to understand what causes them. Hot spots are normally caused by an allergic reaction. These allergic reactions are usually caused by flea bites or seasonal allergies. However, they can also be caused by a diet with too much grain in the ingredients list.
Hot spots have an unmistakable appearance and look like red, irritated skin on your cat. Hot spots normally look like patches and may ooze or scab over. Often, your cat may lick or scratch at them to the point your cat's hair falls out in the location of the spot.
The first step in treatment is once you notice the hot spot occurring is to try to eliminate the cause of the allergic reaction. You may need to have your pet tested by your vet to determine the cause of the allergies.
Antibiotic Ointment
Antibiotic ointment is the first thing you can try to soothe inflamed hot spots. Sometimes an element of infection is present when dealing with a hot spot. Applying a little antibiotic ointment will help to treat this infection and also adds a small barrier of protection on your cat's skin.
Before you apply the ointment, make sure the antibiotic ointment you use doesn't have any pain relievers in it. Antibiotic ointments with pain relievers can make your cat very sick. However, traditional antibiotic ointments are safe for cats, they can even ingest them in small quantities and it will be fine. If you're unsure if your brand is safe for your cat, you should ask your vet.
Hydrocortisone
Another readily available ointment you can try is hydrocortisone cream. Hydrocortisone ointment is usually available over the counter in just about any health section of a store. Hydrocortisone works as an anti-inflammatory and helps to relieve your cat's itching. After cats keep scratching or licking the same hot spot over and over which can make it difficult for the wound to heal. By eliminating the itch and the inflammation the hot spot should close on its own.
If using hydrocortisone or antibiotic ointment doesn't help to resolve your cat's hot spots, you'll have to speak with your vet. Your vet will be able to tailor a treatment cat specifically for your cat's hot spots. Check out a website like http://www.gulfportveterinarian.com for more information and assistance.
Share26 September 2017
Hello everyone. My name is Vern Mitchell. Welcome to my website about pet care. When I was a young kid, I helped the neighborhood families take care of their pets during the vacation season. As my neighbors went on their trips, I would go by their houses to feed and play with their pets. Throughout this journey, I learned about the care techniques required for almost every step of pet. On this website, I would like to help others understand how to care for pets of all kinds. Thank you for coming by my website about pet care. Come back soon!