Before and after comparison of hot spot with missing fur and red, chewed skin on a dog's leg, which was treated with Lavengel® and healed after 1 week

Bettering Bellini the Bernedoodle's Hot Spot

December 24, 2025

Top photo: Before and after photos of Bellini's hot spot on her foreleg, healed with Lavengel® for one week

Bellini the Bernedoodle started getting itchy during the winter months and began to lick and chew at her right foreleg. It didn't take long before all the trauma caused local fur loss, redness, and an ugly sore to form - the dreaded acute moist dermatitis, or hot spot.

Hot spots can appear almost overnight as dogs seek to soothe the itch in the only way they know how: scratching, licking, and chewing. Unfortunately, this only exacerbates the problem. The more they agitate the spot, the worse it gets.

If canine hot spots are not dealt with quickly, bacterial infection will set in. That's when things get stressful and expensive: vet visits, diagnosis sampling, antibiotics, cones, and less sleep for everyone.

Her mom Sarah decided to give Lavengel® a shot to see if it would help. Needless to say, IT DID, and here's what she had to say:

"She just started itching and would not leave her feet and legs alone. Next thing you know, there's loose fur chunks all over the place and this ugly wet red sore on her leg. She would wake us up during the middle of the night chewing at it, too.

My sister gave me some Lavengel and we used it a couple of times per day. She finally left it alone, and it went away in a week. Her fur's back, and you can barely tell it was ever there. I'm really impressed!"

Brown Bernedoodle puppy standing on grass with a car in the background

Photo: Bellini as a wee pupper

What Causes Skin Allergies and Hot Spots in Dogs?

This is a topic that we go into much greater detail on other pages (see "Further Reading" below).

The short version is this: Canine (and human) allergies are caused by the immune system's reaction to irritants (allergens) that it deems harmful. Beneath this fact, genetics and environment play a major role in how each dog is affected differently.

Allergens are typically seasonal, environmental, or food-related - though the bulk of skin allergy (atopy) cases in dogs involve the former two. Seasonal and environmental allergens can include:

Pollen from trees and plants
Mold
Dust mites
Grass and hay
Dander (dead skin - even human dander, in rare cases!)

Brown Bernedoodle dog lies on gray floor looking at camera with colorful chew toy in mouth

Photo: Bellini as a one-year-old, not-so-wee pupper

Dry Skin + Indoor Living Can Increase The Chance of Skin Allergies in Dogs

Dry skin in itself is uncomfortable, and remember that when dogs are uncomfortable, they will lick, scratch, chew, rub, or do whatever they can to soothe discomfort.

When the skin dries out - say, due to dry indoor air or living in an arid climate - the protective barrier against allergens and microbes weakens and becomes more permeable. This allows easier access for allergens and microbes, such as bacteria and yeast, into the skin to trigger the immune system and generate the almighty itch.

You can observe this as indoor dogs begin to lick their paws more during the winter months. Their feet are already a great place for microbes to gather (especially between toes), their paws come into contact with many different types of surfaces, and dry skin simply opens the door to the allergic reaction.

In addition, research indicates that dogs who spend most of their lives indoors - especially in their formative years - face a higher risk of skin sensitivity and allergies compared to dogs that live and were raised outdoors. The general concept is that dogs that are exposed to a variety of outdoor allergens as puppies build up a stronger tolerance to these allergens versus dogs that remain predominantly indoors during their formative years.