Hello Edie, This is a great question, and a condition I see a great deal in my general private practice. A hot spot is the common term used for a skin condition called pyoderma. (Our fancy way of saying inflamed skin). It can be either a superficial pyoderma or a deep pyoderma, referring to the amount of skin depth affected. There can be many causes to this dermatological condition. In general I see an itchy condition that has turned into a self-traumatizing big giant ‘boo-boo’. The dog (it can happen to cats too, but I see in more commonly in… Read more »