Food for dogs with hot spots
A hot spot — a patch of red, moist, often smelly skin that appears quickly and that a dog won't leave alone — is a symptom, not a diagnosis, and it usually starts because something else is making the dog itchy enough to lick, chew or scratch at one spot until the skin breaks down. Food is one possible piece of that puzzle if an underlying food sensitivity is driving the itchiness, but it's rarely the whole explanation, and hot spots themselves need treating regardless of the cause.
Why hot spots aren't usually about food alone
Hot spots most commonly start with an itch — from fleas, an ear or skin infection, a grass or environmental allergy, or a food sensitivity — that a dog responds to by licking or scratching one area repeatedly until the skin becomes inflamed, raw and often infected. Anything that stops a dog itching enough to trigger this cycle can, in theory, reduce how often hot spots appear, but food is only one of several possible triggers, and often not the main one.
This is why a dog getting recurring hot spots needs a vet to work out what's actually causing the underlying itch, rather than assuming a food change alone will solve it. Treating a hot spot itself — clipping the area, cleaning it, sometimes antibiotics or anti-inflammatory treatment — is also usually a vet's job, since an untreated hot spot can worsen quickly.
Where diet genuinely fits in
If a vet suspects a food sensitivity is contributing to a dog's overall itchiness, a diet built around a single novel or limited protein source, sometimes for a set trial period under veterinary guidance, is one way of working out whether food is a factor. This is a diagnostic process a vet oversees, not something to guess at by switching foods repeatedly at home.
Separately from any suspected allergy, diets and supplements that support skin and coat condition generally — often built around omega-3 fatty acids — can support healthier skin overall, which may make a dog somewhat more resilient, though this is general skin support rather than a treatment for hot spots specifically.
What to look for on a label
For a dog with a known sensitivity, a sensitive-stomach or limited-ingredient recipe built around a single named protein is a reasonable starting point, the same approach used for digestive sensitivities. For general skin support, look for a food or supplement that specifically mentions omega-3 fatty acids or skin and coat support, rather than assuming any premium-sounding food covers this.
None of this replaces working out the actual trigger with your vet. A dog getting hot spots repeatedly despite a food change is telling you the cause probably isn't food, and it's worth going back to your vet rather than trying yet another diet.
When to see the vet
See a vet promptly for any new hot spot, since they can spread and become infected quickly, and a vet can also treat the spot itself rather than it being left to heal on its own. This matters more the larger or more painful the area looks, or if your dog seems generally unwell alongside it.
If your dog is getting hot spots repeatedly, that repetition is itself useful information for a vet trying to identify an underlying cause, whether that's fleas, allergies or something else — mention how often it's happening and where, rather than treating each one as a one-off.
Foods formulated for this
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Bugalugs Antiseptic Hot Spot Spray
Bugalugs Antiseptic Hot Spot Spray: hypochlorous-acid animal spray with hypochlorous acid
£9.99
Harringtons Just 6 Dry Dog Food Lamb
Grain-free lamb dry dog food in 2KG and 12KG sizes, with size-specific formulas
From£13.99
James Wellbeloved Adult Breed Dry Dog Food Turkey Rice
A hypoallergenic dry food for adult dogs, in small and large breed versions, built around single-source turkey protein
From£45.75
James Wellbeloved Grain Free Adult Dry Dog Food Fish Veg
Grain-free fish kibble for adult dogs, with glucosamine and chondroitin included
From£12.75
James Wellbeloved Adult Dry Dog Food Turkey Rice
A hypoallergenic dry food for adult dogs, built around a single source of turkey protein
From£41.45
Burgess Sensitive Adult Dog Turkey
Complete turkey and rice dry food for adult dogs in a 12.5KG bag
£48.89
James Wellbeloved Senior Breed Dry Dog Food Turkey Rice
Turkey and rice kibble for senior small-breed dogs, sized for smaller mouths
From£11.69
Harringtons Lamb & Rice
A 15kg complete dry dog food with lamb and freshly prepared chicken, for dogs from 8 weeks
£45.99
Harringtons Adult Dog Turkey
A complete dry dog food with turkey and freshly prepared chicken, for dogs from 8 weeks
From£13.09
Burns Adult/Senior Dog Original Lamb and Brown Rice
Single-source lamb and brown rice, formulated for adult and senior dogs with sensitivities
£35.99
Burns Adult/Senior Dog Hypoallergenic Mixer
Hypoallergenic dry mixer for combining with wet food or a home-cooked diet - not a complete food
£13.49
Burns Adult/Senior Dog Sensitive Grain Free Turkey & Potato Dry Dog Food
Six-ingredient grain-free dry food for adult and senior dogs, single-source turkey
£15.49
Common questions
- Can changing a dog's food cure hot spots?
- Not on its own, in most cases. Hot spots usually start with an itch from something else — fleas, infection or an allergy, which may or may not be food-related — so treating the hot spot and identifying the underlying cause with a vet matters more than switching food alone.
- What food is best for a dog prone to hot spots?
- There's no single best food, since the underlying cause varies by dog. If a vet suspects a food sensitivity, they may recommend trialling a limited-ingredient or novel-protein diet; otherwise, a food or supplement supporting general skin and coat health is a reasonable everyday choice.
- Are hot spots caused by allergies?
- They can be — allergies are one common trigger for the itching that leads a dog to create a hot spot, alongside fleas, infections and other causes. Working out which one applies to your dog usually needs a vet's assessment rather than guesswork.
- How do I treat a hot spot at home?
- It's best seen by a vet promptly, since hot spots can worsen and become infected quickly, and treatment often involves clipping and cleaning the area plus medication. This isn't something to manage entirely at home, particularly if the spot is large, painful or your dog seems unwell.
Related
Sources
Written against guidance published by UK veterinary and welfare organisations. Always confirm specifics with your own vet.
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.