Well . . . just got back from the vet with Miss Lady . . . hotspots again, only this time they haven't gone away in 24 hours, so off to the vet we went. Sam went, too, for moral support (and also because if he and Lady are separated, the one left home chews up the house!).

Does your friend suffer from hot spots? If so, here are some pointers:

First of all, what IS a hotspot? Well, in the morning, you notice a bare spot about the size of a dime, let's say, right above the tail. By noon it's as big as a quarter, and by evening it's the size of a silver dollar. It's a painful circle of inflamation that occurs when pets rub, scratch, lick, or bite their way into baldness. Vets call this condition pyotraumatic dermatitis, and it usually occurs when something irritating, like fleas, starts bothering the skin. In Lady's case (as Sam and Lady do not have fleas thanks to their monthly treatment), the vet advises that since she is kind of a nervous dog, nervousness attributes to it also. The more the inflamation itches, the more she scratches, and the more the hot spot grows.

Here are ways to soothe your pet's sore skin:

Start with a trim: since hot spots need regular cleaning, it's helpful to trim the hair around the entire area. You have to be careful, though, as even a quick haircut can be excruciatingly painful, especially if your pet won't hold still.

Clean the area well: If the hot spot is only moderately tender, wash it with an antibacterial soap like pHisoDerm or any mild, non-perfumed soap. You can also dab it two or three times daily with cotton soaked in an antiseptic solution such as Betadine Solution.

Put a compress on it: To ease discomfort and help with cleaning, Lady's vet recommended applying a soothing compress to the hot spot several times a day to draw out the bacteria. Wet a clean, soft cloth in cool water. Wring it well, then apply it to the hot spot for 10 to 15 minutes, reapplying as needed.

A spot of tea? To help speed healing, some vets recommend washing hot spots with strong black or green brewed tea as it contains tannic acid which will help dry the area and help heal the sore. Don't apply hot tea - makes sure it's cool to the touch.

Dry it with Burow's: Another way to dry the spot is to apply diluted Burow's solution (aluminum acetate) three times a day. It keeps the area dry and helps promote healing.

Ease the inflammation: To reduce swelling and discomfort, try applying a thin layer of hydrocortisone cream, which is available over the counter. Look for the 1% concentration and apply it twice a day. Although the medication penetrates the skin quickly, you may have to distract your pet to prevent it from licking it off before it has time to work. But if your pet does lick it off, don't worry - in small amounts the medication is safe for pets inside and out.

Soothe it with vitamin E: Sold in health food stores, pharmacies, and grocery stores, vitamin E is a great way to soothe irritated skin. Just open the capsule and apply the gel to the hot spot once or twice a day.

Aloe plants: Some vets say applying the gel from an aloe vera plant will quickly help ease the pain of hot spots and also speed healing.

Try gentle restraint: When your pet won't leave the painful area alone, you may need to restrain it with an Elizabethan collar - a plastic ring that slips around its head that won't allow your pet to get to the hot spot.

Get rid of fleas: Since many hot spots are intially caused by flea bites, you may want to spray or powder your pet with a product containing D-limonene or pyrethrins - chemicals that are safe and effective for eliminating fleas. Or try a spray containing methoprene, a hormone that prevents flea eggs from maturing.

Allergies: Hot spots are occasionally caused by food allergies or hay fever, which sometimes result in itchy, irritated skin. If this is the case, it will take about a month on a new diet to see if your pet is getting better.

So how do you know if you should go to the vet or not? The scary thing about hot spots isn't only how ugly they look or how much pain they can cause but also how fast they can spread. It's not uncommon for these warm, swollen patches to become several inches in size in just a few hours.

While some spots disappear on their own, others may result in dangerous bacterial infections. If the spot hasn't improved in 24 hours, call your vet. Your pet, like Lady, may need topical or oral antibiotics to help calm your pet's angry skin.