I have a 2 yr old healthy Great Pyrenees that developed a small scabbed area behind her shoulder 2 days ago. I cleaned it carefully and the scab came off. I started using diluted poultice formula spray right away and repeated about 4-5 times for the rest of the day. I added immunity support and bug buster to her dinner, just to cover my bases bc the little area was looking red. When we woke up the next morning the wound was at least quadrupled in size, swollen, and weeping. I’ve never had a dog with a hot spot, but after taking her in to the vet yesterday, that was the diagnosis. Could I have aggravated the small wound and caused it to itch with the poultice tincture thus turning it into a hot spot? She has never showed any evidence of allergies. It was an alcohol based tincture but it was diluted and did not appear to sting. I’m wondering if it would have been better for me to use a tea. Would that have been strong enough for such aggressive wound growth? The vet gave her an oral antibiotic and steroid spray while she was there. I did not want to use it but I let them yesterday because it looked so awful and she can reach it with her back leg. What is the best protocol to stop a hot spot from growing with herbs? I treated it just like a wound but I’m assuming I should have added antihistamine herbs but I did not think of that. I have now added the histamine powdered herb blend in her food. I’m not sure if I can make a tea of that to put on her wound. I don’t plan to use any more of the steroid spray they gave me but I assume it was her scratching that caused it to grow so rapidly despite the poultice formula. I just want to stop it in its tracks better next time in case this happens again. I did not clip the hair around the original small wound area and have since learned how important air flow is. Perhaps I was keeping it too wet. Now it’s clipped and it seems to be drying up a bit today. Now I’m just lightly spritzing it very occasionally with a concentrated tea of plantain, echinacea, St. Johns Wort, and a little sea salt.  I’m hoping she leaves it alone. I’m not sure where to go from here. The vet just told me to keep it clean and give it time. Any other guidance would be greatly appreciated! I wish I could put a cone on her lower half to keep her from scratching it! Thankfully she is scratching much less today. Maybe she has figured out that hurts!!