Characterized by red, swollen patches of skin that ooze, give off a strong odor, and become hairless, hot spots can occur anywhere on your pet's body and often appear in multiples.These painful infections are caused when your pet engages in excessive licking, chewing, or scratching to try to soothe areas of skin that are irritated by fleas, mites, or other skin parasites, improper grooming, skin allergies, internal infections, or stress. (petcarerx.com)
Many exotic pets suffer from chronic malnutrition and other preventable health issues due to inadequate diets and housing or improper grooming. (salmonbrookvets.com)