Ridgeback hotspot won't heal after hypoallergenic food

You've already done the hard work of switching foods twice and the hotspot is still there — that's genuinely exhausting, and it tells us something useful: food alone probably isn't the whole picture here. Skin allergies are one of the most frustrating things dog owners face because they're rarely a single-trigger problem, especially in older dogs. Before I suggest anything, I want to make sure I understand what's going on. How long has the hotspot on the left flank been there, and does it seem to flare at particular times of year or after specific activities like swimming or rolling in grass? And has a vet confirmed it's a true hotspot rather than, say, a lick granuloma?

That pattern — same location, summer flares, recurring despite diet changes — is really pointing toward environmental allergens rather than food. Grasses, pollens, and dust mites are common culprits in Ridgebacks, and the left flank is a classic spot for contact or atopic dermatitis because it's exposed when they lie down in grass. The fact that the steroid spray worked temporarily confirms there's genuine inflammation driving it, but steroids don't address the root cause. Two things matter most right now: managing the active hotspot so it can heal cleanly, and reducing the itch-scratch cycle that keeps restarting it. Can you tell me — is he licking or chewing at it, or is it more of a scratch with his back legs? And is the skin broken or just red and moist?

That broken skin is the priority — you need something that cleans and protects it without stinging, because anything that causes discomfort will just make him lick more. My clear recommendation here is Vetericyn Plus Antimicrobial Pet Hot Spot Spray. It's a hypochlorous acid formula, which means it's non-toxic, won't sting, and you can apply it directly to broken skin two or three times a day without needing to rinse. It deals with the bacterial element that keeps hotspots moist and infected, and it lets the skin start healing rather than just suppressing inflammation. It's available on Amazon UK and it's genuinely one of the best-evidenced OTC options for exactly this situation. While you're using it, I'd also suggest wiping his flanks down with a damp cloth after outdoor time during pollen season — it won't cure the underlying atopy but it reduces the allergen load on the skin significantly. If it doesn't improve within 10 days, that's the moment to push your vet about a referral for allergy testing or a trial of Apoquel.

You haven't completely ruled it out, but the seasonal pattern and single persistent location make food a less likely primary driver. James Wellbeloved Turkey is a reasonable limited-ingredient food, but worth checking: does the version you used contain any grains or peas? Some dogs react to those rather than the protein source itself. If you wanted to do one more proper food trial, a true hydrolysed protein food — like Royal Canin Anallergenic — is a step up from the foods you've tried because the proteins are broken down small enough that the immune system usually can't react to them. But honestly, with a summer-pattern atopic presentation, I'd focus on the Vetericyn and the pollen-wipe routine first and get that hotspot healed. You'll get a much cleaner picture of whether food plays a secondary role once the skin barrier is intact and the inflammation is under control.

Yes, absolutely — a cone or a soft recovery collar is worth using, at least for the first four or five days while the skin is still broken. The licking introduces bacteria and keeps the area moist, which is precisely what you're trying to stop. If he finds a rigid cone very stressful, an inflatable doughnut collar is a good compromise for flank hotspots because it still prevents him reaching that area without restricting his movement as much. Once the skin has closed over and is dry, you can drop back to just monitoring and continuing the spray once a day. Good luck with him — a year of recurring hotspots is a long time, and you're asking exactly the right questions to finally break the cycle.