Common Skin Problems in Dogs

Skin problems are also known as skin disorder. Not only, is your dog general health determined majorly by its skin and coat condition but also its diet. Skin disorders are caused by underlying diseases, parasites, poor hygiene and nutrition, bacteria and environment. Besides your dog will experience itchiness, scratching, painful lesions, red inflamed skin, tumors and sometimes hair loss.

Major Skin Problems

Allergies

An allergy is a state of over-reactivity or hypersensitivity of the immune system to a particular substance called an allergen.

Additionally, allergies in dogs are mostly detected by constant scratching by your dog due to itchiness. They can be brought about by three main factors: fleas, food, and environment.

Fleas-flea saliva can cause itchiness in your dog skin or tail area. Furthermore, flea bites or spider or tick bites can cause your dog body to have red patches.

Food that your dog ingest can cause allergic reactions. Moreover, the allergy can lead to vomiting and diarrhea when it affects your dog’s digestive system. Especially, it most commonly in response to the protein in the food; dairy products, beef, wheat gluten, chicken, chicken eggs, lamb, and soy associated with food allergies in dogs.

Environment-pollen, dirt, and mold which tend to be seasonal can also affect dogs’ breed with allergy tendencies. Although this can be detected easily if the dog is experiencing coughing, sneezing, and/or wheezing as it affects the respiratory system of the dogs’ body.

Treatment

For Fleas:

• Create a flea free zone.
• Give your dog flea treatment.
• Use antihistamines or corticosteroids recommended by your vet.

For Environment:

• Remove the allergy triggers from your dog’s environment.
• Protect from exposure as much as you can-clear area, avoid external triggers while walking, or outdoor.
• Treat with anti-inflammatory drugs such as corticosteroids, or with antihistamines.
• Use hypoallergenic shampoo to soothe your dog itchy, inflamed skin.

For Food:

• Identify ingredient causing allergy and eliminate it from the diet. This can be done by eliminating one ingredient at a time.
• Substitute with a vegan diet and see how it goes liaising with your vet for proper nutrition.

Hair Loss

Wondering why your dog is losing hair? The outward appearance can tell you a lot, it is easy to tell if your dog is healthy or experiencing some underlying problems by just looking at her. A glossy, thick shiny coat is a good indicator your dog is getting everything they need from their food, environment, and upkeep.

Nevertheless, if your dog starts experiencing itchy and dry skin, hair loss, redness on her coat this is an indicator that something might be up, wrong or deficiency in nutrition.

Hair loss can create patches in your dog body making it easy for you to detect.

Even so, dandruff and enzyme, tumors, ringworms, mange, a bacterial infection might lead to hair loss due to excessive scratching and licking.

Once treatment start it can take weeks to months for the hair to grow back but you should continue treatment as prescribed by your doctor.

Treatment

• Properly balanced diet help in the growth of healthy skin and coat.
• Use a dermatologically approved, specialist shampoo for your dog to prevent scratching and itchiness.
• Use topical treatment; ointments and shampoos prescribed by the vet to treat flea and tick control which cause hair loss e.g. Mitaban Dips are needed to treat mites.
• Change medication or diet, to remove allergens as advised by your vet.
• Take the dog to your veterinarian for checkup and advice regularly.
• A supplement can be recommended in case of hormone disorder diagnosed by your veterinarian.

Impetigo

Impetigo and acne are mild surface skin infections that occur in puppies under 1 year of age. Especially, it mostly brought about by poor hygiene due to infected dirty environment where your dog stays. In addition to this, viral infections and the presence of internal and external parasites in your dog can cause Impetigo.

Unquestionably, puppy impetigo is an infection caused by bacteria such as staphylococcus, also called staph infection.

The main sign on your dog’s body are painful pus-filled blisters on the hairless parts of the abdomen and the groin. Nonetheless, if not treated this blisters can burst leaving brown crust on your puppies. Following this, it can also cause weight loss, small patches of inflamed skin, skin infections, scratching, licking, and biting areas of infection.

In contract to, if detected and treated early it can take 2 weeks to clear when not severe.

Treatment

• Shampooing with antibacterial shampoos containing chlorhexidine (with or without miconazole).
• Use ethyl lactate three times a week.
• Use medicated soap recommended by a vet.
• Topical medication prescribes by your vet, for instance; mupirocin, neomycin, and polymyxin.

Ringworms

Ringworm is a fungus infection which causes discomfort to your dog. Definitely, causing the dog to have hair loss, itchiness, red skin (usually round in shape), scabs, and crusty skin.

On the other hand, it is contagious and can transfer to other pets or human hence quick treatment is necessary.

Above all, the vet can do a fungal culture or skin biopsy to diagnose the ringworm. For effective treatment it can be done for 2-3 months as advised by your veterinarian.

Treatment

• Use lime Sulphur dips every 3-4 days-apply on dry skin and fur.
• Grooming-shave long hair or fur off your dog before applying to remove fungal spores trapped in fur.
• Bathe the dog twice a week with a shampoo recommended by your vet.
• If severe, treat with antifungal medication: for instance, Griseofulvin, itraconazole, ketoconazole, or terbinafine under your vets’ instructions.
• Quarantine your dog.
• Clean and disinfect your dogs and your environment.

Fleas

Fleas feed off your dog’s blood and once they have found a good food source, they move in. They are blood-sucking parasites. Due to your dog hairy nature and outdoor activities, it is easy for him to pick fleas and other parasites as he wanders outside in bushes and grassy fields or even at home.

Undoubtedly, fleas are common parasites found in almost every area of the world. They survive year to year even in cold climates because they live on pets, in buildings, and on wild animals. There are four stages to the flea life cycle. Eggs are laid by an adult female flea which is on a host.

Not only, is the warm fur keeping your dog warm but also attracts parasites to it looking for warm places to stay. In spite of their small size, they measure about 1-2mm they can live for 7-14 days and lay numerous eggs.

Even so, they can hide in your dog’s beddings, furniture, carpet, and even the environment until they get a host.

Fleas cause itchy skin, redness, and skin rashes mostly on your dog’s lower back leading to persistent scratching.

Treatment

• Use a flea treatment recommended by your vet.
• Use a flea shampoo when bathing him.
• Treat your house and all your other pets.
• Clean your furniture and disinfect your carpet, furniture.
• Use a preventive flea control plan that can be all year round.

Itchy Skin

Pruritus is a skin disorder that causes itching and scratching in your dog. It is mostly associated with flea allergy, dermatitis and other skin allergy conditions. Indeed, can cause your dog to scratch a lot leading to hair loss and bleeding.

Absolutely, a challenging disorder as it is caused by allergies, parasites or factors in the environment. In order to diagnose the specific cause of itching in your pet, several tests and treatments may be necessary.

It should be noted, for proper diagnosis several tests can be done including skin scrapings and skin cytology to be able to get the right treatment.

Treatment

• Use allergy desensitization injections or allergy shots for dogs affected with seasonal conditions.
• Incase itchiness is due to food allergies you can give a vegan diet or eliminated ingredients your dog is reacting on.
• If itchy skin is due to bacterial or yeast infections your vet will recommend medication to eliminate this usually antibiotics or oral anti-fungal medications include ketoconazole, itraconazole, and fluconazole.
• If itchy skin is due to the environment (pollens and molds) clear and clean the environment but this is seasonal it will clear with time.

Skin Tumors

Tumors are usually small abnormal growth of cells that appear as lumps or bumps in your dog body. Clearly, they can notably be seen in dogs as non-healing ulcers which occur as hairless, discolored patches, rashes.

The most common tumor in dogs is skin tumors, which are cancerous. Furthermore, when detected early can be treated successfully. During a checkup, ask questions if you notice any lumps on your dog, your veterinarian will be the required test first before treatment.

The major cause of skin tumors is exposing the dog to direct hot sunray which damages their skin.

Treatment

• Can be surgically removed if cancerous.
• Partial removal if at a sensitive area.
• Radiation treatment or chemotherapy.

Hot Spots

Pyotraumatic dermatitis/acute moist dermatitis or summer sores is another name for hotspot. It is a condition that affects a dog’s skin. Moreover, can leads to painful red inflation of the skin where the dog itch, licks, and scratch leading to it being moist and oozing making it easy for bacteria to invade.

The inflammation causes the spots to be warm due to constant licking, scratching by the dog and discomfort. Subsequently, appear mostly during warm weather when bugs are everywhere.

When you notice a spot on your dog treat it before it becomes unbearable. Hot spots may require a visit to the vet. Importantly, your vet might recommend injection or oral antibiotics to start the healing process or prescribe topical medication usually in the form of a Gentamicin / Betamethasone spray.

Dogs that are frequently wet from swimming, bathing, or inclement weather are more prone to developing hot spots due to the excess moisture held against the skin by their coats.

Ensure your dog is dry mostly, buy a good towel for his grooming and drying when wet. Trim his hair when long to avoid matting and big undercoat.

Maintain a clean and parasite free environment. Proper hygiene will reduce the possibility of hotspot as it can be caused by all the above and any underlying disease.

Treatment

• Use a dog hair clipper to trim the hair around the area affected, makes it easy for air to dry the area up.
• Clean the affected area with a product recommended by your vet to treat hotspot.
• For quick healing and stopping itchiness apply a vet recommended hydrocortisone cream/spray 3 times.
• Use an e-collar or plastic cone to prevent your dog from licking or biting.
• Constant check daily on how the hotspot is healing so as to avoid it getting worse

Dry Coat

Dry skin in your dog body is sometimes caused by environmental conditions, parasites, fungal and bacterial infections.

Additionally, environmental conditions can be dry air and cold weather, or use of harsh shampoo and soaps, and deficiency in nutrition and excessive bathing which affect dog coat.

Apart from this, infections especially fungal and bacterial, ringworms, cancer can cause a dry coat.

Presence of mites and lice can cause dandruff and dry skin leading to excessive scratching.

Treatment

• Proper diagnosis to know the cause first by your vet.
• For canine food allergies, your veterinarian might prescribe an elimination diet.
• Environment allergies get allergy shots for your dog.
• Use a veterinarian-approved shampoo during bathing.
• Give a proper diet that provides the necessary nutrients for a healthy coat.
• Groom your dog regularly, remove excess fur.
• If your vet recommends supplement you can give.
• Keep your dog skin folds clean.
• Take your dog for a regular checkup for early detection of any skin disorder.

Final Thoughts

The skin is a barrier which prevents water loss, reducing the chance of dehydration and helps regulate the dogs’ body temperature. It is an important part of your dog body and needs to be properly looked after as it protects your dog internal organs from external threats.

Dogs spend a lot of time outdoors and are in contact with many varieties of potential pests and parasites. Without a doubt, which in turn can cause inflammation and skin problems hence hygiene is important.

In addition to this, proper nutrition and healthy food in consultation with your vet can eliminate the allergies your dog has with food.

Skin problems can cause a lot of discomfort to your dog. Have your vet examine your dog as soon as you notice the skin problem.