Looking At Dog Skin Problems

Dogs that are scratching more than usual are probably suffer from some type of dog skin problems whether they be caused by an allergy, parasite, or condition. Vets can typically treat these issues quickly and seeing one might be the end of the issue. So when a dog is scratching there are many different things that one can look for. An allergy will appear like a rash. Sometimes corticosteroids will help the problem but this is not a valid treatment. The cure can not be found until the allergen is known and removed from the environment. There are many things that a lot of dogs are allergic to that could potentially be the problem. These include insect bites, food, grooming products, and pollen. When the dog seems to be scratching just his or her ears then the most likely cause is a yeast infection. Although there are some additional symptoms that a yeast infection will present. Some of these are a discoloration, itching, or irritation and most commonly seen on the ears or paws. A topical cream that can be prescribed will usually heal this issue quickly. When the cream is not enough special medicated bath treatments and oral medications are also available. If the dog appears to have sores, bumps, and scabs then superficial bacterial folliculitis could be the cause. This is something that might not be seen in a longer haired dog as they might only look like they are shedding and are scaly. This condition is most common when it occurs in conjunction with something else that is happening and not usually seen by itself. Puppies are commonly seen with many things and one of the most common is impetigo. With this condition the skin will have pus filled blisters. These blisters can break open and will scab over when this happens. The most common place to have these is on the abdomen where the puppy does not have hair. Impetigo has an easy treatment with a special topical ointment. Seborrhea is another one of the common skin ailments that a dog will have and actually shows up as greasy skin and scales. A common cause for this is a genetic condition which means that it can not be cured. If it is not genetic then there is an underlying issue that must be found and treated for it to go away. If a dog is seen with a thinning coat and a lot of hair loss then the problem is most likely alopecia. Then when one has mange there will be redness, itching, hair loss, and sores. Skin problems can also be caused by parasites, the most common being fleas and ticks. Another common issue for dogs that shows up as lesions that are in a circular shape is ringworm and it is treated with an anti-fungal cream. There are far too many dog skin problems to be able to distinguish them all but these are the common ones that might be seen. Remembering if the dog has any of these that he or she should be kept clean and kept from licking the sores to avoid having to wear a cone collar because of acral lick granuloma.

I'm a dog health authority who specializes in dog skin treatment. Check out my Website here.