Dog Skin Problems, Symptoms, Prevention, And Treatment

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Symptoms of Dog Skin Conditions

One of the most common symptoms of skin conditions in dogs is itching. However, it is quite difficult for any dog owner to understand precisely what is irritating their dogs unless they seek help from a veteran and go through a proper veterinary inspection.

While it’s quite expected for a canine to itch often, simply like human beings may sometimes scratch their skin. However, frequent or lengthy abnormal itching in dogs is a tell-tale symptom of something wrong or maybe shows that something more severe thing is happening to the dog.

Dogs may attempt to reduce the itch by scratching their body against an object or rubbing the sore area using their paws. Also, you may notice your dog continuously licking their paws or some other parts of their bodies to soothe their irritated skin.

Some other symptoms suggesting a problem with your dog’s skin condition include the following signs:

• Skin lesions or skin sores
• Skin Sores
• Rashes
• Dry skin/scaly skin underneath/flaky skin problems in dogs
• Redness
• Lumps
• Bumps
• Dandruff
• Excessive scratching
• Intense itching
• Hot spots of inflamed skin (acute moist dermatitis)
• Excessive licking
• Bald patches
• Hair loss

What Causes Dry dog skin problems ?

Issues like dry skin in dogs may not appear to be a big deal at first, but it may be a symptom of a much bigger problem in dogs. Dry skin is one of the common symptoms associated with a lot of conditions, such as allergies, parasites, and also other serious medical conditions like hypothyroidism and Cushing’s disease.

So, here are a few causes that can lead to dry skin in dogs. Let’s have a better understanding of the causes to make sure you can take proper action as soon as you notice something like this on your dog.

Allergies

Different types of allergies can occur in both domestic and stray dogs. An allergy occurs when your pet is exposed to allergy-causing factors. Here are some of the things that can cause an allergic reaction if they come in contact with them

Food Allergy

Food allergy is also known as food hypersensitivity. Typically, allergies can be triggered in dogs by the consumption of protein or carbohydrate foods such as chicken, wheat, milk, soy, or eggs. Food allergy is not a simple problem, it can develop at almost any age. Symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea can also be seen in dogs suffering from this allergy.

Atopic allergy

These are also called airborne or inhaled allergies. This problem is seen more at certain times of the year. These allergies mostly occur during the change of seasons. For example, if a dog shows signs of a cold, it may be allergic to dust mites. Similarly, during the summer and spring, dogs may develop allergies due to exposure to plants or grasses. This allergy is genetic in dogs.

Insect and flea allergies

Fleas are the most common of the pests found in dogs. They spread the infection to the dog’s fur or its skin. Because of these blood-sucking fleas, allergies start in the body. This problem usually affects dogs between 1 to 5 years of age.

Unfortunately, some dogs can also be allergic to flea saliva. This is medically known as flea allergy dermatitis. Flea allergy can cause redness, swelling, and also irritation on the skin. Dogs with flea allergy dermatitis may show the following symptoms:

• Severe itching
• Scratching at flea bites can also cause hair loss

Acute allergy

Acute allergy is one of the most damaging allergies in dogs. If a dog has a severe reaction to an allergen, it can also go into anaphylactic shock. In this case, the following symptoms may suddenly appear in dogs:

• Blue lips
• Breathlessness
• Watery and red and eyes
• Excessive coughing
• Fainting in some cases

NOTE:

If not treated promptly, acute allergic reactions can be fatal to a dog’s health.

Yeast Infections

Generally, warm places on your dog’s body invite yeast infections. This kind of infection tends to grow in quite hard-to-reach places, for example, in between a dog’s toe, the ear canal, the perineum, and the groin of your dog.

With a severe yeast infection issue, your dog’s skin may thicken, causing the dog to bite and itch the infected spot. Yeast infections as well as similar skin conditions can also cause discolored skin and often tend to invite unpleasant smells.

If you notice anything like this, you can consider using a topical cream, tablets, and washes to relieve the signs as well as help cure the area. This will help your dog to get healthy and better skin.

Other Infections

Fungal and bacterial infections can generate a wide range of skin-related signs in dogs. Usually, veterinarians diagnose dog skin infections simply by taking skin scrapes to do cytology. Such infections are often secondary to a bigger problem, that’s why dry skin always needed to be taken seriously. A few kinds of infections, for example, the fungal condition Ringworm, are even transmissible to humans. So, be careful and take action before it is too late.

Parasites

Parasites are one more potential reason for dry skin in dogs. Flaky, dry skin can be a symptom of parasites that generate mange, for example, canine scabies, Demodex mite, and Cheyletiellosis in Dogs (also known as Walking Dandruff), and it may also show that the dog has lice.

To diagnose parasites in your dog, you will have to seek help from the veteran. Your vet may recommend you to a professional in veterinary dermatology in case there is a need. It is always better to seek help from professionals for treating skin conditions properly.

Ringworm

Despite its name, Ringworm isn’t a worm. It is a fungus that’s highly infectious to humans and other animals around your infected dog. This fungal infection generally appears as circular, crusty patches as well as is usually found on the head, ears, front legs, and paws in a dog.

The dog’s skin may also seem to be red and inflamed from where your dog has irritated the part from scratch. You must seek help from your vet immediately in case you discover any symptoms of irritation.

A professional vet will know how to handle the situation and will also prescribe a useful topical treatment to destroy the fungus as well as prevent the fungus from spreading further.

Breed-Specific Skin Condition

Some dog breeds are more likely to get skin conditions as compared to others, particularly when it comes to getting dry skin. Mainly hairless breeds, for example, the Chinese Crested and the Xoloitzcuintli, are highly prone to a wide range of skin conditions.

On the other hand, dogs like Alaskan Malamutes, Siberian Huskies, and also fast-growing big-breed puppies may get a skin condition named zinc-responsive dermatosis. A vet can diagnose the possible reasons for dry skin in your dog and will treat them accordingly.

Systemic Disorders

Often, the dry skin condition is a symptom of a much bigger problem. The 2 main metabolic disorders linked with dry skin in dogs are hypothyroidism and Cushing’s disease. In both issues, dry skin is usually accompanied by brittle and dry hair, skin infections, and hair loss, among other signs. Auto-immune disorders and cancer can even cause dry skin in dogs.

These are serious conditions. Dry skin shouldn’t be ignored, so ensure you take the dog in for a proper diagnosis from a professional veterinarian once you notice signs of dry skin and other skin conditions in your dog.

Dandruff

Just like human beings, dogs can also get ‘scruff’ or dandruff and also dry skin. These things can be a big indication of an underlying issue, like an infection. Simple dandruff is usually easy to treat using shampoos, However, the vet will check if anything is underlying or not.

A few dogs are highly prone to getting dry skin, especially in winter as well as it may cause due to their poor diet.

If it is due to poor diet. consider offering high-quality sources of omega-3, protein, and also 6 fatty acids to your dog. These foods can keep your dog’s coat and skin healthy.

Folliculitis

It means inflamed hair follicles. These often occur when a dog is undergoing other skin issues, for example, skin allergies or Mange. This is because, with the underlying skin conditions, your dog’s hair follicles may become infected.

It occurs on the body in bumps, sores, and also scabs over your dog’s skin. Vets generally prescribe Oral antibiotics, shampoos, and also antibacterial ointments to help treat as well as soothe such infections.

Dietary Problems

Too many fatty foods in a dog’s diet may lead to health issues. An absence of healthy oils may result in issues like dry skin. A few commercial dog foods that out healthy oils. Thus, dogs fail to promote healthy fur and healthy skin. So, ensure you check the ingredients and consult your vet about suggested dog food choices.

Hot Spots

These are also known as acute moist dermatitis. With hot spots or acute moist dermatitis, your dog tends to get inflamed and red body parts that may feel quite hot if you touch them. They are usually found on your dog’s hips, head, or chest and can be carried on by a lot of issues. For example, allergies, infections, insect bites, or extreme licking can lead to hot spots.

In case your dog has anything like that, you must reach out to a vet for a guided treatment. Hot spots in your dog may require to be properly cleaned as well as bandaged. And if there is any underlying issue, the vet will also take care of that and will make sure that the hot spots do not get worse or occur again.

Dehydration

In case your dog is not getting sufficient moisture during the day, then your dog’s skin may begin to show negative effects. In such cases, ensure your pup always drinks clean water and ensure your dog is drinking enough water throughout the day.

Because dehydration not only causes dry skin but also can lead to bigger issues in your dog.

Preventing Dry Skin Conditions on Dogs

We all know that prevention is better than cure, and it is true as soon as it comes to skin diseases in dogs. Although some dog breeds are more likely to get dry skin conditions than others, there are some vital things you can do which will help you prevent dry skin conditions on your dog:

• Research your dog breed to know what skin diseases they are prone to as well as how to stop them
• Control parasites by maintaining cleanliness
• Feed your dog with only a high-quality diet and also a balanced diet. If needed, seek help from your family vet.
• Give supplements if needed as prescribed by the veterinarian
• Keep your dog’s skin and coat clean properly
• Groom your puppy regularly to stop the buildup of debris and dirt on their skin and coat
• Schedule regular checkups to observe your dog’s general health

The best method to control dry skin in your dog is to make sure that your dog leads a healthy and happy life. A few skin diseases can’t be prevented, however, by being a good owner who regularly examines the dogs, you can see your dog’s dry skin conditions before it gets worse and out of your hand.

Treating Dog Skin Issues

Most skin diseases look alike, however, they’re treated differently. It’s necessary to have the issue appropriately analyzed to get to the source of the issue as fast as possible.

Keep in mind that you should never give the dog an over-the-counter medication or a medication not precisely prescribed for the dog, as these can be dangerous for your canine.

Common treatments for a dog skin condition may include the following:

• Anti-inflammatory medication
• Medicated shampoos
• Oral or topical antibiotic
• Antifungal medication
• Antihistamine medication
• Chemotherapy or Radiation in case of cancer
• Surgery

NOTE:

Always talk to your vet first before trying to treat any health kind of problems at home.

FINAL WORDS

If the skin disease isn’t serious, then the causes of skin problems can be cured at home. In this situation, adding probiotics to your dog’s diet can work, as it works to boost immunity and reduce harmful intestinal bacteria. The dog should always be kept clean. Apart from this, you can give them vitamin C, vitamin A, and zinc supplements to enhance the immune system.