The Most Common Skin Diseases In Dogs
Many owners admire and take care of the coat of their dogs, without realizing that the hair’s beauty depends directly on the health of the skin. Therefore, in this article, we will cover the most common skin diseases in dogs.
Parasites and pests cause skin diseases in dogs
Two of the main causes of a wide variety of skin diseases in dogs are fleas and ticks. These parasites bite dogs to feed on their blood, producing itchiness. This causes the animal to scratch itself compulsively.
Flea and tick bites usually cause redness and inflammation in the area, which gets worse as the dog scratches itself.
It is important to take into account that this class of problems must be solved as soon as detected, as well as producing discomfort and dermatitis in the animal, can be the cause of more serious diseases such as ehrlichiosis (or ehrlichiosis) canine or anemia, in case of a very severe infestation.
Scabies
Demodectic mange and sarcoptic mange are caused by two mites that produce significant inflammation in the skin. As the disease progresses, the dog begins to lose hair, and the itch becomes acute in general, throughout the body.
This disease requires treatment with specific shampoos and sprays, as well as medication to control pain and itching in the animal. Fortunately, when dogs are treated, they make almost miraculous recoveries in a short time, and if the disease hasn’t progressed too far, there won’t be any aftereffects on the animal’s skin.
Ringworm is a common skin disease in dogs
Ringworm is a highly contagious disease produced by a fungus that can affect both dogs and humans. It is characterized by the appearance of red patches on the skin that produces hair loss.
It usually starts as a small lesion that spreads to nearby areas or to other animals and family members. This fungus must be treated immediately to prevent its spread.
Allergies Cause Skin Diseases in Dogs
About 10% of dogs suffer from some class of allergy that produces atopic dermatitis. While the main cause of allergies comes from food consumption, they can also be produced by another class of agents, such as pollen, insects or parasites.
It is characterized by redness, hives or inflammation of the skin, eyelids or lips. Usually, when skin affections are present, they are usually accompanied by itching, appearance of grains and dryness with peeling skin. To treat allergies, it is usually suggested to implement a veterinarian-supervised elimination diet.
Appearance of calluses
Although calluses are not a disease, they can cause some discomfort, due to their appearance in the dog’s joints.
Calluses are black, dry, crusted, bald spots that form due to constant friction between joints on hard surfaces. The problem with calluses is that, if they are not taken care of, they can produce ulcers or break, producing, in addition to bleeding, a lot of pain for the animal.
Skin Injuries
Accidents can leave permanent damage to our pet’s skin. Some serious ones, such as scars caused by surgery, burns or blows, will require supervision and control to avoid future inconveniences.
Important wound treatments will need antibiotics, healing and antiseptics, likewise, a badly healed wound can produce from suppuration to infections, so it is better to take care of the scars left by these wounds and avoid further suffering to your dog.
Inside the home, the most common place for dogs to get hurt is in the kitchen, so it’s best not to allow access, or at least not while you’re cooking.
The appearance of tumors indicate skin diseases in dogs
The appearance of tumors and cysts is a common phenomenon in dogs at an advanced age, although not all of them are cancerous, they require control to prevent them from continuing to grow. This class of problems needs treatment depending on the size of the tumor or cyst and its severity.
