What You Need To Know About Dog Skin Problems

Dog skin problems are the reason for almost half of vet’s visits Skin problems are hard to diagnose in dogs so a visit to the vet is usually necessary. If your dog is older, it’s even more important to get any lumps on the skin checked out as they may turn out to be cancerous.

All dogs scratch, but if your dog scratches continuously there must be an underlying cause. It’s not enough to treat the itching alone because the problem will keep on recurring. Untreated skin problems can also lead to personality changes and aggression and will ultimately affect your dog’s general health.

Skin diseases in dogs can be of two types, autoimmune or immune mediated. Autoimmune skin diseases are caused mainly by allergies whereas immune mediated are caused by a weak immune system. Symptoms of skin diseases are itching, inflammation, lumps, lesions and hair loss. In an attempt to relieve the aggravation, your dog will scratch, lick, roll on the ground or bite himself continuously.

Your vet will examine the dog’s skin with and ultra violet light and may take a scraping of skin for more accurate diagnosis. In some cases blood tests are used for difficult to diagnose cases.

The type of skin disease affecting your dog will dictate which treatment is used. For allergic skin reactions, antihistamines are usually recommended. Fungal skin infections such as ringworm can be treated with an anti fungal shampoo. Bacterial skin infections (pyoderma) will need antibiotics.

Dog skin problems can be partly prevented by a healthy diet and by washing and grooming your dog regularly. For mild skin irritations, here’s a few natural solutions…

·                    Mix some colloidal oatmeal with water and wash your dog in it.

·                    Add some garlic to your dog’s food to deter fleas

·                    Rub some aloe vera gel into your dog’s skin after grooming

·                    Dissolve Epsom salts in some cool water to soothe itchy feet

·                    Baking soda works well for all over itchiness and insect bites

I hope you find these suggestions helpful. However if the problem doesn’t respond, don’t hesitate to consult your vet. Dog skin problems can become serious and an infection may develop if not treated promptly.