Dog Skin Problems

Is Your Dog Ready to Itch Their Skin Off?

This summer appears to be an especially brutal one when it comes to our pups and their skin health. As if allergies weren't enough, the drastic climate conditions on (dry spells, humidity, temperature extremes, rain) may be wreaking having on your dog's coat.

How to Take Care of Your Dog's Skin

Our Pet Doc Jacob Mireles points out how dry conditions are this time of year, and gives some tips you can do to help prevent skin dryness and damage problems (dermatitis):

• Leave in conditioner after bathing your dog.
• If you recently changed up your dog's food, they may be having troubles with the new food. Try switching them back to one that they haven't had reactions to in the past.
• Try giving your dog fish oil capsules at mealtime (1000mg once a day for the average size dog. Slightly less for smaller dogs, slightly more for larger dogs).
• If they're having trouble sleeping at night because of prolonged itching, you can try and give them some Benadryl (one milligram per pound of body weight, not to exceed 50mg twice daily).
• If itching (pruritus in the medical world) is the biggest problem, there's a chance your dog has fleas. You can easily check for these by combing your hand against the hair. If they're there - you will see them jumping all over the place. Remember to apply tick and flea medications (ie. Biospot or Frontline) regularly this time of year.

Skin Problems in Dogs

When a patient rolls into the vet office with a "skin problem," the vet usually knows it could potentially be a long day. Why? Because there are so many different types of skin issues that occur for a variety of reasons. Here are some common skin problems/ allergies/ diseases in dogs:

Environmental Dermatitis

This category addresses skin problems that occur as a result of your dog's interaction with the environment. Problems may arise from a change in the environment your dog interacts with - the grass, plants, dirt, bugs, etc. they come in contact with. Then there's the issue of water, which can lead to a more serious skin problem often referred to as a hot spot.

Preventing "Hot Spots" or Moist Dermatitis

If your dog is licking their leg or other body part furiously, and even chewing at the hair, they may leave a patch of skin exposed. If they continue to mess with this area, it could leave them vulnerable to moist dermatitis (a lesion on the exposed skin area from moisture - ie. rain, water, or from constantly licking the wound that can get infected when exposed to bacteria). If you start to see such an area on your dog, please see your vet immediately.

Nutritional Dermatitis

A common cause of dog itchiness and skin problems stem from a lack of proper nutrition. The sad thing is, there's plenty of pet foods out there that advertise themselves as containing everything your pet needs, when in fact they are very lacking in the basics. Your dog is not meant to be a vegetarian. It's therefore important that their food contain meat as a top, if not the first, ingredient. Vitamins and supplements containing Omega fatty acids that are approved for dog consumption can also help.

Fleas, Mites  and Other Critters

There are a number of critters, not just fleas, but a whole variety of mite species, that can give your dog skin and health problems. Your best bet, if your dog's skin problem does not go away, is to roll in and see your vet and let them diagnose.

Allergies

While it's possible that your dog is having an allergic reaction to something, it's more likely that one of the above issues is the culprit for your dog's skin problem. Your visit to the vet can help diagnose the problem, and if it turns out to be an allergy, prescribe an appropriate course of treatment.