Skin diseases on dogs are responsible for a lot of cases of abandoning and euthanasia. When a dog suffers from a disease of the skin, its hair is no longer attractive and this sometimes causes a repulse feeling on the pet’s owner. Treatments for this condition actually demand quite a big commitment from the owner – a dedication that is most of the times greatly rewarded. When detected soon and taken care from the beginning, most skin diseases can be stopped.

 

 

 

There are several types of dermatitis, which can be caused by a countless number of possible reasons – from allergies to some foods, animal stings or bites… But it is the Atopic kind of Dermatitis that mostly affects dogs. The Atopy is an allergic reaction to environmental causes, such as pollen, cleaning products, anti-parasites collars, the plastic from the food bowl, amongst others. This type of dermatitis is quite a frequent disease, especially on young pets, usually coming out before their second birthday. It is very uncomfortable for the dogs that suffer from it because it makes them feel very itchy – this is technically called prurience. The most affected body areas are usually the snout, eyes and chin, feet, the base of the back and the thighs.

 

There is not a cure for Atopic dermatitis and the dog that suffers from such condition will always develop a reaction whenever exposed to the cause of the skin’s irritation. The disease can, however, be treated in order to offer a higher quality of life to your pet, by reducing the symptoms until they’re no longer noticeable.

 

There are two types of atopic dermatitis: the dry and the wet one, the latter being the most dangerous one. Dry dermatitis causes the fur to fall off and skin redness. The wet dermatitis is an infection with pus on the places where the flesh is bare, which results from the dog’s constant licking and scratching on that areas. Dogs with an undercoat are more vulnerable to the wet type of dermatitis.

 

Depending on the severity of the case, several types of treatment can be applied on the dog. Frequent baths, antihistamines or corticosteroids are the most commonly used methods. It is not that easy to determine the cause of the dermatitis but it is crucial to find and reduce the stimulating factor. Each case is specific and it should be the vet who decides on which is the most efficient action plan.

 

 

 

Ringworm, also known as scald-head or tetter, is a treatable condition but it is also highly contagious amongst animals and it can even be passed on to humans, especially to children. The ringworm results from a fungus that causes hair loss and circle-shaped redness areas with about 2cm of diameter. It is generally joined by itchiness and mostly affects the animal’s ends: snout, ears, tail and feet.

 

A dog usually gets in contact with the fungus’ spores through the environment it is surrounded by and eventually passes them on to other dogs and people through contact as well. Everything the infected animal touches is a possible source of contamination and should, therefore, be regularly disinfected. Most of the infected animals are able to naturally fight the fungus but if your pet has a more delicate health condition, it can more easily get infected. Bad nutrition, a weakened immune system and contact with other infected animals are generally great transmission enhancers.

 

Treatments for ringworm usually have good results, although it usually takes at least three weeks to eradicate the disease. In more difficult cases, treatments can take up to several months. The pet should remain under quarantine throughout that period of time. Frequent baths, fur shear and anti-fungal medicines are the most commonly used methods to fight this disease, but the most appropriate method should always be prescribed by your dog’s vet.

 

All the animals the dog has been in contact with should be tested as well, given that there is a high possibility for them to be infected even when they don’t show any visible symptoms.

 

 

 

There are several types of mange, being the demodectic and the sarcoptic types the most common ones. Mange is identified through pimples, reddish body areas or local loss of hair. Some of the treatment methods are giving the pet regular baths and applying specific products on it, some of them really aggressive, hence you should only trust your vet on the selection of the right products. Sometimes you will also need to shear your dog’s fur so as to enhance the treatment’s efficiency.

 

Sarcoptic Mange – This kind of mange is actually contagious for humans as well and it should be treated right away. Although mange is much easier to cure on humans, it causes the same intense itchiness on both animals and people. Sarcoptic mange can be cured.

 

Demodectic Mange – Humans are not infected by the demodectic type of mange. It is mostly transmitted from the female dog to her puppies during breast feeding or from one dog to another. It usually starts out from the dog’s snout and spreads throughout the body. This type of mange is caused by the parasitic mite called Demodex, which is microscopic and accommodates itself next to the follicles. It cannot be cured but it can be controlled. When not treated it could lead the animal to death, due to secondary infections. Unlike the sarcoptic type, the demodectic mange does not usually cause itching.