Skin conditions in dogs can come suddenly or without warning. Despite continuous cleaning with the greatest shampoos, a dog can’t always avoid getting into trouble. Majority of the time, dogs have a skin condition that necessitates a visit to the veterinarian.
Sometimes, your pet’s behavior may appear somewhat abnormal to you. This can be an indication of some form of discomfort like a skin disease. Some examples include rash on dog’s private area, sinusitis infection or some other condition. We need to understand some of the behaviors we see, what they mean, and how to go about maintaining our dogs’ health. Assuming that a particular behavior is due to an allergic reaction that will go away would only lead to more significant difficulties down the road.
Serious issues can put your pet in a life-threatening situation. Don’t worry, planning for these conditions, whether they occur or not, will greatly help you and your pet in the future.
When do Dog Skin Problems Begin?
Skin problems in dogs appear to be more prevalent during the rainy season. This is due to the fact that fungal cells thrive in humid environments, making it easy for the dog to become infected. Infections are divided into two categories: bacterial infections and fungal yeast infections.
Bacterial Infections in Dogs
The respiratory system, urinary tract, ears, skin, and kidneys are all vulnerable to bacterial infections in dogs. With the correct antibiotics or anti-inflammatory medication, most bacterial infections can be cleaned fairly quickly. You need to respond quickly as untreated infections might lead to more serious health problems. For natural ways to treat these bacterial infections, you can check here: https://animals.mom.com/home-remedies-and-antibiotics-for-dogs-12471008.html
What Causes Bacterial Infections in Dogs?
A compromised immune system is usually the cause of bacterial infections. Bacterial infection can be caused by a variety of factors, including poor food, aging, lack of exercise, allergies, stress, as well as other disorders.
The Signs and Symptoms of a Bacterial Infection
- Bumps, pimples, and open sores appear on the dog’s skin.
- The dog shakes his head, scratches his ears aggressively, or tilts his head to one side.
- A yellowish or green discharge from the ears is possible.
Fungal Yeast Infections
Despite the fact that fungal infections are less common than bacterial or viral infections, they can be just as dangerous. Fungal infections can develop as a result of contact with other animals, exposure to the environment, or an overgrowth of fungi naturally present in the pet’s body.
Systematic fungal infections, that impact your dog’s major body systems, and localized fungal infections, which are generally observed on your pet’s skin, are the two main types of fungal infections that can be diagnosed in your pet.
Yeast Infection Signs and Symptoms
- A pungent or stinky odor emanating from the dog’s skin.
- Constant shaking of the head.
- A brown discharge in the ears is possible.
You could be wondering what could have caused some of these diseases in your otherwise clean pet. Some of the circumstances that can render a dog susceptible to skin infections include:
Drooping Ears – Usually, a pet with enormous drooping ears collects a lot of moisture in the space between his skin and ears.
Folded Skin — this is common with dogs with folded skin, such as a bulldog. The humid spaces in between its folds make them ideal for fungal growth.
Fleas — a flea-infested dog is more likely to scratch and injure its own skin, resulting in another skin problem.
Mud Play— if your dog spends a lot of time in the mud, it is an excellent candidate for a skin infection.
Tips to Help Treat Dog Skin Conditions
The following are some helpful tips:
- A dog must be fully dried after playing in the puddles, as well as after a bath. This prevents any moisture from becoming a breeding ground for fungus cells.
- As soon as you see signs of a dog skin issue, take your pet to the veterinarian. You may need to seek a second opinion if your veterinarian continues to dismiss the infections.
- Check your dog’s skin frequently for fleas or pimples, and then take the appropriate action.
- Use a decent, high-quality shampoo on a regular basis.
Treatments for Specific Conditions
Here are a few more dog skin problems and how to treat them:
Mange
Mange is most commonly caused by a lack of immunity in the dog’s system. Scaliness, fur loss, and itching are some of the symptoms. Take your pet to the veterinarian right away and it will be diagnosed and treated properly.
Puppy Acne
Acne in puppies is characterized by pimples on the skin or face of the puppy. Make sure to bathe the dog on a regular basis with a nice shampoo and then thoroughly dry it. For effective ways to properly treat this condition, you can read this article.
Hormonal Dog Skin Conditions
Although hormonal dog skin conditions are uncommon, they can be harmful. Because the hormonal imbalance affects the pet’s inner glands, the outside manifestation is a change in its fur color or even loss of fur. The difficulty is that these illnesses are hard to detect, but if detected early enough, a veterinarian may be able to prevent additional infection.
General Dog Care Tips
The following are some tips to help you care for your pet:
Feeding
Food is essential as it determines the health of your pet. With a good diet, your dog will stay healthy and keep the environment lively. A good way to achieve a healthy diet for your pet is to seek recommendations from your vet. This is because they understand animal health more than you do and can easily guide you on the type, quality as well as quantity of food to give your pet.
Furthermore, ensure that you feed your dog on a regular schedule. A good schedule will be twice every day (morning and evening). If you maintain a regular schedule with your dog, it will help it develop good retention to house training.
Water
Just as humans need water, animals need it too for survival. You need to create easy access to water for your pet at all times. Ensure to keep their water supply clean at all times as dirty water can be harmful to your furry friend’s health. Once you find that the supply is contaminated, change it immediately and monitor the area to prevent a recurrence.
Regular Checkups
Your dog’s health requires proper monitoring by a professional. Relying on your knowledge of dog behavior may not be enough especially for certain health conditions that are hard to detect. Your best bet here would be to take your pet to a vet regularly for a comprehensive checkup. This way, you will be able to prevent illnesses (if there are any) from the latent stage.
Another advantage of regular visits to a vet is the recommendations you get on the best methods to keep your pet’s health in check especially if you are a newbie. Ensure to call a vet if you notice any changes in your dog’s skin as most conditions have this symptom.
Vaccination
There are pet diseases that are prevalent in certain areas and only your vet can guide you accordingly. It is important that you keep your pet vaccinated against these diseases and follow up with booster injections when necessary. Rabies is a common disease in dogs and most states require that dogs be vaccinated against this disease. Check for other diseases in your area and read up on ways to stay ahead of them.
Conclusion
Dogs, just like humans, require continual attention and close monitoring to keep their skin in good shape. Most dog skin diseases or illnesses begin with an itch. While this may require just a simple treatment, it is essential to do a comprehensive examination to determine the real cause of the condition in order to avoid frequent or recurrent visits to the veterinarian.
