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Owner’s Guide To Common Skin Problems In Dogs
July 16th, 2009
Many dogs experience some type of skin condition at some point in their lives. Diagnosing them accurately can sometimes prove to be difficult as many other diseases imitate their symptoms. Some of the most common dog skin problems include hot spots, Cheyletiella, mange, and ringworm. Here is a look at some of the most common problems.
Hot Spots
It’s common for your pet to develop hot spots in canines. They occur when areas of the skin become inflamed. The infection may be superficial in the skin or deep down. The affected area will also be red and may ooze. Some of the most common causes of hot spots include mites, fleas, and injury. They may be treated using special shampoo, antibiotics, or topical ointments. It’s also a good idea to clean the area and apply a cool compress daily.
Cheyletiella
Canines may also be affected by a condition known as Cheyletiella dermatitis. Mites are responsible for causing this condition. You can also be affected by these mites, so you need to be careful. These mites cause an itchy rash when they affect humans.
Itching, redness, and swelling are common signs of a mite infestation. The most noticeable symptom is the so-called “walking dandruff”. You can notice the white mites walking along your dog’s skin if the infestation is advanced enough. This skin condition can be treated using a shampoo with lime sulfur, selenium sulphide, or pyrethrin. So that the problem won’t recur, you’ll also need to clean your dog’s environment. Flea control spray combined with vacuuming should be enough.
Mange
Dogs can also be affected by a condition known as sarcoptic mange. Sarcoptes mites are responsible for causing this condition in canines. These mites cause dogs to experience severe itching. This causes your dog to scratch himself badly enough to cause sores to develop. The vet will have to microscopically examine a skin scraping . Sometimes, vets have a hard time detecting these mites. Therefore, the condition can be hard to diagnose. Once successfully diagnosed, special shampoos can be used to treat the condition.
Ringworm
Ringworm may be something you’re already familiar with as it can infect humans. Several species of fungus can cause ringworm. An infection causes symptoms such as crusts, scale, and hair loss. Your dog may also experience mild itching. This fungal infection can be treated using oral medications or shampoo with lime sulfur.
Dogs can be affected by many different conditions such as pancreatitis in dogs. You can read up on many different potential health problems at dog-illnesses.com. Click over right now.
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