What are the skin diseases of dogs?

1. Fungal skin diseases

Fungal skin diseases are caused by fungal infections. The most common pathogen is Microsporum canis, followed by Microsporum gypseum, which is the most common skin disease in dogs.

Symptoms: severe itching, hair loss, scattered red papules, yellow spots on the body surface, a small round oily scab formed on the skin surface of the hair loss area, and skin debris, most commonly seen on the ears, face, head, and neck.

This disease often forms mixed infections with scabies and demodex.

2. Bacterial skin disease

This type of skin disease is mostly caused by pyoderma and interdigital pyoderma caused by Staphylococcus and other purulent bacterial infections.

Pyoderma: The location of the disease is uncertain, and it is characterized by papules, pustules, folliculitis, chapped skin, and no itching.

Interdigital pyoderma occurs when pustules occur between the toes of a dog's limbs or limbs, forming fistulas.

3. Allergic skin disease

The causes of allergic skin diseases are complex, including food, drugs, chemicals, environmental factors, heredity, hormonal abnormalities and allergic predispositions.

Eczema: It is a mild allergic inflammation of the skin. Acute eczema is characterized by punctate or polymorphous rashes with unclear boundaries accompanied by itching and moistness; chronic eczema is characterized by thickened skin and lichen. It is characterized by similar changes and the formation of wrinkles, accompanied by pigmentation.

Atopic dermatitis: is the most common type. Atopic dermatitis is characterized by skin itching, papules, and erythema, and is closely related to species, individuals, and immune levels.

Urticaria: Characterized by the rapid resolution of localized flat papules in the upper dermis of the skin, it is an immediate allergic reaction.

Collie's nose: It is caused by the skin's allergy to ultraviolet rays from the sun. It is so named because it mostly occurs in Collies. It is characterized by hair loss, redness, swelling, exudation, erosion, and ulcers on the bridge and tip of the nose.

Causes and prevention methods of dog skin diseases

1. Food

As omnivorous animals, dogs fed a single type of meat will not only cause obesity, but also cause the cuticle of the skin to age and fall off prematurely, making the skin unable to moisturize, leading to an imbalance of water and oil balance and excessive oil secretion.

What’s more serious is that some proteins are not suitable for dogs to ingest and can cause skin allergies.

2. Sunshine

A dog's skin structure is much thinner than that of humans. For example, human skin has 20 to 30 epidermis layers, while dogs have only 7 to 10 layers. Therefore, healthy coat helps puppies resist the invasion of skin by various microorganisms.

Shaving a dog's hair is very harmful to the skin, especially in the summer when the sun's ultraviolet rays are strong. The animal's body hair can help absorb reflected light and effectively resist ultraviolet rays. The skin of hairless dogs will be over-irritated by the sun, which can cause redness and itching in severe cases.

3. Surface parasites

Many owners think that everything is over after deworming their dogs in the summer. However, autumn is the peak period for skin diseases caused by parasites. It is important to note that expelling dogs is not only to prevent skin diseases, but more importantly, to cut off infectious diseases transmitted by these parasites.

In warm and humid southern cities, pesticides can be removed from June to September. Early or delayed use of pesticides is related to the living environment and cannot be promoted.

Severe itching will cause the pet to scratch and lick itself, which will damage the surface of the skin and cause secondary infection. In this case, it is necessary to go to the hospital for treatment before it can be effectively controlled.

4. Improper body surface contact

This is a rather special and rare reason. Just like humans, some dogs can be allergic to pet perfumes, pet clothing fabrics, household disinfectants, overheated grooming razors, or topical medications.

These allergy symptoms usually occur within 2 hours of contact with the object. The dog will be scratched at this time. Some dogs may also experience red and swollen eye sockets. Generally speaking, there are no secondary diseases, the diet is normal, and the mental state does not change much.

Usually the allergic symptoms will disappear quickly after keeping the dog away from these allergens. If there is no relief within 2 hours, please take it to the hospital for diagnosis.

What should you pay attention to if you have dog skin disease?

1. Do you need to deworm regularly?

Cleaning the dog's body requires removing lice, fleas and other external parasites, because about 30-50% of dog skin diseases are caused by lice and flea bites on the skin, causing scratching, inflammation and reinfection. Skin diseases caused by mites and fungi account for the most most. Therefore, it is necessary to regularly disinfect and clean the areas where dogs hang out, and remember to wash off any remaining detergent as chemicals in some detergents can cause skin allergies in dogs.

2. Keep your dog dry

Every time after taking a bath or getting wet in the rain, dry your body to prevent the dog's body (the soles of the paws from being ignored) from getting wet, which can become a breeding ground for bacteria. Combing your hair will prevent any remaining hair from falling out. Combing your hair every time reduces bacterial growth.

3. Don’t take too many baths

Many parents naturally think that as long as they bathe their dogs regularly, their dogs will not get skin diseases. But in fact, frequent bathing will cause damage to the dog's own hair follicles and sebum, making it more likely to suffer from skin diseases. It is recommended not to bathe too frequently, never use human bath products, and be sure to use pet-specific bath liquid.

4. Healthy and balanced diet

In addition to high-quality dog ​​food, it is also necessary to supplement the dog with some additional nutrients to improve the dog's own immunity and resistance. Be careful not to feed your dog a lot of greasy and fishy food, and pay attention to vitamin supplements.

5. Timely consultation

Although there are many causes of skin diseases, the symptoms are generally very similar. If your dog unfortunately suffers from skin diseases and has some early skin symptoms, it is best to consult a doctor or expert first and do not use drugs indiscriminately.