Diseases and Conditions
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Diseases and conditions canine skin are difficult to diagnose since there are many causes. The key to understanding which condition your dog is suffering from is to do your best to match the characteristics of each cause with the symptoms exhibited by your dog.
Canine skin conditions tend to vary based on the following symptoms:
Scratching and Dog Skin Itch
Canine Skin Rash
Black Crusty Skin
- also known as alopecia X or Cushings Disease
Hot Spots
Dandruff or Seborrhea
Lumps on Skin
Toenails breaking off - usually caused by fungus, bacteria or
mites.
Dog Odor Skin and Bad Smell
Scratches rear end on bottom of rug - probably due to a full anal gland.
Food Allergies
Shedding
Foot Problems
Causes of each of the aforementioned symptoms tend to be caused by one of the following:
Canine Fungal Skin Infection -
these include infections such as
Ringworm.
Bacterial Infections – usually due to some other condition suppressing the immune system
Bacterial Infections and Canine Skin Infections
Canine Skin Cysts -
- these are benign (non-cancerous) lumps under the skin
Dog Skin Warts
- these are benign (non-cancerous) bumps on the skin
Dog Food Allergy
Fleas
Canine Skin Allergy
Acne and Dog Skin Pimples
Canine Skin Parasites
Ticks, Mites and Lice
Symptoms of diseases and conditions of canine skin
Symptoms of diseases and conditions canine skin include:* Dog Skin Sores
• Dry, flaky skin (seborrhea)
• Red, irritated looking skin
• Loss of hair
• A dry, dull-looking coat
• Lumps of bumps on or under the skin
• Red patches on the skin
• Scaly patches or scabs on the skin
• Your dog may scratch or lick his skin excessively
Characteristics of diseases and conditions canine skin by type:
Bacterial Skin Infections – Can look like pimples bumps or open sores, matted hair and open sores
Acne – some dogs can get acne with pimples around the mouth and chin. Use a dab of human benzoyl peroxide to see if the condition gets better.
Yeast Infection – spots on the feet.
Seborrhea – scaps, bumps and pimples on the skin in addition to flaky skin and itching.
Immune-mediated skin disease – sores on top of the muzzle and possible spreading to the face
Dry foot pads – a dog’s feet are supposed to be dry and possibly cracked. You usually only need to treat the feet if your pet is in pain. Lotions or ointments are licked off by your pet.
Small red hairless area (s) - Could be mange (scabies). Other symptoms iunclude hairless area with pimples, thick skin and puss, Scaling around the eyes, mouth and front legs, itching. See
a photo of mange.
Diagnosis of disease and conditions of canine skin
Your vet will examine your dog’s skin carefully as part of a complete examination. In order to properly diagnose skin ailments, various tests may be needed. Tests might included:• Examining skin under a special light (a woods lights)- this is done to check for certain fungal infections such as ringworm.
• A biopsy- in this test, a needle is used to remove cells from a lump to be examined by a pathologist. This can determine if a lump is cancerous or if it is just a cyst or wart.
• Blood tests-might be done to check for infections and certain nutrient deficiencies.
If you keep your dog clean and it continues to smell or have a greasy coat then your pet is probably suffering from parasites, seborrhea or a skin infection.
Treatment of disease and conditions of canine skin
The treatment of the diseases and conditions canine skin depends on the exact disease or condition. Treatment may involve oral or topical medication. It may also involve removal of any lumps or bumps from your dog’s skin. If your pet’s skin is affected by poor nutrition, treatment will involve making a correction in the diet.There is a myth that baths are not good for diseases and conditions canine skin. This is not correct as bathing is an important part of just about every skin treatment. Shampoos are particularly effective on bacterial infections with a medicated bath 1 - 2 times per week. Anti-fungal shampoos such as Dermisil Anti-fungal shampoo 
If the bacterial infection has progressed deep into the skin then antibiotics are needed.
You should also carefully look at your dogs diet. Follow this link to understand
Dog Food for Skin.
or
sensitive skin dog food.
If all other causes are ruled out, then you might want to consider using
oil for dry dog skin
and this advice on finding a
cure dog dry skin.
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Sources
Carter, G.R., Wise, D.J., and Flores, E.F. (Eds)A Concise Review of Veterinary Virology
Carmichael, L.
Recent Advances In Canine Infectious Diseases
ThePetCenter.com
More On Canine Skin Infection
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