How to Treat Skin Problems in Dogs

Who wouldn’t want a healthy and playful dog in the house? And because the dog is your pet and lives in your house, it is your responsibility to keep it healthy. I have always categorized pet dogs into two types, one who have are ‘huggable’ and others who are ‘avoidable’. It’s not a dog’s fault that it is suffering from a skin problem, it is rather a sign of an inattentive owner. If you don’t want yourself to be called one, then it is very important for you to understand the need to treat skin problems in dogs and make your house, a home of a huggable dog, and not an ‘avoidable’ one!

Different Approaches to Treat Skin Problems in Dogs

Treating skin problems in dogs can be both easy and difficult at the same time. Easy, if the skin problem is as normal or common as pollen allergy; difficult, if it is associated with some autoimmune disease like lupus. The medications and drugs used for treating these skin problems vary depending upon the skin condition. The most popular option is the use of antihistamines, which is usually used to deal with allergies. Apart from that cortisone pills, sprays and injections are also used for treatment purposes. However, the treatment of canine problems involves a step by step process wherein you need to understand what is bothering your pet. Have a look at the following tips and instructions that will help you cure your dog’s skin problems.

Find out What Skin Problem Your Dog is Suffering From
Now there are various kinds of skin problems that your dog can suffer from. Some of the most common ones include hotspots, hair loss and shedding known as alopecia, problems caused by parasites (mites, fleas and ticks), yeast infections and dry and flaky skin. Though most of these skin infections are not life-threatening, they are definitely ‘mind threatening’! I mean, don’t you find it highly irritating when you watch your dog licking or scratching like nobody’s business? Most of the dog owners don’t take this behavior seriously and consider it to be common. But being a responsible dog owner, you need to understand that there is something bothering your dog and you need to do something to relief him.

Find out What Could be the Cause of the Skin Problem
The most common reasons for dogs to suffer from skin problems include food allergies, parasites, allergies from environmental pollutants like dust and pollens, and in severe cases the skin problem could be a result of underlying illnesses including immune disorders and cancer! So you must not neglect even the slightest of skin rash or problem that you see in your dog’s skin and find out what is it that is causing the problem.

Consulting Your Vet is a Must
Unless you are a vet yourself, it is not possible for you to find out the ‘what and why’ behind the skin problem. Your doctor would check the symptoms and the appearance of the skin and then conduct certain physical examinations and tests including a skin test and a blood test. These tests will actually help in determining the type of skin problem that your dog is suffering from and the reason behind it. The treatment would depend upon the problem. If it is due to a food allergy, then the solution would be to stop using the food containing the source of allergy. On the other hand, if your dog has certain lesions which are diagnosed to be cancerous, then radiation therapy and surgery would be required.

Take Care of Your Pet Dog by…
Like humans, even dogs need grooming and care. If your dog is suffering from allergies and skin problems, you need to make sure that you do all that you can, to take care of your dog. This can be done by following the vet’s advice and making sure that you give your dog the prescribed treatment. As mentioned earlier, the treatment would depend upon the skin problem. For example, if your dog is suffering from ringworm, then treatment would include various antifungal treatments. Another skin problem known as impetigo, which is a bacterial infection which results in pus-filled blisters. This is usually treated with topical application of anti bacterial solution.

Observe Your Pet Dog Regularly to Check on Recurrence!
Well, some of the skin infections may tend to re-occur once the treatment is stopped. So you need to keep monitoring the behavior of your pet in terms of the licking and the scratching. Like how you need to pay regular visits to the doctor to keep a track of your health and fitness, your dog also needs the same, in fact more than you because you can at least express to your family that you’re not feeling OK. But your dog cannot do so, unless you read his behavior.

Additional Tips for Prevention!
There are certain things that you must do for your pet like, regular grooming and maintaining cleanliness. These and the things listed below can make sure that your dog is healthy and huggable.

• A healthy diet is a must as well, although make sure that you don’t feed your dog with food items that contain food colorings and chemicals. Including supplements of omega 3 essential fatty acids would prove to be beneficial and is commonly advised by vets for dogs with skin problems.


• A bath with “colloidal oatmeal” soothes the skin from itching and irritation not only for humans, but for animals as well. Make sure that you make your pet dog bath in cool water as warm water can add to the itchiness and discomfort.


• Avoid using chemical detergents and washing soap to clean your household. It may be because of the chemicals present in the bed sheets, sofas and cushions that may be the culprit behind the skin problems.

When you get a pet dog at your home, it is not just a ‘pet dog’, it is a part of your family, and you need to take care of it as you would take care of any other ‘human’ family member. So, instead of getting confused and trying to be the doctor yourself, you should understand that the best way of how to treat skin problem in dogs or any other pet is to take them to the vet. Just make sure that you cater to their basic needs of food, shelter, hygiene and cuddling, and you can be assured that you will have a loving, huggable, and adorable best friend for life.

Identify & Treat Your Dog"s Skin Problems

Is your dog constantly biting, itching, gnawing, or scratching?

Well you are definitely not alone! Dog skin problems are very common in our canine companions. Unfortunately, the prevalence of this behavior has owners believing it is their dog’s normal manner – thus far too many dogs go untreated. Skin irritations are uncomfortable and unnecessary. Sometimes the solution is simple. With the right diagnoses and treatment for recovery, your dog can soon be comfortable again.
How To Control Dog Fleas

Check out your dog’s behavior. Is he frequently gnawing at the area above his tail? If so, chances are he simply has fleas. Fleas are pesky little devils, but the good news is that it has become very easy to rid them from your dog’s back.

 You can buy topical flea solutions, or oral pills over-the-counter at any vet hospital and some pet stores. The topical drops are applied on the dog’s neck, where he is unable to lick, directly on the skin. The two most common flea control brands are Frontline and Advantage. Frontline is a bit more expensive than Advantage because it also kills ticks and is water resistant in fresh water.

If your dog is a body surfer in the ocean, then you may need to apply Frontline every 3 weeks instead of the recommended once a month because salt water can strip it from his coat. Never treat your dog more than every 3 weeks however, due to the harsh chemicals. Fleas have been known to grow immunities to flea medicine after a while. This happens through the birth of one mutant immune flea that breeds with another flea. All of the eggs from the two can be born immune to the product. If this is the case, then switch to Promeris. Promeris has an entirely different active ingredient in it than any other topical flea medicine so it will quickly wipe out your freaky little flea infestation. If you have any cats at home then do not let them lick the Dog Promeris off his back because the chemicals can be toxic to cats.

Capstar is an oral pill that will kill the fleas instantly off the back of your dog within 30 minutes but it only lasts 24 hours. It can be given as often as once a day with no risks. You should always have a box on hand to give him one before he gets social at the beach, dog park, or kennel to prevent getting fleas from his dog fiends.

Each female flea has been known to drop 30 eggs a day! Most of those eggs fall into your carpet. To kill the flea eggs in the carpet you can buy Borax found down any laundry isle. Before vacuuming, sprinkle a moderate amount into your carpet and scuff it in with your feet to scratch up the existing eggs so they will be unable to hatch. Flea dips and flea shampoos do not work. They are the old fashioned method of flea control. The modern day consensus is that their chemical solutions can cause more harm than good.

Use virgin coconut oil to naturally treat your dog"s allergy, skin and health problems

Being the owner of an allergy-prone, highly sensitive French Bulldog, it takes a lot of hard work to make sure he stays in good health. Oral medication and topical creams prescribed by vets always seemed to help for a little while, but then they either stop working or result in unpleasant side effects. I’m also always extremely worried whenever I give my dog oral medication, as I’m not thrilled with the idea of continuously feeding him all sorts of chemicals that, in the long term, may not be the best for his kidneys and liver and could still do him serious harm.

This is why I turned to virgin coconut oil. I use it myself in my skin care regimen (often mentioned on my other blog, Salubrious Exclamation) as a natural alternative to commercially made products, and sometimes even add it to my diet as a supplement. I did extensive research and found out that virgin coconut oil is not harmful to dogs, and is in fact good for them for most of the same reasons it’s good for people. So I began adding just a little bit to my dogs diet every day, and gradually, day by day, began to see improvements in the condition of his skin, as well as a significant reduction in the itchiness in his paws. Although his coat is already very healthy (due to my strict regimen of washing him with baking soda and apple cider vinegar), the coconut oil in his diet helped bring out an even more brilliant shine — so much that people on the street have even stopped to compliment the luster of his fur!

It is, however, important to remember that if you want to incorporate coconut oil into your dog’s diet, you must make sure that it is virgin coconut oil, and not refined. Virgin coconut oil retains all the good properties that are good for your dog, while anything processed further will lose their beneficial characteristics, and may even contain extra unwanted additives.

Having personally experienced the benefits of virgin coconut oil, and having seen how it has helped my dog with his health problems once I added it to his diet, I am a huge advocate of this particular oil. If you’re interested, I’ve included some more in depth information about virgin coconut oil below, including how its made, its beneficial properties, and how to incorporate it into your dog’s life.

What is virgin coconut oil?

Virgin coconut oil is oil extracted from coconuts in its purest, or close to purest, form. Often you will see labels that say “cold-pressed,” which means the same thing. It means the oil was derived without adding any or too much heat to the process, which can change the molecular structure of the oil. Arguably, coconut oil that has been processed further and mixed with additional additives could be cheaper, but it may also contain a bunch of extra additives that you don’t, and may have lost many of its beneficial properties in the refining process.

If you’re confused by the label, you can determine whether you have virgin coconut oil when the oil is white and of a solid consistency at room temperature, and becomes liquid and clearer in color at higher temperatures.

What’s the difference between virgin and extra virgin coconut oil?

“Extra virgin” would imply that the coconut oil is even purer than simply “virgin” coconut oil. However, I have not been able to find any official standard for a difference between “virgin” and “extra virgin” coconut oil.

What are the characteristics of virgin coconut oil?

Virgin coconut oil is said to have antibacterial, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties. This makes it a great oil to use internally as well as topically. It is also supposedly loaded with lauric acid, which, when ingested, is converted into a compound that has antiviral and antimicrobial properties that combats fungus, bacteria and viruses that could harm the body.

Virgin coconut oil also contains fat, but the good kind of fat. Specifically, saturated fatty acids, most of which are medium-chain fatty acids. Medium-chain fatty acids are beneficial because they increase the body’s metabolism while also supplying with good cholesterol.

There is also vitamin E in virgin coconut oil, which as most people know, is great for skin and hair.

What canine ailments does virgin coconut oil help with?

There are a multitude of testimonials about the positive effects of virgin coconut oil from people who have incorporated it into their dogs’ diets. Among them are claims that virgin coconut oil has helped with canine allergies, skin conditions and infections. There are also owners who say their dogs’ have more energy and reduced pain from arthritis from taking virgin coconut oil. Generally, virgin coconut seems to help boost immunity, so no matter what ailment a dog is suffering from, at least his/her immune system will be made stronger, which would help him/her fight their sickness.

How do I use virgin coconut oil on my dog?

I couldn’t find a scientific standard for how much virgin coconut oil is appropriate to add in a dog’s diet, but I did read somewhere that 1 tablespoon for every 4.5 kilograms (10lbs) is appropriate. I personally add only 1 teaspoon to my each of my dog’s meals (twice a day), and he weighs 12-13kg. However, when I first started out, I only allowed him half a teaspoon a day, and gradually increased this amount each day. This is because you probably shouldn’t introduce too much coconut oil into your dog’s diet all at once, as it could affect his/her digestion. Generally, most dogs seem to really enjoy coconut oil, and won’t mind its strong smell and taste.

Virgin coconut oil can also be used on dogs topically to treat rashes, dry skin and scabbing. I have personally used it to treat yeast infections in my dog’s paws and around his tail, and it significantly reduced his itching and discomfort.

Dog Skin Problems - Simple Ways to Treat Common Dog Skin Problems

My life as a dog (Photo credit: Helgi Halldórsson/Freddi)

Dog skin problems can wreck havoc on your dog’s skin and on your nerves. Watching your beloved dog scratch, lick and chew on themselves in obvious pain and discomfort can be heartbreaking. In this short article, we will take a closer look at common dog skin problems and then I will direct you to some resources that will help you solve common, dog skin problems.

The most common dog skin problems occur as a result of allergies, fungi, mange, mites, flees and dry skin. Most of these conditions can be easily treated, while others may be a result of a dangerous underlying condition.

One dog skin problem that most owners are familiar with, is seasonal, environmental and dietary allergies. Food allergies can occur when you introduce a new type of food or diet plan to your dog or when he/she has simply built up an intolerance to foods that they have normally tolerated very well.

Allergies in dogs are often times only seasonal. Simply being observant will clue you in to the time of year your dog suffers from allergies the most. During these seasons, simply be proactive. Visit your veterinarian and come up with a plan to combat whatever your dog is allergic to, before your dog begins having problems.

Simple Tips to Combat Dog Skin Problems:

1. If your dog’s skin problems are due to food allergies, than talk to your vet about introducing a digestive enzyme into their diet. You may even want to begin to make your dog homemade meals and snacks, or at least purchase natural, pre-made dog food.

2. If you are unsure about the cause of your dog skin problems or how to treat it, than find a cheap notebook, or a sheet of paper and write down your dog’s symptoms, when they seem to suffer the most and what any outbreaks look like. Take this to your veterinarian. Your vet should be able to help you come up with a solution.

You can also research various dog skin problems, symptoms and their possible treatment options online or you can speak with other dog owners. They are apt to have some similar experiences.

You can also find great tips and information concerning dog skin problems at: http://dog-skin-problems.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Roxanne_Manning

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How to Diagnose and Treat Your Dog"s Itchy Skin Problems

Diagnosing your dog’s itching, scratching and chewing as a skin problem is the easy part. The hard part is figuring out what is CAUSING it, and then finding the right treatment! Below is useful information on how to solve this predicament.

Steps

1: There are many differing opinions as to the causes and treatments of what is now called an epidemic of canine skin disorders, the itching, scratching and chewing commonly referred to as “Summer Itch Hot Spots”. The symptoms of canine Hot Spots are an itch so severe that the dog scratches and chews itself to such an extent as to lacerate and traumatize the skin, creating open wounds and severe infections. Because the etiology of the source of the itching is unclear, most treatments available now only treat the symptoms, infections, and trauma caused by the scratching, but do not address the itch itself.

2: These dog skin rashes are generally known as Hot Spots because these skin disorders are often associated with warm weather. Hot Spots are often diagnosed as Eczema, Pyoderma, or Seborrhea; allergies to fleas, foods, grass, mold, or other environmental substances; Pemphigus, Atopic Acral Lick Dermatitis, auto-immune disorders, thyroid problems, staph and yeast infections, and other skin disorders.

3: Itchy “Hot Spot” skin conditions must not be confused with mange or flea infestations, ringworm fungus, or hair loss caused by hypothyroidism, Cushings disease, genetically predisposed pattern baldness, rabies vaccine induced ischemic dermatopathy bald patches, or hormonally caused coat problems as a result of neutering. These are not “Hot Spot” itching and scratching!

4: Ringworm is not a worm, it is a fungus, causing itching, scabbing and hair loss in one or more areas on your pet. It is contagious and easily transmittable to humans and other pets. Treatment with a fungicide such as most athlete’s foot creams is usually effective.

5: Demodectic Mange and Sarcoptic Mange are Parasitic Mite Infestations and can be diagnosed by skin scrapings. Fleas and Mange can be successfully treated with Insecticides.

Demodectic (Red Mange) is caused by small mites found naturally on most dogs but do not generally cause skin problems unless the dog’s immune system is compromised. This skin problem may be inherited because certain bloodlines in some dog breeds are more prone to Demodectic Mange.

Democectic Mange is not very contagious and is generally passed on to nursing puppies by the mother and is most noticeable around the eyes and mouth. Most breeders will not breed these dogs.

Sarcoptic Mange (Canis Scabies) is very contagious and can be life threatening for the dog. It can easily spread to other animals and humans. Steps must be taken to eradicate the infestation in the dogs entire environment as well as on the dog and on any other pets that may be exposed to the infestation.

6: Thyroid hair loss problems are not caused by itching, chewing, and scratching but by systemic hair loss, a type of Alopecia or Balding.

7: If your dog is experiencing an extended bout of itchiness and scratching to the point of damaging his skin, take him to the vet for a proper diagnosis.

8: Use prescribed medication for your pet according to your veterinarian’s instructions, in order to control the itching and start the healing process.

9: Get a blood test to determine if your dog is allergic to anything.

10: Change your dog’s food to a holistic/organic food that is high in protein and low in carbs. This removes the GMO corn source from his diet that may be causing a reaction. Most dog foods at grocery stores have a very bad mix of ingredients and feeding him this food is akin to giving him Frosted Flakes or Lucky Charms cereals for each meal.

Symptoms

• There does not seem to be a consensus as to the cause of “Hot Spot” canine skin disorders but they do have a common set of symptoms.


• It appears that some dogs develop an itch so severe that the they chew and scratch and traumatize themselves to such an extent that this process causes open wounds, infections, loss of hair, and sometimes roughening of the skin (elephant hide).


• The most common areas of irritation are around the back and tail, the abdomen, and the legs and paws. These symptoms seem to be more prevalent in warm weather and mild moist climates like the sun belt in the United States but are known world wide as far north as Alaska and as far South as South Africa and New Zealand. Research has shown this canine skin problem is world wide and affects many millions of dogs.


• Statistically, no one breed of dog appears more or less likely to develop “Hot Spots”, and mongrels are just as likely to develop a “Hot Spot” skin condition as is a pedigreed show dog. Age also does not seem to be a factor, puppies can develop “Hot Spot” skin problems as early as a few months of age, and geriatric dogs may suddenly show signs of “Hot Spots” when they have had no previous history of any type of itchy skin conditions.


• At this time there are a growing number of researchers that believe there may be a connection between the over-vaccination of the domestic dog population and the Epidemic of “Hot Spot” skin disorders. #2


• Quite often, a dog’s skin problems become more serious and the dog may be ostracized by the family and even other pets as the skin problems become more visible and the dog’s skin may take on a very unpleasant odor. This can lead to the dog suffering serious depression that in turn aggravates the situation. Obviously, dogs feel the stress of being rejected in much the same manner as a human would.


• Unfortunately, many dog owners at this point in time, may be faced with the heartbreaking task of choosing to have their dog euthanized to end the dog’s suffering rather than continue expensive and painful treatments that have not been successful in controlling the dog’s skin disorder . According to a recent survey of Animal Control Facilities many dogs suffering from out of control skin conditions are brought to public animal shelters where they are considered to be un-adoptable and many thousands of dogs in these shelters are euthanized for this reason. Many other dogs are also euthanized by private veterinarians to alleviate the dog’s suffering under the same circumstances.

1: If your dog is experiencing an extended bout of itchiness and scratching to the point of damaging his skin, take him to the vet for a proper diagnosis.

2: Use prescribed medication for your pet according to your veterinarian’s instructions, in order to control the itching and start the healing process.

3: Get a blood test to determine if your dog is allergic to anything.

4: Change your dog’s food to a holistic/organic food that is high in protein and low in carbs. This removes the GMO corn source from his diet that may be causing a reaction. Most dog foods at grocery stores have a very bad mix of ingredients and feeding him this food is akin to giving him Frosted Flakes or Lucky Charms cereals for each meal.

Treatments

• Because of the differing opinions as to the cause of this serious skin irritation problem, there are many different treatments prescribed by the veterinary community. The first treatment of choice is the steroid Prednisone, which may temporarily relieve the itch and inflammation. The use of steroids is a severe treatment and can result in serious negative side-effects, such as kidney failure, over an extended period of use. An antihistamine may also be used to quell a reaction.


• The next order of treatment is usually an antibiotic or other treatment to fight infection because the dog has irritated the skin to such an extent that it is an open and infected wound. Analgesics and pain suppressing ointments may be provided as well. These treatments are only designed to treat the pain symptoms and infections and do not address the etiology of the problem or the cause of the itch. Some pain relief may be achieved but the itch remains and as soon as the pain relievers wear off the itch returns and the whole painful cycle begins again.


• Some veterinarians believe that “Hot Spots” are the result of a sensitivity or an allergic reaction to some substance. Allergy tests and treatments with antihistamines, changes in environments, and special diets, including specially formulated dog foods, raw food diets and supplements are often touted as the cure for “Hot Spots” but these treatments are inconclusive as to their efficacy and statistically these treatments do not appear to help with these skin problems.


• Over-the-counter remedies such as medicated or coal tar shampoos, Tea-Tree and Emu oil, Aloe Vera and other home remedies such as turpentine, petroleum jelly, mouthwash and vinegar are all part of a last ditch shot-gun approach to the problem that owners will often try in the hopes that something will work. Some flea shampoos will also further irritate open skin wounds.


• At this time there is no statistical evidence that any of the above treatments actually work to control the itch problem. While some temporary relief may be provided by some of these therapies, it is usually only temporary unless the itch syndrome is controlled. Many of these therapies can also be harmful and threatening to the dogs health.


• One can easily conjure up an image of a mad scientist, wearing goggles, a mask and rubber gloves, ‘treating’ an afflicted dog with useless shots, painful and dangerous chemical treatments, or shampoos so strong they advise against contact with human skin, then fitting the dog with plastic collars, taping the paws or putting on little gloves to prevent the dog from scratching and chewing itself raw. At this point you must ask yourself how you would feel if someone did that to you and then prevented you from scratching your itch?


• About 25 years ago Cornell University Veterinary School in New York did a study of Canine Hot Spot skin treatments to determine if any of the treatments available at that time were effective in treating this disorder. The study found that all of the standard medical treatments employed in the study were inconclusive as to their efficacy and that 30% of the dogs recovered from their skin problems with no treatment at all! These are basically the same treatments being employed today!


• This 30% recovery rate, with or without treatment, has given rise to a large industry of questionable alternative methods of treating this painful canine skin disorder. These alternative treatments are unsupported by statistical or scientific method as to their efficacy and are generally referred to in testimonials with little, if any, testing to back up such claims.


• It is estimated that Americans spend more than $ 100 Billion Dollars a year struggling with these dog skin problems and it is also estimated that more than 50% of the total veterinarian income in the Southern United States is derived from treating “Hot Spot” dog skin problems alone.


• However, don’t give up hope just yet! Recent scientific breakthroughs are giving real hope that there may be some actual relief in the future for the estimated 100 million or more dogs world wide that suffer from this painful problem. This research is published and readily available on the Internet by typing in search terms as – ‘Canine Itch Treatment Research’ or ‘Alternative Dog Skin Treatment Research’ on any major search engine.

Tips

• Don’t use perfumed human shampoos; your dog may not be very happy with you if you do.


• Bathing is good for itchy skin, just don’t use human shampoo. Human skin is acidic, dog skin is base.


• Don’t over-wash: a bath once a month is all most dogs really need, some need even less.


• Try to use holistic/organic products to eliminate allergens from GMO corn used in standard dog food kibble.


• Look for a money-back-guarantee in case the product does not work as advertised.


• Do your research, the internet is a tool, don’t be afraid to USE IT.


• Don’t shave your dog’s fur. Dogs have long hair for a reason and a close clip is about all they can stand, even in the heat of summer.

Warnings

• Don’t be taken in by claims of cures without statistical back up; look for for more than product testimonials. Ask for information about products if the company is legit. They will be happy to provide you with scientific testing and statistics to back up their claims.


• Steroids and antibiotics should be a last resort, as they can cause serious side-effects.