Canine Skin Infection

Canine skin infection can occur in a variety of forms, including both fungal and bacterial infections and parasites. Not every dog skin disorder is caused by an infection, however; there can be other causes of skin problems such as hypersensitivity to an allergen.

Symptoms of Canine Skin Infection

Canine skin infection can have a variety of symptoms, depending on the type of infections.

Symptoms of some common infections include:

Ringworm (dermatophytosis) - round red patches with pale centers

Yeast infection (Malassezia)- red scaly skin that may also appear greasy

Blastomycosis- round, oozing sores on the skin

Alopecia X - black, crusty skin

Scarcoptic mange - loss of hair and crusting of the skin, especially on the ears, front legs chest, and abdomen

Demodectic mange - lose of hair in round patches and red, scaly skin, especially on face and front legs

With any type of skin infection, you may notice bald patches, and your dog may also scratch excessively or lick or bite at his skin.

Call you veterinarian immediately if your dogs face is swollen or puffy. This could be a symptom of a dangerous hypersensitivity allergic reaction.

Diagnosis of Canine Skin Infection

The infection will need to be diagnosed by your vet. In some cases, your vet will be able to diagnose the infection just by looking at it. In other cases, tests will be needed in order to determine the exact nature and cause of the infection. Tests may include examining the affected area under a special ultraviolet light, taking a swab of any seepage from the area to be examined under a microscope, and/or blood tests.

Sometimes the dog skin infection is secondary to another condition. This means that your dog has another problem that causes his skin to itch and he has scratched so much that it has caused the area to develop a bacterial infection. In that case, the skin infection must be treated, but the underlying cause of the itching must also be determined and treated as well.

Treatment of Dog Skin Disorders

The treatment of dog skin disorders depends on the cause of the infection. If it is a bacterial infection, oral antibiotics are prescribed. If it is a fungal infection, oral anti-fungal medications are usually prescribed, along with medicated shampoos. There are also topical antibiotics and anti-fungal creams, but your dog will probably lick these off before they can be effective.

You will need to discourage your dog from scratching or licking the affected area so that it can heal without further irritation.

If your dog frequently suffers from skin problems you might want to try a dietary supplement like PetAlive Skin and Coat Tonic which is designed for this purpose. Ingredients to look for include Equisetum arvense (Horsetail), Taraxacum officinalis (Dandelion), Arthrospira platenis (Spirulina), Fucus vesiculosis and Kalium sulphate.

Sources

Carmichael, L.
Recent Advances In Canine Infectious Diseases

Scott, D. W., Miller, W. H., Griffin, C. E.
Muller and Kirk�s Small Animal Dermatology

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