Pet Skin Doctor
Pet Skin Information
If you have been researching what breed of dog will best suit your family situation, you have probably been looking at personality and ease of training, but have you looked into potential problems in certain breeds? Depending on the type of dog – small, medium or large – that you have researched, you may have noticed a very common factor throughout many breeds. This unfortunate, common problem is known as Hip Dysplasia – a condition which is cause by a problem in the structure of the hip joint. The head of the thigh bone no longer fits firmly in the “cup” provided by the hip socket. Though it is seen mainly in larger dogs, it is the main cause of rear lameness in many dogs.
Though you won’t read as much about it, another common problem throughout pure breeds, designer breeds and mixed breeds of all sizes and ages alike is known as dog atopy. Dog atopy is defined as a predisposition to develop allergic symptoms following exposure to substances that are usually harmless, but have triggered an allergic response. Two of the most common offenders are dust mites and pollen, which are incredibly difficult for pets to avoid, since dust mites are virtually everywhere and pollen permeates the air outdoors.
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Generally, the Lhasa Apso is a very healthy breed of dog. Often mistaken for a Shitzu to the untrained eye, these little dogs are perfect apartment living pets. Unfortunately these lovable indoor companions are prone to dog skin conditions, especially if special care isn’t taken when it comes to their coat.
It is very important to keep this particular breed’s skin and coat free of parasites. Some advice when it comes to grooming: No trimming or stripping is needed, although when in full coat, they need to be brushed about once a day to keep their coats from matting. Some owners opt to cut the coats short for easier or less grooming. Dry shampoo as necessary. Check the feet for matting and for foreign matter stuck there. Clean the eyes and ears meticulously, for they tend to tear. A Lhasa Apso is an average shedder and is hypoallergenic, so they make great pets for people with sensitivity to pet odor.
Many factors can determine what might cause your dog dry skin. Some of these factors are breed related or genetic, the climate where you live, your dog’s daily diet, bathing too often and whether or not the dry skin is a symptom of a more serious underlying cause.
If searching for a treatment for dog dry skin, first determine if there are any other signs or symptoms that may be the result of an underlying cause. For example, your dog may have allergies. He could be allergic to his pet food, a flea bite, grass, pollen or even the material of his new dog bed! Treating the dry skin with a topical skin therapy is a good idea to keep the area from becoming worse. If your dog scratches or chews the patches of dry skin, the patches will turn into open sores. However, if you don’t figure out what is causing the dry skin, it will probably continue to return.
Cat Hot Spots Are Symptoms of an Underlying Cause
Monday, January 18, 2010
posted by Essential Needs @ 3:03 PM
The first sign that your cat may be suffering from a skin problem may be what is referred to as a hot spot. A “hot spot” may be a crusty, red and possibly even ooozing patch of skin. In some cases, hair loss may occur as well.
The most common conditions which can cause cat hot spots are abscesses, bacterial infection, eosinophilic granuloma, eosinophilic plaques, flea allergy dermatitis (also known as flea bite hypersensitivity), miliary dermatitis in cats, pyoderma-deep, ringworm, and squamous cell carcinoma.
A clean living environment plays a large role in keeping your ferret healthy. This includes cleaning the cage often and changing the litter about once a day. Of course a proper diet and preventative care is also highly recommended.
As for ferret skin care, it is important not to bathe your furry friend too often as this strips natural oils and can dry out their skin and natural defenses. Also, when you bathe your ferret you’ll want to do it correctly. This involves using specialty ferret shampoos and products. Never use human products on your ferret!
First thing to understand is what Atopic Dermatitis (or AD) is. Canine AD was recently defined as ”a genetically-predisposed inflammatory and pruritic (itchy) allergic skin disease with characteristic clinical features that is associated most commonly with IgE antibodies to environmental allergens.” In other words, Atopic dermatitis in dogs (also refferred to as allergic dermatitis or canine atopy) is often an inherited predisposition to develop allergic symptoms following repeated exposure to some otherwise harmless substance, an “allergen,” such as dust mites or pollen.
Due to the hereditary nature of the disease, several breeds, including golden retrievers, most terriers (especially West Highland white terriers), Irish setters, Lhasa apsos, Dalmatians, bulldogs and Old English sheep dogs are more commonly atopic, but many dogs, including mixed breed dogs can have atopic dermatitis.
Many pet owner’s will learn the hard way, especially first-time dog owner’s, that the animal’s skin and coat will be your first and possibly only sign of a potential health issue. Proper nutrition, grooming, exercise, preventative care and quality of life all play important roles in dog skin care.
However, dog skin problems such as atopy, hot spots, skin allergies and even dry skin are not always preventable no matter how caring or loving a pet owner that you are. These ailments are typically the symptoms of deeper causes and can be very expensive to diagnose and treat. Often times even a proper diagnosis cannot lead to a cure. Many breeds of dogs are predisposed to certain types of skin disorders. Others may develop problems at any time, such as allergies to their pet food or a flea bite.
I first met Nikki at a dog show in Lincoln, NE. That’s where she told me about her dog with skin problems. Her Bulldog, Julie, had been bald across her saddle for 5 years and that she had spent thousands of dollars in that time and nothing had worked. The supposed cause of Julie’s problem the vet called “seasonal flank alopecia.” When Nikki told me that, I remarked that 5 years isn’t seasonal, it’s annual!
Seasonal flank alopecia is one of many dog skin conditions, however this condition’s main symptom is hair loss. The reason for this is not well understood but thought to be caused by a lack of sunlight. Nikki tried everything to cure Julie from expensive vet appointments and tests to medications. She found that an all-natural daily food supplement and skin therapy treatment program containing essential fatty acids is to thank for the results Julie shows today. Her hair has begun returning and continues to improve!
Unlike their favorite canine rivals, cats appear to care for their skin very well on their own. Consistently grooming themselves, making their coat soft and shiny, and not rubbing in nasty, god-knows-what! So what proper cat skin care responsibilities belong to the pet owner?
Starting from the inside out, make sure your feline friend is receiving a proper, nutritional diet. Grooming your cat yourself is important in oreer to help shed old skin and hair. It also gives you the opportunity to look over their body, skin and coat for potential problems, such as fleas or signs of allergy. Just because her coat is shiny and soft, doesn’t mean there can’t be problems under the surface.
Since many breeds of dogs (and even cats) are prone to sensitive skin or certain types of skin infections, you must first rule this out as a cause for your pet’s dry skin. Dry, flaky skin, with or without other symptoms may be a sign of a more serious underlying health problem with your pet. It may be a simple diagnosis and fix, such as poor nutrition, or a more complicated issue, such as allergies.
It’s important that the cause of pet dry skin is properly diagnosed prior to treatment. However, because diagnosis may take some time, there are two recommendations made for immediate action. First, do the best you can to prevent your pet access to the area of dry skin – no licking, chewing or scratching it. Secondly, you may apply a skin therapy lotion to help prevent infection and possibly even temporarily heal the area.