Pet Skin Doctor
Archive for July, 2009
So, your dog has dermatitis. What exactly does that mean, anyway? In fact the term is deceptively nonspecific. It only means that your dog has one of a variety of inflammatory skin diseases. Dermatitis can result from bacterial infections, sunburn, food allergies, drug reactions, nutritional deficiencies and a host of other triggers. And in each case the disease will manifest itself through intense scratching and biting at the site of irritation.
Pyotraumatic dog dermatitis, colloquially known as a hot spot, appears as a wet, red, hairless sore on a canine’s flank. Although hot spots seem to crop up suddenly, they are actually the result of a dog furiously scratching a patch of irritated skin during the night. Bacteria invade these areas of raw skin that have been broken down by the dog’s own scratching. In effect, the problem compounds itself until it is finally solved with the use of skin therapy products.
Proper Grooming Helps Prevent Dog “Hot Spots”
Whether you groom your dog yourself or take it to a professional groomer, you should understand the importance of proper grooming and dog skin care. Many areas offer classes on how to properly groom your dog. If you do take your pet to a professional groomer, be sure to do your part in between appointments. Regularly brushing, providing the correct amount of exercise for your breed of dog as well as a nutritional diet are key factors in preventing “hot spots”, dog skin irritations or other conditions.
Talk to your vet, groomer or another trained professional about what type of brushes, combs, clippers and other tools are right for your dog. This is especially important for certain breeds of dogs, active and non-active canines with longer hair mat quickly. Long-haired dogs can be a lot of work to groom and are often times better left to be groomed by a professional. Smaller, long-haired dogs such as Lhaso’s often have very sensitive skin and are more susceptible to skin irritations. Proper dog skin care includes teaching your dog how to allow itself be handled and groomed by yourself and strangers. If it pulls away or bites at you while grooming this will make it very difficult for you to properly brush him as often as needed. Grooming may also become as stressful to your pet as such things as trips to the vet or a kennel while you are on vacation. If your pet experiences even a small amount of stress, causing him to lick, chew, bite or all three, loss of hair and open sores could become the result.
Ocasionally, “hot spots” may occur on a dog, especially one with sensitive skin, periodically during certain times of the year and season. Although annoying, they are certainly not a problem for any length of time if tended to properly, quickly. A decent topical ointment will clear these “spots” up within a few days. If they persist longer than that it may be a sign of an actual condition, health problem or allergy. Consult your vet right away.
Catnip Is Not Cause of Cat Skin Conditions
Nepeta, or catnip as it is most commonly called is a perennial herb of the mint family. Some cats are affected while others are not. An inherited trait in a cats DNA structure at birth determines if the cat will be affected. Catnip will also not affect kittens until they are past 3 or 4 months old and becoming sexually mature. Elderly cats are also not likely to show a reaction to catnip, because as they age, they are no longer sexually active. This leads many people to believe that catnip acts as a aphrodisiac to cats. Cats under the influence of catnip roll, chew, lick, salivate, and leap on it.
The effects of catnip only last about an hour, and can only be used every 2 or so hours. It is advised to always monitor a cat while using catnip. While it’s use will never cause harm or addiction in cats, some cats may become aggressive towards others. Although, the exact reason that catnip affects cats is unknown, catnip has not shown to cause cat skin conditions or health problems in felines. Catnip is beneficial in ways such as helping lazy cats become active, as well as in preventing damage to your furniture. Catnip is not only beneficial to your cat, but to you as well. Catnip can be used in humans to aid in pain relief from cramps and toothaches as well as to help encourage sleep.
At my house, you may see a huge 110-pound dog running towards you with a toy. Please don’t be afraid! He may be a rottweiler, but after years of hard training, he’s no more than a big baby. Years back when dogs were used for working, the rottweiler would herd cattle or be a watchdog for the army. Unfortunately, many countries or towns now ban certain breeds of dogs including the rottweiler. Also, houses can be denied for homeowners insurance for owning a “dangerous breed.” The AKC, American Kennel Club, surprisingly judges not only the rottweiler’s physical appearance but also behavioral traits. If you find an abandoned rottie, it is unadvised to help the dog yourself, instead call a rottie rescue agency or another rescue agency better trained to help the rottie, North East Rottweiler Rescue and Referral (Visit them at rottrescue.org) can be helpful in finding a local number for you.
They are not a bad dogs, bad owners give many dogs, not just rottweilers their bad reputation. Rottweiler’s have a born personality, and if not trained right, it can result in negative behavior. If you chain any dog outside and keep it secluded from any other people or animals, there is a good chance that dog will become aggressive. A dog is in fact a dog, and while you may believe it won’t hurt a fly, I wouldn’t trust my 5-pound dachshund around children or people it does not know, let alone by my protective rottie. Even as a dog ages, their behavior can change. Always research any breed before adopting it. Look for how much exercise, living space, and playtime a certain breed needs. A good idea is to also look for any diseases that may run in the dog’s breed, such as dog skin allergies and hip dysplasia. While I wouldn’t trade my rottweiler for the world, it may not be the right dog for others.
If your prized pet is struggling with skin problems, the potential causes are not limited to flea bites. Dogs are just as susceptible to airborne allergens as humans, but they make these issues known not by sniffling and sneezing but rather by itching and scratching. Pollen, mold and dust mites are just a few triggers that can cause a dog to scratch, bite and chew at its feet and flanks. These are not “natural” reactions that can be safely ignored for long periods of time. Investigate potential treatments immediately to alleviate your dog’s suffering.
Numerous forms of treatment are available for dog allergies. Sometimes the issue can be alleviated through the use of a specialized skin therapy ointment. In other, more severe cases, allergy shots may be the best bet. These shots require patience as they are slow to work, but they have been proven safe and effective. Be sure to exhaust all other possibilities before putting your dog on antihistamines; these medications relieve allergic reactions, but they often produce a sedative side effect. Nobody wants a zombie dog.
Sarcoptic Mites and Demodex Mange are also known as scabies or mange in dogs and cats. A pet will usually catch this disease when it comes in contact with another pet that is infected. Scabies is caused when a mite burrows into a dog’s skin, which is where it will remain for 21 days. If left untreated, it will spread to other areas on the dog. If your pet becomes infected with scabies, they will start to severely itch themselves. They may also attempt to bite and scratch the infected area so badly that open sores and hair loss can occur.
Although a mite will usually leave a human for better terrain, such as a dog, Scabies is still highly contagious to people and other pets. If your dog is diagnosed with scabies or mange it’s a good idea for you to see your dermatologist for diagnosis and treatment of yourself. A visual look at the pet skin conditions by a veterinarian will usually provide proper diagnosis, but a skin scraping can also be done and checked under a microscope. If you have a dog that has been diagnosed with scabies or mange, be sure to get every pet in the house checked. Thoroughly clean all beddings and carpets in the house, mites will live there and can therefore infect your dog again at a later time!
If you thought skunks were the only animal that could use there scent glands, you are wrong. Ferrets, dogs and cats all contain a scent or anal gland. Most ferrets in pet shops are more commonly sold descented, but cats and dogs use their anal glands for several different reasons. Dogs and cats alike use their anal glands to mark their territory. Often when you put two dogs together for the first time, you will notice typical butt sniffing. This is due to the scent glands being released to introduce themselves. Both cats and dogs alike may release their animal glands when they are scared or frightened.
Unfortunately anal glands can become overfilled and infected. Typical signs of full anal glands include a fowl odor coming from the anus, stools that are soft and mushy and chewing or licking near the rectum. The excessive chewing often leads to pet skin conditions, because the chewing and biting will pull out hair and rip into their skin. A dog typically shows signs of scooting, or dragging his butt across the floor. This can cause his behind to become itchy and dry. Anal glands can easily be expressed, or cleaned by the owner, groomer or vet. How often these glands should be cleaned out is not easy to say because every pet is different. Talk to your vet about how often your individual pets should be cleaned.
If your ferret is losing hair, especially around the rear and up the tail, the cause may be Adrenal Gland Disease. A ferret will also show signs of this disease via loss of appetite, lethargy, thinning of the skin, swollen vulva and prostate, as well as weakness in back legs. Many experts argue that early spaying and neutering will strengthen chances of developing Adrenal Disease. It is often discussed whether the extended photo period is the cause. Under normal conditions, ferrets would only experience 6-8 hours of strong light a day. Now ferrets are under 12 full hours of electric lights a day. Reducing a ferrets daylight hours to 8 will also reduce ferret skin problems, as well as start to show an improvement in their coat conditions. Check with your vet to properly diagnose Adrenal Disease and receive treatment for your ferret.
Most ferrets can live normally, but have odd appearance with benign Adrenal Tumors. Others will feel the devastating blows of Maglinate Tumors. The ferret may suffer greatly and the disease will gradually reduce the ferrets quality of life. An examination, ultrasound, blood test and x-rays may be used to distinguish Adrenal Disease from other ferret skin problems that may cause hair loss. Treatment may include surgery or medication. Ferrets age 4 and up should regularly be checked for this disease in order to catch it at the earliest stage possible.
Cat Dry Skin – Is Your Kitty Suffering?
Does your feline friend spend most of its time scratching excessively? Are dandruff flakes visible on the fur coat? Or perhaps it has a dull fur coat? Excessive shedding and / or snapping static charges when you stroke its fur are also signs of dry skin.
The cold weather of winter months can cause a cat dry skin. Unfortunately, a large number of cat health problems are exposed via the cat’s fur and coat condition. Dry skin may be the sole condition, but often a lack of proper nutrition is the culprit. Be sure to set out plenty of clean water, feed your cat a good quality cat food and brush your kitty daily. This will help distribute the natural oils of its fur. If signs of dry skin persist, take your cat to see the vet.
Doggy Sunburn Can Produce Dog Skin Conditions
Humans are not the only ones who can be affected by the sun. Our dogs can feel the sun’s harmful rays as well. While some dogs are more likely to get sun burnt, all have a chance. To prevent sunburn, you can buy a sun screen without PABA. The other option is to buy a special sunscreen just for dogs. Apply to places most likely to get burned, such as the nose, ears and underbelly. You may be able to fit a white t-shirt over the body for better protection.
If you already have a dog that has gotten sunburned, look for dog skin conditions in the major areas. If the sunburn is very mild, try giving your pet a 20 min cool bath with an oatmeal product or baking soda. Applying a 100% Aloe Vera gel to the infected area is also advised, but look before you buy, only pure Aloe Vera is non-toxic. Reapply as needed until sunburn is healed. You may want to visit the vet so they can check the severity of the burn and your dog may receive any necessary treatment. Sunburn in dogs can cause skin cancer, so do everything possible to prevent another sun burn.