
Dog Skin Conditions to Watch For This Spring and Summer
Summer is just around the corner and with it comes heat. Heat brings skin parasites and diseases. Your dog can get many skin conditions, ranging from rashes to bites that can cause a lot of discomfort. Some canine skin conditions can even be spread to humans. As the weather gets warmer, be sure to visit your veterinarian for preventative measures where possible.
Fleas
Fleas are just a given with dogs. Dogs can even get fleas in the winter. Early signs of fleas are itching and chewing or rubbing themselves on everything. Later stages are seeing the fleas and their black, dirt-like eggs on your dog. A bad infestation can live in the carpeting or furniture of your home.
They can bite humans and cause health problems in dogs, children and adults. Fleas carry diseases such as typhus and cat scratch fever. Fleas were even responsible for the spread of the bubonic plague. Fleas also carry the parasite, tapeworm of which puppies are particularly prone to getting. Fleas can actually cause death in young puppies.
The key with fleas is prevention. Consult a veterinarian for the best prevention medication. There are both oral and topical treatments available. If your pet is infested with fleas, it is time to call your trusted veterinary office. They can help treat the infestation and diagnose/treat any ancillary conditions.
Ticks/Lyme Disease
Ticks are the ugly cousin of fleas. Unlike fleas, ticks latch on and bury their heads into the skin of your dog. These bites can cause little to no discomfort or they may itch and hurt. A tick will usually become noticeable when the body is engorged with blood and looks like a skin tag or mole on your dog’s skin. Ticks carry Lyme disease which is dangerous to your dog’s health.
Ticks can also bite humans and cause Lyme disease in humans. Therefore, prevention is best. Talk to your veterinarian about tick prevention medication which is usually in most oral and topical flea medications.
If your dog has a tick bite or multiple tick bites, it is important to consult your veterinarian to determine if treatment is necessary or Lyme disease is present. Tick removal can be tricky and it’s easy to rip off the body, leaving the head burrowed in the skin. It may be best to see a veterinarian for proper tick removal.
Mites and Mange
Sarcoptic mange can present as an itchy, crusty rash that your dog may lock or rub. The fur may fall off in areas such as the tail, elbows, belly and ears. Dogs can chew and itch themselves, causing skin infections and sores.
Demodectic mange is a red rash that is itchy and can, again, get sores. This can breed secondary bacterial infections if left untreated.
Mange is caused by mites. Scabies mites can also be carried by dogs and transmitted to humans. These infestations can wreak havoc on your skin and fabric surfaces. It can take months to rid a home of these mites.
Prevention and early treatment are important with mite infections. Many flea and tick treatments also prevent mites. Talk to your veterinarian about options.
Fungal Skin Infections
There are different kinds of fungal skin infections in dogs. Some are caused by yeast. Some are even the same fungus that cause jock itch or ringworm in humans.
Dogs may get “hot spots” in random places or scales and crust around their ears, armpits, elbows and paws. When you see unusual itchiness or hair loss in an area, it may be a skin infection. Sometimes hot spots can also be bacterial.
It’s imperative to go to a veterinarian for treatment of these skin infections since there is such a variety of over the counter remedies and a veterinarian can properly diagnose what specific medications are needed.
If it Itches, There’s an Issue
The bottom line is that when your dog is scratching incessantly, you should look for the issue and see your veterinarian. Skin rashes, parasites and infections are easier to treat in the early stages. When you wait or try home treatments and guess work, the problem usually gets worse. Call your veterinarian for early prevention and treatment of these common skin conditions in dogs.