Skin diseases in dogs. Skin diseases in dogs: symptoms, description with photo, treatment

Dogs, especially taken from a kennel or on the street, can rarely boast of good health. But even quite pets, which almost never leave the apartment, may well “please” the owner with something “sort of”. Especially unpleasant (in every sense) skin diseases in dogs, as some of these pathologies may well be transmitted to humans.

Almost all diseases are much easier to prevent than to try to cure them for a long time and dreary. We will help you with a description of the most dangerous predisposing factors that directly contribute to the rate of development of all the diseases described in the article.

• First, feeding. Dog nutrition should be balanced, with the right amount of vitamins and minerals. If the dog eats normally, then everything will be fine with his skin. The diet must be approved by a veterinarian or an experienced breeder.

• Influence external environment also not to be discounted. If a dog lives in the city, breathes dirty air and walks in the winter without a cape, when it is constantly doused with chemical reagents, it definitely will not have healthy skin.

• On the contrary, a long stay in an apartment with a complete absence of walking also will not end in anything good.

• Genetic diseases. Some breeds of dogs (bulldogs, chow chows) are particularly prone to inflammatory skin diseases.

Immune system disorders

Many breeders often forget that the reason external manifestations often need to look inside. AT last years people and their pets are increasingly being diagnosed autoimmune diseases, as well as hundreds and thousands of species allergic reactions. These skin conditions are especially common in dogs. small breeds. Many of them are genetically predisposed to them.

An ideal example of such a pathology is. It is a manifestation of the body's response to flower pollen, food allergens, other substances that can be found everywhere. The disease is very widespread, in other cases affecting up to 15% of all dogs, regardless of their sex, age and physiological state.

Important! Atopic dermatitis differs from common allergies the fact that in his case large, practically non-healing inflammatory lesions skin.

At the same time, first on the sides and abdomen, and then over the entire surface of the body, areas spread where bubbles with cloudy pus appear, inflammation quickly develops, going deep. Very often such dogs are threatened fungal diseases. Treatment is complicated by the fact that sometimes it is extremely difficult to make the right diagnosis. Only a veterinarian should prescribe medicines, as the breeder simply will not have the necessary experience!

Read also: Renal coma in cats and dogs: causes, diagnosis, treatment

Other dermatitis

In general, dermatitis is called inflammatory disease skin(shown in the photo), and the reasons can be very diverse. We have just talked about the allergic variety, but it is only a grain of sand in the "friendly ranks" of this pathology. Here is a relatively detailed classification:

• Allergic (including flea).

• traumatic (with constant exposure on the skin of some negative factor).

• Inflammation skin folds(in mastiffs, bulldogs, chow-chow).

The first most common is flea dermatitis. As you might guess, it appears if your dog is bitten day and night by small, hardworking bloodsuckers. Their saliva is full harmful substances, so it is not surprising that a response begins to develop in the body: the bite sites swell, turn red, and the overall body temperature may rise. If the dog begins to comb them, then the matter is complicated by purulent dermatitis.

Do not forget about the contact varieties of this disease, when skin damage is caused by exposure to some substance that has fallen on its surface. Most often contact dermatitis manifests itself in the abdomen (there is little wool) and is a response to a new shampoo (for example).

As for inflammation of the skin folds, it is difficult to notice the onset of the disease. First, small diaper rash forms, which very quickly become infected and rot. From a sick animal comes very bad smell The dog's temperature rises sharply. The main thing is to deliver the dog to the veterinarian as soon as possible, since the mortality rate from this pathology is quite high.

Diseases of fungal origin

There are several varieties, but they are all more often combined into a group of dermatomycosis. Especially known, which everyone knows under the name "ringworm". Zooanthroponosis, that is, a disease transmitted from animal to human. Caused by a pathogenic fungus. Carriers can be both other diseased animals and blood-sucking insects. Almost all breeds of dogs are susceptible to the disease, but smooth-haired ones become infected more easily.

The symptoms are pretty simple: round, asymmetrically scattered spots on the surface of the body, the skin on the surface of which peels off, forming "cigarette ash". The concentric circles formed in these places are also characteristic.

The treatment is quite specific and includes the introduction of therapeutic vaccines (Vakderm, for example), the application of Yam ointment and the introduction of griseofulvin. The latter substance is quite toxic, and therefore only a veterinarian should deal with its appointment. It is worth noting that with this pathology, you will have to wash the entire apartment (if the dog lived there) with the obligatory disinfection of bed linen, clothing and household items, since the fungus is very tenacious and easily “roots” on a person.

Read also: Heart defects in dogs: basic information, diagnosis and treatment

Diseases caused by pathogenic mites

The symptoms are quite specific., which greatly facilitates the diagnosis in a veterinary clinic: it all starts with reddening of the skin and the formation of foci of baldness. Scales appear. Most often, injuries are localized on the head. The disease progresses rapidly, pronounced scabs appear, bleeding erosions and vesicles filled with pus (pyoderma). As a rule, the disease is not transmitted from dog to dog. They even set up experiments with the transplantation of affected skin areas, but, with the puppy's normal immunity, nothing happened.

This disease is unique in some way, as veterinarians and doctors (yes, it occurs in humans) are still arguing about its causes:

• Some believe that any contact with a diseased individual ends in infection.

• Others suggest that ticks of this genus are found everywhere, but only in the case of weak immunity can a dog or person get sick.

Oddly enough, but practice supports both of these concepts, since the disease occurs in two forms at once:

• Focal, when there are three to four affected areas on the body. In this case, there are often cases of self-healing. This happens when the immune system is strengthened.

• A generalized form, in which many small foci merge, gradually capturing the entire surface of the animal's body.

The distribution of diseased animals by breed is also interesting:

• Not less than 20% - German Shepherd(not Eastern European, but the original breed).

• Rottweilers - 28%!

• Boxer - 20%.

Skin diseases are becoming more common in dogs today. The reason is in many aspects: improper and malnutrition, deterioration of the ecological atmosphere of the air, sedentary lifestyle, crossing with infected individuals. Often skin diseases in animals manifest themselves as hereditary predispositions of the skin to disease.

Types of skin diseases in dogs

At the slightest change in the hairline of the dog, they go to the veterinary clinic for necessary analyzes and productions accurate diagnosis illness. Here are some common skin conditions in dogs. An accurate diagnosis can only be made by a doctor.

Symptoms of the disease

If skin diseases appear in dogs , The symptoms are classified into 3 groups.

1. Excruciating itching, in which the dog scratches the body to abrasions and scratches.
2. The appearance of neoplasms on the skin: plaques different sizes and colors, warts, blisters. On the damaged body, the dog develops peeling, redness of the skin, turning into baldness.
3. If an infection or microbes gets on the damaged areas of the skin, the dog's skin becomes inflamed, swollen and festering.

Skin diseases in dogs are dangerous for animals and humans. It is important to provide timely medical care pet.

Treatment of skin diseases

Selected simple diseases of dogs, skin diseases can be cured at home.

Has healing properties home flower- aloe. Aloe juice applied to damaged dog skin will relieve itching, discomfort and burning sensation. Aloe juice is easy to squeeze out on your own or buy a ready-made remedy at a pharmacy.

Decoctions of herbs have similar actions: medicinal chamomile, calendula, echinacea. The drugs reduce pain in a dog, relieve inflammation and eliminate microbial suppuration on the skin.

These funds are used exclusively for initial stages disease development. If complex skin diseases are observed in dogs, treatment is carried out in a veterinary clinic. Before prescribing drugs, the physician must complete diagnostics suspected illness, take appropriate skin and blood tests, and scrape the dog's skin. After determining the exact diagnosis of the disease, an effective treatment is prescribed.

An accurate diagnosis of the disease cannot be made solely by visual examination. It will take laboratory research dog hairline.

If the doctor, after looking at the dog, immediately prescribes medical preparations, you can not treat a dog under the guidance of such a doctor. Remember wrong treatment can lead to the death of the animal.

Preventive measures

Often dog diseases are associated with improper maintenance and care. It is necessary to fulfill simple conditions so that the pet remains healthy and cheerful.

Don't let me suffer four-legged friend, be a responsible owner.

Among the most common factors contributing to the development of skin ailments, the following can be noted:

• Improper nutrition. If the dog's food does not contain the proper amount vitamins and microelements, it will have a detrimental effect on general condition animal, including on the skin. When choosing a diet, it is advisable to consult with experienced breeder or a veterinarian.
• Bad influence external environment. A dog living in the city, breathing polluted air, walking in winter without a blanket that would protect the pet from chemicals, is unlikely to have healthy skin. But if the dog is not taken out at all, it will also negatively affect its skin.
• hereditary diseases. In some dog breeds dogue de bordeaux, chow-chow, bulldog, poodle, etc.) have a predisposition to skin inflammation.

Symptoms and signs of scabies

Compliance with the rules for caring for a dog and keeping it clean is not a protection against infection with scabies, so you should carefully monitor the changes taking place on your pet's skin and start treatment on time.

The disease begins with reddening of the skin on the head, muzzle, neck, the dog actively itches. After some time, small nodules appear at the site of redness, gradually turning into bubbles filled with liquid.

The liquid flowing from the bubbles sticks together the coat, crusts grow on the skin. When combing, the skin is injured, it appears non-healing wounds. Scabies is characterized by an increase in itching while being warm, especially near a radiator or heater.

The next stage of the disease is the beginning of the dog's baldness. Hair loss is most severe on the head. In places devoid of wool, dense crusts form. Comes from a dog bad smell with sour notes.

The dog becomes lethargic and loses its appetite. If the disease is not treated, the increase lymph nodes, general intoxication of the body.

The dog begins to rapidly lose weight, refuses to eat. The skin is completely covered with scabs, the coat resembles matted felt, gradually the dog becomes completely bald.

This state of the animal leads to inevitable death.

Symptoms of the fungus

Skin diseases in dogs and their signs are listed below.

It should be noted that the above ailments pose a danger not only to the pet, but also to the breeder. So if you notice symptoms or even a slight manifestation of them, then the dog needs to be helped as soon as possible.

Of course the best option will contact the veterinarian, but there are certain rules that every dog ​​owner should know.

The most common signs of fungal infection are:

The first symptoms of sarcoptic mange and notoerosis in dogs are different. Most of all, this concerns the localization of scabies foci.

Sarcoptic mange develops predominantly in the head region, chest area, at the root of the tail, as well as on the ventral part of the body, where there is a smaller amount of coat.

A distinctive symptom of sarcoptic mange in males is the appearance of lesions on the foreskin.

Notoedrosis is localized primarily on the head of the dog, in almost any area - above the eyes, bridge of the nose, forehead and outer surface auricles. At the next stages, foci develop in the region of the forelimbs, then in the hind limbs.

Basic characteristic symptom sarcoptic mange and notoedrosis, this, of course, is itching. Almost with the first visible signs of the disease, the dog begins to itch actively, which attracts the attention of its owner.

It is worth noting that the symptoms of scabies in dogs, regardless of the type of pathogen, develop gradually and step by step, and the treatment will be almost the same at any stage.

Conditional stages of the development of the disease in dogs:

• The appearance of foci of redness on the skin. As a rule, at this stage, the owners rarely determine such a sign on their own, since not every one of us looks at the dog's skin under the coat, immediately after the dog has scratched its muzzle. Although this is one of the basic principles of early scabies prevention.
• Small pustules are formed - red dots on the skin, filled with liquid contents, the scabies focus is depleted of wool. When scratching, the dog damages the thin shell of the pustules, their contents moisturize the skin.

Scabies in dogs - photo of the first symptoms 2.5 weeks after the initial infection.

• The skin in the pathological foci coarsens, the coat falls out more and more intensively. On the remnants of wool and skin in large quantities detached particles of the epidermis are formed and a phenomenon can be observed that is somewhat reminiscent of large dandruff.

Notoedrosis in dogs - a photo of one of the first stages of the disease. Epidermal scabs are clearly visible.

• As more and more strong scratching to blood, to higher indicated symptoms scabies, hard crusts are added in dogs, the skin becomes very coarse, cracks to blood, loses elasticity, the effect of elephantiasis is observed. The remnants of the coat, where the hair was long and thick, fall off with the products of skin inflammation, forming a kind of felt.

Methods for diagnosing scabies

It is useless to examine a tick on a dog's skin, since its dimensions are microscopic. The only method with sensitive fingertips - feel the skin for the presence of the smallest tubercles.

To reveal the presence of a scabies mite in the epidermis allows scraping from the site of the lesion. It is placed in a glycerin solution and examined under a microscope. If you have a microscope, you can analyze scrapings at home.

Treatment of skin diseases

From part of the ailments, if they are simple, it is quite possible to get rid of pet on their own. As practice shows, a flower that is in almost every home has excellent healing characteristics.

We are talking about aloe, which can be used for treatment. Healing juice this plant must be applied to damaged areas of the skin.

Such treatment will save your pet from itching and burning, as well as discomfort in general - you can prepare the juice yourself or purchase it at a pharmacy.

It should also be noted that other decoctions of herbs are characterized by practically similar properties. For example, for treatment, you can use echinacea, calendula or medicinal chamomile.

In addition to the fact that these herbs significantly reduce pain pet, they also contribute to the removal inflammatory process. Also healing herbs allow to eliminate microbial suppuration.

Herbal treatment is possible only as an auxiliary therapy that will not bring harm (although it can bring harm with eczema) (video author - dog-channel. tv).

Complex diseases and their treatment should be carried out only under the supervision of specialists in the hospital.

Before prescribing medications and prescribing treatment, the veterinarian should:

• carry out diagnostics of the animal organism;
• take a blood test;
• do the necessary skin tests;
• remove scrapings from the skin of a pet.

Treatment of scabies is carried out at home, while the dog must be isolated from people and other animals.

The following treatment regimens are most effective:

Despite the complexity of the symptoms and the active progression of scabies in dogs, treatment, if it is correct, allows you to quickly achieve a cure.

Prevention of skin diseases in dogs

Of course, it will not work to protect pets from all the misfortunes, but you can still significantly reduce the risks of infection. What can be done for this?

• provide for the dog good nutrition;
• during the off-season, with poor health and other situations, give the pet vitamin complexes;
• do not allow the dog to communicate with stray relatives;
• monitor the condition of the skin and the general well-being of the pet;
• keep the dog clean, wash and brush the coat on time.

If you stick to these simple rules, then it is quite possible to protect your beloved pet from any misfortune, especially from skin ailments.

Skin diseases are common in dogs. They cause suffering to animals and impair health, and therefore require treatment. Information about the types of these diseases, symptoms, their treatment and prevention of occurrence will be useful for any dog ​​owner.

Types and their description with a photo

Many skin diseases in dogs have infectious origin, although this is not always the case. According to this criterion, they can be divided into groups according to the source of infection or other reasons for the appearance. For example, the causative agents of diseases can be fungi or bacteria, skin lesions can be allergic in nature or occur for other reasons.

fungal

Mycoses affect the skin, coat and nails of dogs, as well as internal organs. They can become ill after contact with an infected animal or simply after walking in areas where pathogens can be found. We advise you to read more about the treatment and prevention of mycoses

ATTENTION! Even pets who have never left the house can get sick - in this case, fungi enter the home on people's shoes or clothes.

In addition to pathogenic fungi, there are also conditionally pathogenic ones. They are constantly on the skin of animals, but their numbers are adjusted. healthy immunity, so diseases do not develop. But as soon as the dog’s immunity drops sharply, the fungi become active and begin to multiply.

The development of dermatomycosis is also facilitated by mistakes in caring for a pet made by the owner. For example, Dogs often get sick with fungal diseases for the following reasons:

• poor diet, which defensive forces organisms are reduced;
• dirty, greasy and felted wool, to which oxygen does not penetrate;
• clean but dry coat due to washing too often.

In addition, dermatomycosis can be a consequence of the treatment of other diseases with drugs that suppress the immune system.

Mycoses are divided into:

• superficial (the fungus does not penetrate deeper than the skin and mucous membranes) - microsporia, malassezia, candidiasis, pityrosporosis;
• subcutaneous - sporotrichosis, eumycosis;
• systemic - coccidioidomycosis, aspergillosis, histoplasmosis.

A common disease of this group in dogs and cats is microsporia and trichophytosis ( ringworm) caused by fungi microsporum and trichophyton. Humans can also be infected from animals.

Bacterial

Common diseases:

• eczema (you can read about ear eczema in);
• tick-borne borreliosis;
• yersiniosis;
• tularemia.

We offer you to watch a video about eczema in animals:

Dogs of any breed and age can become infected with a bacterial infection. But especially puppies, adult weakened and old animals get sick. Infection occurs by contact (communication with a sick individual, use of someone else's dog ammunition and care items), alimentary (after eating contaminated feed) and airborne droplets. The risk group includes animals living in poor conditions, receiving insufficient good food contained together in large groups.

allergic

Other cases

Skin lesions in dogs can also be caused by ticks. Settling under the skin of animals, they cause diseases such as sarcoptic mange, demodicosis, otodectosis (ear scabies).

Hormonal disorders resulting from endocrine pathologies or age-related disorders can cause increased hair loss ( alopecia).

Symptoms

Symptoms of skin diseases in dogs are varied, but, first of all, this is a change in the skin, coat and claws in the form of:

• loss of shine and hair loss;
• redness or graying, swelling and peeling of the skin;
• rashes of various etiologies.

A common symptom of damage to the scalp, body, limbs, paws, ears in dogs is severe itching, causing animals to constantly itch. Pets may refuse food and games, most time to sleep, sluggishly respond to external stimuli. They may have a rise in general body temperature or become hot lesions, serous or purulent discharge from the eyes and nose, coughing, sneezing, shortness of breath, anemia of the mucous membranes, indigestion.

Diagnostics

Diagnose skin diseases dogs in veterinary clinics. A preliminary diagnosis can be made already during an external examination, but it is possible to establish exactly what caused the disease only after laboratory tests and studies:

• blood test;
• bakposeva;
• cytological analysis of biomaterials;
• allergy tests.

According to studies, patients are prescribed treatment.

Treatment

Therapy skin lesions in dogs is carried out taking into account the characteristics of the diseases that caused them:

In addition to special preparations, in all cases, immunomodulators and vitamins are also prescribed to help the dog's body cope with the disease.

Treatment of skin diseases is carried out mainly at home and only in special occasions- in veterinary clinics. For the duration of therapy, the dog must be given peace, children and other pets should not be allowed near it. All treatments should be carried out with medical gloves, do not touch the pet unnecessarily, immediately eliminate everything that was used for the procedure (fleece, sticks).

REFERENCE! From home remedies for external use, you can use aloe juice, infusion of chamomile, calendula, echinacea to relieve itching, inflammation, swelling and redness.

Prevention

Skin diseases in dogs are often associated with illiterate maintenance and care, so every owner of a four-legged pet necessary:

These simple preventive measures help reduce the risk of contracting or developing diseases that result in skin lesions in dogs and keep your friend healthy.

Useful video about the symptoms and treatment of pathology

Leather, contrary to the opinion of many animal lovers, is not just a “natural raincoat”, but the most complex organ, on the performance of which the health of your pet depends to a large extent. Not surprisingly, even the most "harmless" skin diseases in dogs are quite capable of leading to very serious consequences.

For example, "simple" food intolerances, at least once in a lifetime, encountered in every dog ​​- one of the main reasons for the development of deadly and completely incurable autoimmune pathologies.

Regardless of the cause of skin diseases, the first sign of many of them is itching. If your dog is constantly itching for no reason, it doesn't hurt to take him to the vet right away. In cases where "pruritus" is accompanied by licking and the appearance of ulcers, wounds, a strange smell from the skin, etc., you should immediately take the dog to the doctor.

However, it rarely comes to such signs, since most owners are conscious, bringing their pets to the clinic already when an endless itch appears.

In order to notice the signs of something wrong in time, you should conduct at least once a week preventive examination your pet.

It's easy to do this:

• It is necessary to gently push the coat and carefully examine the skin.
• Particular attention should be paid to the spinal column, abdomen, groin.
• The appearance of redness, swelling, profuse dandruff, rashes, nodules or pustules - all these are clear signs of "malfunctions" of the skin.

Today, veterinarians are isolating the following types skin pathologies in dogs:

Regardless of the specific type and causative agent of the disease, the following always contribute to the appearance of skin ailments: negative factors external and internal environment:

• Poor quality and unbalanced nutrition. Especially dangerous for the skin is the lack of vitamins A and E, since they are vital for the normal regeneration of the skin epidermis.

• Crowded contents and unsanitary conditions(typical for some nurseries and animal shelters).

• Frequent contact with other pets(The same fungi are transmitted almost instantly). The same problem can overtake the owners of thoroughbred animals if they often take their pets to exhibitions. Alas, it is unrealistic to give a 100% guarantee of the purity of all participants. Many skin pathologies can develop for weeks and even months, and visible symptoms are often missing (or only a very experienced specialist can see them).

• Metabolic disorders and hormonal pathologies as well as genetic predisposition.

• Frequent stress.

• Bad ecology and an abundance of reagents on the roads. Since dogs need to walk, they also have to experience the “charms” of the ecological state of cities in full. The skin on the paw pads is especially affected, which the salt literally corrodes.

Thus, if you isolate your pet from the action of at least some of these factors, the likelihood of diseases can be seriously reduced. Unfortunately, it is still impossible to give a complete guarantee of their absence.

Fungal diseases of the skin

One of the most insidious and difficult groups. Pathologies of fungal origin develop for a long time, are difficult, the therapeutic course is long and does not give an absolute guarantee of a complete cure. Because of this, even an ill dog, experts recommend bringing it for a preventive examination.

Black acanthosis

A pathology characterized by a strong darkening of the skin, as well as a change in its structure. It is considered a disease specific to dogs. There are primary and secondary forms. Exact reason its origin is still unknown. But practicing veterinarians have long found out that the presence of pathogenic forms of fungi increases the likelihood of its occurrence by at least 70%.

Primary acanthosis: symptoms

This form of the disease is very rare, developing in puppies under the age of one year. The disease is characterized by the appearance of areas of black skin, which greatly thickens and coarsens. Also characteristic profuse dandruff. Very likely to develop in the same places purulent inflammation due to contamination of the skin with pathogenic and conditionally pathogenic bacterial microflora. After a couple of months, foci of inflammation spread throughout the body of the dog.

There is no cure. They try to slow down the development of the disease, using anti-inflammatory corticosteroids and anti-seborrheic shampoos for this purpose.

Secondary acanthosis: causes, symptoms, treatment

The most common form of the disease, the development of which is due to the action of toxins and allergens of the fungal microflora. In addition, in sick animals, the following is detected:

• Exceeding normal body weight.
• Hormonal disorders.
• The initial tendency of the dog to develop allergic diseases.

As in the case described above, the skin becomes very dark, thickens and coarsens. In a sick animal, hair falls out massively and severe itching develops, which is why the dog constantly itches, tearing the skin to blood.

In the treatment of secondary acanthosis loading doses are given antifungal drugs in combination with anti-inflammatory corticosteroids and dexamethasone.

It should be taken into account that in some cases the root cause of the disease is a complex of fungi and bacteria, which is why antibiotics are also required for treatment. a wide range actions. Be sure to add vitamins A and E to food, as well as increase the amount of lipids in feed.

Dermatomycosis (lichen)

These diseases are considered leaders among the "fungal" pathologies. vernacular name- lichen. In practice, there are two main triggers:

• Microsporum gypsum.
• Trichophyton mentagrophytes.

Important! All lichens are highly contagious and disease-causing (i.e. virulence).

This causative agent of lichen is very different from others pathogenic fungi, which rarely cause disease in animals, the immune system which somehow functions. But even that is far more dangerous.

"Lichen" fungi are characterized by low species specificity. This means that they can easily cause disease not only in dogs, but also in cats and all members of your family.

Given this circumstance, all personal hygiene measures should be carefully observed when caring for a sick pet and treating it.

Symptoms of lichen in dogs

If the dog is not at all lucky, the lichen will gradually penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin (even cases of damage to internal organs are described). On the severe course indicates damage to the nail plates, which become porous, brittle, exfoliating.

But still, this happens only in advanced cases: if the disease is noticed in time and treated in time, nothing terrible will happen.

The classic "clinic" is characterized by the following:

• The coat of a sick animal becomes very fragile, the hairs become thinner and easily break off at the very root from the slightest physical impact (such hairs are like grenades stuffed with pathogen spores).
• Round patches of baldness appear on the dog's skin. In the center is a red spot resembling a burn mark.
• As a rule, in dogs, lichen occurs without itching. On this basis, they are easy to distinguish, for example, from allergies.

Treatment and prevention

Mycoses of the skin are perhaps the only diseases for which a vaccine can be used. It is also used for prevention.

As for drugs, the “standard set”:

• amphotericin;
• flucytosine;
• econazole;
• clotrimazole.

Malassezia

Malassezia is extremely characteristic of dogs. The causative agent is a yeast fungus, which under normal conditions does not pose any danger to the dog's body.

But! The following factors of the external and internal environment can stimulate the "transformation" of harmless yeast:

• Unreasonably prolonged use of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory corticosteroids. These drugs greatly "plant" the immune system.
• Stress.
• Poor quality food.
• breed predisposition. "On time" Malassezia affects bulldogs, pugs, sharpei, as well as representatives of breeds with long, drooping ears.

Symptoms and treatment

The skin folds, the skin under the ears, and the groin area are most often affected. hallmark A yeast infection is a "mouldy" odor that some breeders think of stale cheese.

The dog constantly itches, and subsequently, when it develops severe inflammation, is in pain. From time to time, the disease seems to recede, but soon a new relapse develops.

Treatment is carried out by the same means that we have already written about above. In addition, washing the dog with antifungal shampoos is shown.

Fungal "fatty" seborrhea

A disease characterized by increased work sebaceous glands. In this case, the secret of the latter serves as an excellent substrate for the growth and development of fungal microflora, and fungi can be very different.

The disease is characterized by "sloppiness" appearance animal and the appearance of an extremely unpleasant smell of dog. By the way, it should be noted that a healthy dog ​​should not smell like that (well, if it is not wet and dirty, of course).

Important! Seborrhea, regardless of its origin, is a disease prone to constant relapses. Well, if the dog has been ill at least once, with a probability of almost 100%, he will still be ill.

Symptoms

"Clinic" is pretty easy to define. You may notice the following signs:

• Despite the "oily" nature of seborrhea, abundant, "snowy" dandruff appears additionally. The resting places of the animal are literally sprinkled with it.
• The hair along the spine and the tail of sick dogs stick together because of the incredible copious excretion sebaceous secret, and even begin to smell extremely unpleasant.

Oily seborrhea treatment

Despite the tendency to relapse, the disease is treated quite simply:

• The affected areas of the skin are lubricated (literally two or three drops each) with tea tree oil.
• For washing use special veterinary shampoos with anti-seborrheic shampoo.
• In severe cases, additionally use antifungals which we have already mentioned above.

Allergic skin diseases

Unfortunately, not all breeders take these pathologies seriously. Many are used to thinking that allergies are “just” harmless sniffing and sneezing. Meanwhile, this is not true at all. We wrote above that allergies are one of the basic causes of severe (and incurable) autoimmune diseases.

Interesting! AT winter time these pathologies occur much less frequently.

Allergic dermatitis

This is an inflammation of the skin of an allergic nature. Almost all compounds and substances used in the composition can act as allergens (i.e., substances that contribute to the development of allergies). household chemicals, cosmetics, detergents.

To prevent your dog from having this problem, you need to Everyday life follow a few rules:

• Use only those baskets and bedding, the origin of which there is no doubt. They must have certificates of conformity, being made of hypoallergenic materials.

• The selection of feed should be approached with triple caution.. If your dog has had food at least once in his life, then before changing the food, do not be too lazy to consult a veterinarian. All new products should be given to such a pet in small portions, carefully observing the reaction of his body.

• Try to "kick" the dog out of the house when it is being cleaned. The less the animal comes into contact with potential allergens, the less likely it is to develop an allergy.

• We recommend using glass or metal bowls as bowls. It is not known how the body of an allergic person will react to the components contained in the composition of modern plastics.

Symptoms and treatment

Inflammation will primarily develop on those areas of the skin that have been in direct contact with allergens. Accordingly, the first signs can be seen on the paws, stomach or muzzle.

First, small reddenings appear there, which subsequently “mutate” to inflamed and festering wounds (and pus is a consequence of the intervention of a secondary pathogenic microflora).

Treatment is relatively simple:

• First, animals are given loading doses of antihistamines.
• Secondly, it is required to isolate the pet from the action of all potential antigens, for which, in the ideal case, it is kept in a separate room.
• Finally, in severe cases, anti-inflammatory corticosteroids are additionally prescribed.

allergic eczema

Eczema is also an inflammatory skin disease, but it should be considered separately from dermatitis. Here are the reasons for this approach:

• With this pathology, there is (mainly) damage not to the outer, but to the deep layers of the skin.
• Higher likelihood of a severe course of the disease, accompanied by the formation deep wounds and ulcers.

Symptoms and treatment

The signs are similar to the clinical picture of dermatitis, but with a "bias" to a severe course. The affected areas of the skin not only become very reddened, but also swell, at the same time it can increase local temperature body. Itching develops, due to which the dog begins to violently rub and scratch the skin.

Soon, ulcerations and wounds appear on the skin of the animal. Since the dog constantly itches, they are quickly seeded with secondary microflora, which additionally develops purulent inflammation.

Symptoms

Since mites prefer to settle on those areas of the skin where hairline least developed (groin, muzzle, eyelids), then the signs of pathology progress rapidly:

• At first, the problems are associated with itching (very strong) and progressive hair loss. The dog furiously scratches and even gnaws on the stomach, chest, elbows, tail. Because of this, the dog soon begins to resemble a skinned one, as its entire body is covered with a dense network of scratches and wounds.
• The infection progresses rapidly and, if nothing is done, the area of ​​lesions can reach 70% of the entire skin.
• The appearance of multiple scabs and abscesses is characteristic.

Since the dog constantly injures and tears the skin, the disease is always accompanied by inflammation of a bacterial nature.

Important! Sarcoptes scabiei can penetrate internal organs. A sign of the beginning of the "expansion" are inflamed and swollen lymph nodes.

Treatment and prevention

It is advisable to use products that include Selamectin. In addition, cheaper (but also very effective) drugs are based on ivermectin.

Demodicosis (follicular scabies)

The causative agents are ticks from the genus Demodex (there are about one and a half hundred of them in total). Often they can be found on the skin completely healthy dogs. Because of this, many veterinarians believe that follicular scabies is the lot of animals with an initially suppressed and weakened immune system.

Symptoms and treatment

Demodicosis is a disease accompanied by a pronounced, active loss of coat. But clinical picture this is not limited to:

• Often there is roughness and thickening of the skin.
• The disease may be accompanied by the development oily seborrhea(this pathology develops not only due to fungal infections).
• Approximately 30% develop itching, which is easy to distinguish by its specificity: the dog does not just itch, but tries to “pull out” or gnaw something out of the thickness of the skin. This is a sign of the presence of large colonies of mites.
• Also, their presence is indicated by the appearance of hard, rounded swellings on different parts dog body.

Interestingly, with normal immunity in a dog, over time, the disease can spontaneously “end”. Unfortunately, the mites themselves remain in the body of the animal, which often leads to sudden (but regular) relapses.

Often (due to a weak diagnostic base), mild forms of this disease remain undetected, and the animal has constant relapses. Due to skin problems, inexperienced breeders think that feeding is to blame, but dietary adjustments in such cases help little or no help at all.

This is the name of an inflammatory skin disease that develops against the background of constant flea bites (as well as withers and lice). This disease can be attributed to allergic, since inflammation and other Clinical signs- a consequence of an allergy to the components of the saliva of bloodsuckers.

Symptoms

The main signs of "flea" inflammation are:

• The main symptom (which is easy to see at home) is fleas running in all directions and bitten, reddened areas of the skin.
• Many animals (due to allergies) develop such severe itching that they can literally scratch and gnaw their own skin to the meat.
• Characterized by the appearance of wounds, scratches, scabs. When all this is seeded with a secondarily pathogenic bacterial microflora (and this will definitely happen), long-term non-healing ulcerations will appear.

Treatment

Really cope with bloodsuckers and folk remedies:

• To do this, the animal's hair must be regularly processed, lubricated with a couple of drops of wormwood oil.
• To destroy fleas in the external environment, you need to wash all the nooks and crannies more often, generously using chlorine-containing detergents.

Unfortunately, in more severe cases this is not enough. The animal is prescribed antihistamine formulations, as well as anti-inflammatory corticosteroids and antibiotics (to stop bacterial secondary infections).

Bacterial skin diseases

These skin conditions are very common in dogs. In principle, most of the pathologies described above can be attributed here, since in almost all cases the disease is complicated by the seeding of the affected areas of the skin with pathogenic and conditionally pathogenic microflora.

Staphylococcal dermatitis in dogs

In this case, skin inflammation is due to the action of staphylococci. The second name of this disease is pyoderma. In medicine and veterinary medicine, this is the name of any pathology, accompanied by the appearance on the skin of numerous pustules filled with liquid pus. The disease is quite difficult, leading not only to a significant deterioration in the dog's immunity.

Important! In advanced cases, the death of the animal due to sepsis is quite possible.

Symptoms

In veterinary practice, there are two main types staphylococcal lesions skin:

• The first variety is classic. In this case, numerous pustules appear on the skin, sometimes “reclassifying” into abscesses.
• The second type is much less common. It is characterized by the formation of rounded, bald areas on the skin of a sick animal, the epidermis of which becomes very coarse and thickened. Baldness is accompanied by peeling, but pustules are formed extremely rarely. Because of this, the second type of staphylococcal inflammation is often confused with demodicosis. Microscopic examination of scrapings will help establish the truth.

Treatment of dermatitis in dogs

Basic therapeutic method- appointment shock doses broad spectrum antibiotics. But there is one problem - there are more than one hundred (if not more) strains of staphylococci, and their sensitivity to common antibacterial agents seriously varies.

For this reason, specific drugs should be prescribed only after sowing the pathological material on nutrient media, followed by testing drugs on ready-made cultures of the pathogen.

Note that when diagnosing, it is imperative to carry out serological studies blood. It is related to the need exact definition strain of the pathogen, and with the existence of other bacterial infections, which can lead to the appearance of exactly the same symptoms.

Streptococcal dermatitis in dogs

In many ways, this disease is similar to that described above, but has several specific features. As a rule, streptococci are safe for the animal, and stress, sharp temperature fluctuations and other negative environmental factors contribute to their activation. Inflammation of the skin can cause only rare strains (but in environment there are a lot of them).

Symptoms and treatment

Affected dogs may exhibit the following symptoms:

• Impetigo (appearance of pale, whitish spots on the skin).
• Ectima. Roughly speaking, this is dermatitis of the deep layers of the skin.
• In advanced cases, inflammation reaches the fascial membranes muscle fibers and even joints.
• "Tropical" ulcers.
• Vulvar dermatitis (i.e. damage to the skin and mucous membranes of the external genitalia).
• The general condition of the animal is depressed, it often refuses food, lies for a long time.

Streptococci, despite their danger, are well destroyed with the help of simple antibiotics. penicillin group. In practice, the combination of erythromycin and cephalosporins has proven itself well (ceftriaxone is especially good). In advanced cases, only a long course of erythromycin helps.