ItchFreePet.com knows only too well that there are many causes and treatments for skin conditions in dogs. They have listed the most common skin conditions in dogs, on their new site, which dog owners can click on for a description of what it looks like and to see a picture of an affected animal. They have also provided an online Atopic Dermatitis test to start a discussion with your vet, and take with you at you next veterinary appointment.
Dog skin conditions
The ten most common causes of skin conditions in dogs are Atopic dermatitis; Food allergy; Flea allergy; Sarcoptic mange (fox mange/scabies); Demodicosis (mange); Other parasites; Bacterial infection; Yeast infection; Ringworm and Otitis (ear infection).
In humans, Atopic dermatitis is known as eczema. It's one of the most common dog skin conditions, affecting around 1 in 10 dogs. It's often a result of the animal becoming too sensitive to one or more allergens in the environment, for example house dust mites, pollens, mould spores and occasionally foods.
Your dog might have atopic dermatitis if it
• has itchy, red skin
• has infected or crusted spots
• is losing its hair
• has thickened, discoloured skin
Food allergies can happen when a dog becomes too sensitive to certain foods.
Your dog might have food allergy if it has
• itchy, red skin
• hair loss
• rashes
• tummy upsets, sickness or changes in bowel habits
Food allergies can cause signs of atopic dermatitis. It’s a difficult condition to diagnose and a food elimination trial may be needed to confirm exactly what foods the dog is allergic to.
Fleas bite through the dog’s skin and the flea saliva causes the allergic reaction. Dogs can get flea allergy even if a flea treatment has been applied. When dogs are allergic to flea saliva, they’ll show signs of itchiness even if only a few fleas are present, so just because you don’t see any fleas, it doesn’t mean they are not causing a problem
Your dog might have flea allergy if it
• has bumps on the skin that last for several days and then scab over
• is itching and scratching, especially on its rump
• has red, sore skin
• starts losing some hair
• has thickened and/or discoloured skin
If a dog has flea allergy the typical area affected will be its top and back half– around the tail base and on its outer and inner thighs.
Sarcoptic mange is also known as fox mange or scabies. Some areas have an increased risk of this type of mange due to infection from local wildlife, such as urban foxes or coyotes.
It’s a contagious skin disease caused by mites that burrow into the skin and make it really itchy. It’s so itchy that quite often dogs may stop eating, playing or exercising just to scratch. Initially the most commonly affected areas are the outer ears and elbows. It can then spread to the head and eventually all over the body.
Your dog might have sarcoptic mange if it
• is intensely itchy,
• possibly with infected or bleeding spots
• eventually loses some hair
As it’s very contagious, owners may also develop an itchy, bumpy rash if their dog is infected.
Demodicosis is also known as demodectic mange or red mange. Small numbers of the demodex mite are normally found in the skin and ears of healthy dogs without causing any problems. Sometimes, however, the number of mites can suddenly increase and cause a disease called demodicosis, especially in young dogs
Your dog might have demodicosis if it
• has bald patches on its face, especially around its eyes, and on its legs
• has a rash
The dog rarely finds it itchy unless any of the patches get infected, so scratching may be unlikely. If left untreated it can get more severe, spreading all over the body, and making the dog unwell. Demodicosis that develops in adult dogs can be a sign that the dog has an underlying illness.
Many parasites can cause itchiness in dogs. Itching may start as a reaction to a bite, or if the parasite burrows into the dog's skin. Different areas of the world have different parasites.
• Ear mites are common in younger dogs and are found in and around the dog's ear. They can cause the ear to itch and produce excessive amounts of brown ear wax.
• Fur mites live in dogs' fur and are very infectious. They cause mild itching and lots of dandruff. Owners of infested dogs may also be bitten and develop reactions.
• Harvest mites mostly live in vegetation and attach to a dog's skin around the eyes, ears, legs, toes, rump and belly, i.e. areas in contact with grass and vegetation. They can cause itching, crusty spots, scaling, and hair loss. They generally only occur in the autumn.
• Lice - these parasites can attach to the base of the hair, particularly around the head, neck and tail. Here they feed on hair and skin scales. They can also attach to the skin of the neck and shoulders, where they feed on blood. They cause intense itching, leading to chewing, scratching, restlessness and hair loss. The dog's coat might look rough and matted because of all the eggs (nits) and lice in its hair.
• Ticks - there are many different types of tick across the world, but the brown dog tick is found in most parts. Ticks feed on blood and their bites cause itching. They're commonly found on the face and ears, around the rump and joints, and in between the toes, but they may be found anywhere on the body. Some types of tick carry a poison in their saliva, which can lead to a bitten dog becoming paralysed. Most ticks only feed once a year and they fall off the dog after a few days, when they have had a blood meal.
• Flies can cause painful, swollen bite wounds mostly around the dog's head, neck, ears and body. Hair over the bite may become matted. If the wound becomes infected it may get very itchy and there may be a smelly or bloody discharge.
• Hookworms - these parasites live in the dog's gut. They're passed out via dog faeces into the environment where other dogs can pick them up, sometimes through their paws, causing inflamed feet. Hookworms can also cause weight loss, diarrhoea with blood in it and anaemia.
It's quite normal for healthy dogs to have bacteria living on their skin. However, if the skin gets damaged in any way it can result in a bacterial infection (often called pyoderma).
This means any skin condition can lead to bacterial infection, as these conditions usually cause the dog to itch and scratch, therefore damaging its skin.
Body areas that can be particularly affected include skin or body folds such as those of the face, lips and tail. It also often affects the feet and ears.
Your dog might have a bacterial infection if it
• is itching and scratching
• has got red, weeping wounds
• has started losing its hair
• has swollen, painful spots and scabs
As the infection spreads, the dog can become very unwell.
Yeast infection is a common fungal skin infection that usually occurs together with other skin diseases. Yeast (known as Malassezia) are normally found even on healthy skin. However when dogs have another skin condition, the yeast often develops into an infection, causing itching.
Your dog might have a yeast infection if it
• has red, greasy skin
• has lots of crusty, flaky spots
• is losing its hair
• is itching, scratching and clawing at its skin
• smells stale or 'yeasty'
Ringworm is a skin infection caused by a fungus that attacks the dog’s claws, hair and skin. It spreads through direct contact with infected animals or through contact with infected hairs or skin flakes on surfaces such as grooming equipment and bedding, or from the infected animal’s environment.
Your dog might have ringworm if it
• is only itching very mildly
• is losing its fur in patches, often starting on the face and forelegs
• has skin flaking
Some dogs, however, may have ringworm without showing any symptoms at all.
It’s possible for pet owners and their families to develop ringworm infection after handling an infected dog.
Otitis (ear infection) is a common ear complaint. Lots of different things can lead to ear infections, including
• foreign bodies (e.g. grass seeds) or parasites (ear mites) in the ear
• narrow or floppy ears, or ears that are very hairy inside
• excessive ear wax
• some skin diseases
• regular swimming, bathing or grooming
One of the most common causes of repeated or long standing ear infections is atopic dermatitis.
Your dog might have an ear infection if it
• has a red or swollen ear
• is itching, scratching or pawing at its ear
• is shaking its head or holding its head on one side
• has smelly wax or pus coming out of its ear
Atopic dermatitis test
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