Dog Health

4 most common skin problems among dogs!

admin • 30 May 2023

With more than 160 types of skin diseases, dogs are one of the animals that suffer the most from dermatological problems. Find out what the main illnesses are and how to identify them to help your doggo.

Skin diseases are some of the main causes of demand for veterinary treatment for dogs. Even the mildest conditions, if not properly treated, can trigger more serious complications for our partner. So, learn to identify the most common diseases to help your pet if he starts showing symptoms of these dermatoses. 

Scabies 

Mange is an extremely common skin condition and can be highly contagious to other dogs and humans. Currently, three types of mange are known to veterinarians: sarcoptic, demodectic (or black mange) and otodectic. 

Sarcoptic mange is one of the most common types of dermatosis in dogs and is caused by the mite “Sarcoptes Scabiei”. Being extremely contagious, when affecting the dog, it can cause itching, redness, hair loss, and thickening of the skin. Also, it can be transmitted to humans, causing similar symptoms. 

Demodectic mange, or black mange, is transmitted by the mother to her puppies during breastfeeding and, unfortunately, has no cure. The mite responsible for the disease can normally live on the dog's skin, showing symptoms only when the pet has low immunity. The main symptoms of black scabies are hair loss, inflammation, skin thickening, redness and itching. 

Although more common in cats than dogs, otodectic mange is caused by a parasite that inhabits the animal's ear and skin surface. Commonly confused with otitis, this type of scabies causes itchiness, excess reddish or brown wax, wounds and a bad smell, but differs from it in that it has an even greater concentration of wax. 

Ticks and fleas 

Both parasites are responsible for skin problems that, if not properly cared for, can progress to serious health issues and even death. 

In the case of fleas, their bite leads to an allergic response from the animal that irritates its skin and triggers extreme itching and, in certain cases, causes reddened and inflamed skin. Thus, the dog tends to scratch and bite the affected parts, causing even more sensitivity and skin complications. 

In addition to feeding on the blood of dogs, ticks can transmit protozoa and bacteria that give rise to “ tick disease ”, where agents affect vital organs, causing symptoms such as anemia, fever, petechiae (red dots on the body), bleeding, weight loss, seizures, and even death. Thus, when identifying the presence of a tick in the dog, it is essential that it is properly extracted by a veterinarian and that the tutor pays attention to these possible symptoms in the weeks following the diagnosis of the parasite.

Yeast infections 

Diseases caused by fungi are very common in warm areas of the puppy's body, such as the ears, and groin, between the toes, and the perineum. Although most fungi present in dogs naturally inhabit their body, their uncontrolled proliferation can trigger more serious illnesses. 

In addition, factors such as exposure to humidity, hormonal imbalances, presence of parasites, allergies, poor nutrition and hypersensitivity of the skin can also be responsible for the acquisition and development of fungal diseases in dogs. Three of the most common diseases in this category are candidacies, malasseziosis and dermatophytosis. 

Caused by the fungus of the genus “ Candida SPP ”, candidacies occurs when its presence occurs in excess in the dog, affecting mainly the mucous membranes, nostrils, ears, abdomen, perineum and, in general, the most humid and warm areas of the body. Candidacies can manifest itself through inflammation, edema and itching at the affected sites to wet and reddish erosions.  

Already otitis, ear itch and ear secretions can be a sign of malassezia. The microorganism responsible for the disease proliferates without control in the animal's ear due to humidity and heat or due to immunological deficiencies, causing great discomfort in our companion. 

In a similar way, dermatophytosis develops in dogs, but in this case, the fungal agents are transmitted by an infected animal to a healthy one. Feeding on the keratin of the skin, this fungus essentially affects the extremities of the dog's body, such as the paws and nails, and is characterized by itching, flaky, inflamed, reddened, or hardened skin, in addition to nail injuries.

Allergies

Unlike the other skin problems seen above, allergies in dogs can cause reactions in some animals and not others, considering that the immune system of each one will interpret a certain allergen in different ways. 

Allergies in dogs can be caused by environmental or dietary factors. Some of the most common environmental allergens are grass, mites, pollen and dust, which can cause itchiness, excessive licking of the body, progression of the condition to bacterial or fungal lesions and recurrent otitis. As the symptoms of atopy (environmental allergy) are similar to those of other skin diseases, it is important for the veterinarian to carry out a detailed evaluation so that he can rule out other dermatomes and draw an accurate diagnosis of the reasons for the allergic reaction. 

Food allergies, on the other hand, are linked to a pet's intolerance to certain foods, such as beef, eggs, chicken and dairy - although some dogs also suffer from allergies to wheat or even vegetables. Among the main symptoms are: itchy face, feet, ears, anus, chronic diarrhea, red spots and bacterial lesions. Dogs that have a confirmed diagnosis will have to undergo a diet reformulation together with the responsible veterinarian.