Dog skin conditions, there are so many skin disease’s that this post could cover but it would have been very long. So I decided to pick 5 that I felt where important and also potentially more common than others.
This list is based on my knowledge and experience from working in a special interest small animal skin clinic as a veterinary nurse for the last 3-4 years now.
Dog Skin Conditions #1
Environmental Allergies
Environmental skin allergies, more common than most people think but when allergic to it the environment can cause your dog’s skin some serious grief.
You can see more details about this in my Environmental Allergies post here:
https://furfunme.com/fur-fun-with-pets/environmental-allergies-in-dogs/
Dog Skin Conditions #2
Fleas, Demodex, and mites.
A lot of owners are under the impression, that because they don’t see fleas on their dogs, they don’t have them or get exposed to them.
However, it’s something we see commonly in the skin clinic.
Its actually likely cheaper to just keep your dog protected rather than deal with a potential infestation, on your dog and in your home.
If your dog has the added fun of an allergy to them then the vet bills for dealing with skin flares will likely cost you more than the prevention treatments as well.
See my post here on Fleas and Why It Is So Important You Prevent Your Pet From Getting Them.
Dog Skin Conditions #3
Food Allergies
Less common than environmental allergies but still we see quite a few cases.
Dogs are more likely to be allergic to animal-based protein sources. So beef, chicken, pork, and dairy are common food allergens we see.
Grain allergies in dogs do exist but are uncommon, unfortunately, the “grain-free” fad has progressed from the human market to the animal one.
Owners are now commonly changing their dog’s diets over to grain-free in the hopes it will solve their dog skin problems. However as I said above they are uncommon, which is leaving owners frustrated.
You can see more details here in my Food Allergy and Food Elimination trial post
Dog Skin Conditions #4
Thyroid – Hypothyroidism
An internal medicine condition called “hypothyroidism” can cause serious skin flares and reactions.
The thyroid when under active producing low amounts of “thyroxine”, can cause all sorts of grief.
Its actually more common than you think and not only does it cause weight gain, but skin problems are another common symptom.
Dogs are often not pruritic (itchy) but display hair thinning and loss. Redness and rashes are common also, but again not being itchy can be a telltale sign.
Luckily some simple diagnostic work by your vet can find out if this is the issue and it is very treatable/manageable with medication.
Dog Skin Conditions #5
Dry Skin And Skin Infections Caused By Excessive Grooming.
Not a condition as such I know but I couldn’t leave this one out.
It is possible for owners to cause dog skin problems by over-grooming them.
Human products are too strong but commonly used, owners often wash dog far to frequently. washing away precious oils and skin barrier protections, and therefore leaving the skin dry, irritated and vulnerable to infections.
See this post for more detailed Information, Why Owners Should Wash Thir Dogs Less.
That’s it 5 Dog Skin Conditions. do you have a dog with one of these conditions?
Check out my post here on Tips To Manage A Dog Skin Problem.
As always thanks for reading.
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