Dog Fleas

DOGGIE ITCHING

Your dog itching? Itching is a very uncomfortable problem for many of our pets. Whilst itching can be caused by obvious culprits, such as fleas, sometime the source of the problem can be less obvious.

The skin of your dog is normally covered with various microorganisms such as bacteria and yeast. Usually these organisms do not cause any problems because healthy skin is resistant to infection, but when an underlying disease compromises the immunity of the dog or changes the skin's susceptibility to infection, the bacteria that are already there have the opportunity to multiply and cause infection.

If your dog is itching and it's odor seems worse than normal, it may be due to yeast or bacteria, which digest skin secretions, resulting in an unpleasant, rancid smell.

Skin infections may produce many symptoms ranging from moist, irritated patches to small pustules that look like pimples. Infections can arise as dry flaky circles that peel or the area may become itchy and red. Once an infection like this has a foothold, it can sometimes keep going even after the original cause of the infection has gone.

Another conditions that may cause skin problems are allergies. Allergies often lead to secondary bacterial and yeast infections that can hide the presence of the allergy. After the infection is treated, the odor, redness and sores go away but the itching remains, the dog may still have an underlying allergy. Animals can develop allergies in response to many environmental agents including mold, pollen and fleas.

In general, dogs get skin infections more frequently than most other animals. Certain dog breeds, such as German shepherds, cocker spaniels, golden retrievers, Dobermans, West Highland White Terriers and breeds with lots of skin folds, also tend to have a higher incidence of skin problems.

The best way to resolve skin infections is to identify the original cause of the infection and treat it. To treat infections that are on the surface of the skin, antiseptic shampoos and other topical treatments can be applied. For infections that are deeper, oral antibiotics or antifungal drugs may be prescribed. As with all medications, they need to be given for the full course of therapy and not just until the condition looks better.

If you have any questions or you think that your pet may have a skin infection, contact your local veterinarian.

Mark Woodcock
1 Flea Control

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