Dog skin and hair - symptoms and causes
16 May 2007
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Simply Right Click and choose Save As to save to your desktop! More FREE Natural Health, Wellness and Pet Ebooks at Remedies4.com!As a pet owner, you probably revel in showing off the great looks of your pet. You like to boast about the tricks that they can perform. You are probably also very proud of the fact that your pet is clean, hygienic and has a great skin and fur.
But this source of pride can cause serious concerns if proper care is not taken to maintain good skin health.
Feline Acne and feline Hair Loss are common occurrences in cats. Dogs, on the other hand, face more skin and hair related problems that can occur due to multiple conditions.
The dog Skin Problems that a pet owner can face are almost unlimited. Skin Problems can be caused due to a variety of reasons. The final diagnosis of the problem can only happen keeping the other symptoms in mind.
Generally speaking, there are dog Skin Problems that can be caused by excessive Itching. On the other hand, Itching can be a behavioral symptom caused by an internal condition.
Dog skin problems can occur due to external or internal reasons.
External causes and symptoms
Dogs are prone to develop allergies from exposure to the environment. The probability of contracting a skin related problem increases during summer. Some of the most common causes of skin allergies in dogs are:
* Fleas, mites, chiggers, lice, maggots and other insects.
* Sensitivity towards some substance that the dog comes in contact with. This could even be the lawn grass that they move or play on.
* Chemical detergents, paints and other irritants.
These different allergens cause allergies with different symptoms. If you spend adequate amounts of time with your pet and observe closely, you should be able to identify the key source of the problem.
Some of the allergic reactions that can occur are:
* Rashes.
* Skin irritations near the ear, mouth and between the toes.
* Red lumps that look like pimples.
* Incessant Itching and scratching on the back and hind quarters.
* Cystic lumps with holes directly under the skin.
* Red shining moist Ulcers, commonly known as hot spots.
* Insect bites, especially near the tips of ears.
* Large amounts of dry flaky skin over the neck and back with variable itching. This condition is also indicative of cat Dandruff.
* Bare spots where hair appears to have been rubbed off.
* Small swellings/spots, as in chicken pox.
Internal causes and symptoms
Some of the internal causes of skin related problems that cause Hair Loss are diseases like
* Hyperthyroidism - An excess of cortisone produces a symmetric Hair Loss. A disturbance in the growth hormones causes a bilateral and symmetric Alopecia to occur. This condition usually occurs around puberty and is breed specific.
* Cushings disease - Immune mediated skin disorders are characterized by the formation of blebs, commonly known as blisters. These eventually turn to crusts, Ulcers and skin erosions with excessive itching and scratching. The first sign of these symptoms occur on the nose, muzzle and ears.
* Hormonal disturbances. - Disturbances in female sex hormones also bring about hair loss in specific areas of the body.
Even as you seek medical advice and visit a veterinarian, you need to appreciate that skin issues can be extremely painful at times and can make your pet irritable. And therefore, extreme caution is recommended while you handle you dog during a Skin Condition.
References:
http://en.wikiped...i/Dog_skin_disorders
http://www.nzymes...air_problems.htm#top
http://www.thepet...om/exa/hotspots.html
http://www.thepet...er.com/gen/itch.html
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