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Dogs are susceptible to various skin problems — which can be frustrating for owners who want to see Fido comfortable and happy. Does your dog have a skin problem, and if so, how do you fix it?
That depends on the symptoms you see. Of course, the most common sign of a possible skin problem in your dog is constant, excessive itching. Other symptoms include fur loss, either localized in a certain location or spread across the dog’s entire body. More severe cases may involve redness in the skin, changes in skin pigmentation or even open sores that your dog constantly licks.
No particular symptom necessarily proves your four-footed friend has a certain type of skin disorder, and you’ll need to investigate other areas before you draw conclusions. While it’s common and helpful for veterinarians to diagnose skin problems, it’s also essential for dog owners like you to familiarize yourself with typical canine skin problems, so you can react quickly and keep his discomfort to a minimum.
Fleas, Lice and Ticks
One of the most common problems in dogs is the presence of fleas, lice and ticks, which are parasites that live on the surface of the skin and feed on the dog’s blood. These parasites’ saliva causes skin irritation and results in intense scratching.
Lice and ticks can be detected visually when you check your dog’s fur, while fleas are hard to spot with the naked eye. However, fleas cause red pimple marks on the skin and also can be spotted through the black, gritty trail of “dirt” they leave on a dog’s belly.
While you can remove ticks and lice with tweezers — applying alcohol to relax the tick’s grip before doing so — you can also adopt more general methods. For instance, you can give your dog a dip with special tick shampoo to eliminate ticks. Flea sprays or flea powder can also be applied to the dog to kill parasites. But all these require persistence and it may be a while before you see results.
One of the best methods to keep your dog comfortable is to prevent ticks from living off your dog in the first place through the use of a spot-on product, such as FrontLine or BioSpot. To apply these chemicals, you drip a small amount onto the back of your dog’s neck once a month. The chemical spreads throughout the dog’s skin and kills parasites — including the eggs and larvae. When regularly treated, your dog becomes an unattractive host.
Mange
Mange is a skin problem caused by mites that burrow underneath the dog’s skin, causing intense and even agonizing itching. Bald spots or inflamed red skin are common symptoms of mange. Two types of mange exist in dogs: sarcoptic mange and demodectic mange, depending on the kind of mite involved.
Most dogs carry the mites involved in demodectic mange or demodex. However, these mites usually do not cause itching except when they suddenly multiply into huge numbers. This may happen in young puppies, or in dogs with decreased natural body defenses, sometimes from stress.
On the other hand, Sacroptic mange or scabies causes intense itching in the dog as the mites burrow under the skin and even lay their eggs there. This causes large red spots on the dog’s skin, and sometimes fur loss on the ears and elbows. Scabies can infect humans as well and cause itchiness, although infection in humans usually disappears by itself after a while. However, it is still important for people to seek treatment if they get infected.
Treatment for mange requires patience and time, as eliminating them or lowering the mite population takes a while to take effect. The best way to kill the mites is to soak your dog in a lime and sulfur medicated dip for 10 to 15 minutes a few times in a week. The dip should not be washed off, but left to dry on your dog’s skin and fur. During this time, it’s best to watch your dog closely and prevent him from licking himself dry. As a further precaution, you can feed him a raw egg to line his stomach before dipping him in the solution. This way, even if he does lick himself, the solution won’t be absorbed on an empty stomach.
When fighting mange, it’s also important to support your dog with the highest quality diet you can find, to improve his immune system. Healing from mange will take a lot of his internal resources. You might consider looking into the raw diet for dogs and avoiding any corn or rice-based products for the time being.
About the Author
Blake Kritzberg is proprietor of Poodle-oo: Fashion for Toy Dogs. Stop by for toy dog couture and home decor, free toy dog postcards and the Toy Dog Blog.
http://www.poodle-oo.com/
from David the Dogman
Found on the Internet author unknown
Commitment, Firmness, but kindness.
Do you have any problems with your pet? Then why not send your problem to DAVID THE DOGMAN.
David is a Canine Behaviourist who works and lives in Marbella, Spain. Tel/Fax (00345) 2883388.
His web site is located at: http://www.thedogman.net.
David has his own radio and TV shows, and writes for many newspapers and magazines. David has been working with dogs for many years and started his career in Israel, working on the Border Police. He has been involved in all forms of training, including air sea rescue, air scent work, and has trained dogs for finding drugs. David has devoted the past 10 years to studying behaviour and the very passive approach. He does not use choke chains, check chains, or any form of aggression.
David The Dogman is available for private consultations in your home, for further details telephone; Tel; (95) 2883388
If you are thinking of adding a feline to your family, consider
adopting a cat from your local animal shelter or humane society.
The animals have been carefully screened for adoptability and
have usually been worked with to enhance sociability.
Unfortunately, many people think that only “bad” animals wind up
in shelters. Actually, the opposite is true. People relinquish
their pets to shelters when they are no longer able to care for
them. Sometimes this is because the owner was unprepared for the
responsibility that comes with caring for a pet.
If there is no indication of ‘reason for surrender’ on the cage
at the shelter ask - a cat that has been given up because of bad
behaviour may not be the best choice - no matter how cute she is.
Often, however, caring owners struggling with life-changes or
trying to cope with family tragedy realize their pet would be
better off with someone else. They bring them to the shelter
because they know the animal will be well-cared for and placed
in an excellent home.
Shelter staff carefully evaluates each animal for physical and
behavioral soundness. They make note of quirks, and work with
specialists to eliminate negative behaviors. Most shelters have
adoption counselors who interview potential adopters to
understand their needs and lifestyle so they can make the
perfect match.
Your first contact with a shelter cat will probably be when she
is in her cage. Don’t be put off if she ignores you completely.
Keep in mind that many new people pass by her cage each day, and
she has to cope with all the noise and stress that accompanies
that. A shelter worker can arrange for you to meet the cat in a
quiet room. Again, she may not pay much attention to you, but
watch how she acts towards the staff person. This is who she is
more comfortable with. While you observe the cat, talk with the
staff member and learn all you can about the cat’s likes and
dislikes.
Take a cat carrier with you to the shelter - much easier than
having your new cat running around the car as you take her home.
Bringing your newly adopted cat home is exciting for you, and a
little overwhelming for her. Have things prepared before you
pick her up from the shelter. This includes having small area
for her to call her own. A bathroom or extra bedroom works well.
Furnish it with a bed, food and water bowls, scratching post,
toys and a litter box. Spend some time with her in the room with
the door closed. She may totally ignore you while she explores
her new surroundings. Keep her confined to this room until she
seems relaxed in your presence. Then you can allow her to roam
the rest of your home.
Some cats take longer than others to adjust to new situations.
Your cat has gone from a home to a noisy shelter to another new
home. Change is stressful for cats. You can help her adjust more
quickly by establishing set routines. Begin feeding, grooming
and playing with her at the same times each day, and she’ll feel
at home much sooner.