Infectious dermatitis is a little known cause of dog scratching. Although veterinarians see this condition quite often, it's not the first thing pet owners think of when they see their dog scratching incessantly. If your dog is scratching all the time, there's definitely something wrong.
If you've ruled out the common itching causes such as fleas, consider the fact that your poor dog might be suffering from a serious condition known as infectious dermatitis.
How do you know if it's infectious dermatitis? Look for moist, itchy, inflamed skin which is sticky too. There may or may not be hair loss as well. Your dog's behavior will be a never-ending cycle of scratch - bite - damage - semi healing - lick - scratch - damage. Dogs usually keep irritating the already infected area making healing difficult. A big problem is that infectious dermatitis can spread to other dogs and even humans.
The causes of infectious dermatitis can be 1) fungal infections like ringworm that cause hair loss in circular patches without any itching, 2) yeast infections like candida cause itching and redness with bad smell, and 3) bacterial infections cause hotspots on dog's skin.
Treatment for infectious dermatitis varies depending on which specific pathogen is actually causing it. Each infection is treated for the pathogen causing it with antifungal, antibiotic and immunity boosting medicines. You can help the healing by clipping your dog's hair and keeping his or her skin dry.
Now that you know that your dog can scratch and suffer baldness and sores due to reasons other than fleas, keep a careful watch on your dog's behavior to find the cause. Don't hesitate to consult a veterinary dermatologist if the dog scratching symptoms persist.
If your dog is scratching it means he or she is very uncomfortable, and that's not what you want for your special friend. And most importantly, do not give up hope. Dog scratching can be cured.
If you've ruled out the common itching causes such as fleas, consider the fact that your poor dog might be suffering from a serious condition known as infectious dermatitis.
How do you know if it's infectious dermatitis? Look for moist, itchy, inflamed skin which is sticky too. There may or may not be hair loss as well. Your dog's behavior will be a never-ending cycle of scratch - bite - damage - semi healing - lick - scratch - damage. Dogs usually keep irritating the already infected area making healing difficult. A big problem is that infectious dermatitis can spread to other dogs and even humans.
The causes of infectious dermatitis can be 1) fungal infections like ringworm that cause hair loss in circular patches without any itching, 2) yeast infections like candida cause itching and redness with bad smell, and 3) bacterial infections cause hotspots on dog's skin.
Treatment for infectious dermatitis varies depending on which specific pathogen is actually causing it. Each infection is treated for the pathogen causing it with antifungal, antibiotic and immunity boosting medicines. You can help the healing by clipping your dog's hair and keeping his or her skin dry.
Now that you know that your dog can scratch and suffer baldness and sores due to reasons other than fleas, keep a careful watch on your dog's behavior to find the cause. Don't hesitate to consult a veterinary dermatologist if the dog scratching symptoms persist.
If your dog is scratching it means he or she is very uncomfortable, and that's not what you want for your special friend. And most importantly, do not give up hope. Dog scratching can be cured.
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