Skin conditions are one of the most common health problems pet owners face. While some are hard to diagnose, others can be identified by simple first-aid techniques or even just by looking at your dog's skin. In this article, we'll go over four common skin conditions in dogs: ear mites, Demodex mange, allergic dermatitis, and cutaneous asteatotic dermatitis (CAD).
Ear Mites
Ear mites are common in dogs, and they're caused by a tiny parasite that burrows into the ear canal and feeds on ear wax. Symptoms include scratching, redness, and inflammation--and if left untreated for too long (or if you don't treat them at all), they can cause permanent damage to your dog's hearing.
If you suspect that your dog has ear mites: take him/her to the vet immediately! Treatments vary depending on where you live but usually involve cleaning out the ears with medication before applying a topical treatment called ivermectin twice weekly for two weeks or so. In addition to this basic treatment plan, there are some preventative measures you can take at home: frequent cleaning of your pup's ears with warm water mixed with vinegar (1 part vinegar per 8 parts water) helps remove excess debris while reducing irritation caused by residual wax build-up; daily use of anti-inflammatory eye drops like Refresh Tears or Visine may also help reduce swelling around their eyes as well as encourage healing time after grooming sessions involving close contact between human hands and canine face regions
Lichen Planus
Lichen planus is a skin disease that affects the hair follicles. It can cause hair loss, skin lesions, and itching. It is not contagious; however, it can affect any part of your dog's body including:
- The mouth
- The feet (pictured above)
Lichen planus will go away on its own but it may take months or even years before completely disappearing. There are no cures for this condition but there are treatments available to help ease your dog's discomfort during this time period: Steroids or immune-suppressing drugs , diet changes, supplements like cod liver oil capsules
Allergic Dermatitis
Allergic dermatitis is a common skin condition in dogs. It can be caused by allergies to food, plants, or fleas. Symptoms include redness and itchiness; the dog may scratch excessively at the irritated area of their skin. Treatment includes steroids to reduce inflammation, antihistamines for itchiness, and antifungal medication for yeast infections (which often accompany allergic dermatitis). Dietary change may also be recommended depending on what you think might be causing your dog's allergy; however, this can be expensive as it requires a special diet rather than just changing one ingredient in their normal food.
Although most dogs will recover from this condition without needing surgery or other treatments that could affect their quality of life significantly, there are some cases where the treatment needs to go beyond what can be done at home with over-the-counter remedies like those mentioned above
Demodex Mange
Demodex mange is a skin condition caused by tiny mites that live in your dog's hair follicles. These microscopic parasites are present on the skin of dogs and humans, but they only cause problems if there are too many of them or if your dog has an immune system deficiency. There are two varieties of Demodex mites:
- -Demodex canis causes mild to moderate itching and hair loss over large areas of the body. It mainly affects puppies under one year old, but older dogs may develop severe cases of this condition as well--especially if they have other health problems like diabetes or cancer that suppress their immune systems' ability to fight off infections like demodicosis (the technical name for canine demodicosis).
- -Demodex gator causes severe inflammation around the eyes, lips, nose, and ears; these areas may become infected with bacteria if left untreated due to the fact that these parts receive little air circulation while being covered up most days by fur while sleeping at night time hours away from human contact during sleep cycles so no one notices how bad things really look until after waking up every morning when grooming yourself before heading out into public places where people might stare at them funny because something doesn't seem quite right about them physically speaking?
Cutaneous Asteatotic Dermatitis (CAD)
Cutaneous Asteatotic Dermatitis (CAD) is a common skin condition in dogs. The cause is usually yeast or fungus, but it can also be caused by bacteria or parasites. CAD is not contagious and there are many ways to treat it.
If you notice that your dog has CAD, keep him clean and dry by washing him with medicated shampoo, which may help prevent secondary infections from forming on top of the original irritation. If these secondary infections become severe enough that they require treatment with antibiotics from your veterinarian, then this will likely be necessary every few weeks until all signs of infection disappear completely from both inside and outside of their body; however, most cases do not require antibiotics at all because they heal without intervention within about two weeks' time after being diagnosed correctly via biopsy analysis done by a qualified dermatologist who specializes in treating animals such as cats & dogs rather than humans only!
Hot Spots
Hot spots are areas of inflammation, usually on the dog's muzzle, neck, and chest. They can be caused by allergies, fleas, or ticks as well as other parasites such as mange mites. Hot spots are painful and must be treated immediately because they can become infected if not treated properly.
If your dog scratches at a hot spot, hair will fall out in that area; this is called "flea collar dermatitis" because it looks like a flea collar around the neck or face when they scratch at their skin so much that they pull out all the fur in one area (this often happens behind the ears). The area becomes red and inflamed then eventually becomes infected with pus-filled bumps called pustules. Treatment options include topical ointments containing steroids (to reduce inflammation) or antibiotics (to kill bacteria) applied daily for several days until symptoms subside completely
Conclusion
Skin conditions in dogs can be frustrating and difficult to deal with, but they don't have to be. With the right knowledge and tools, you can help your pet get back on track in no time!