Preventing skin problems in dogs: the right reflexes to adopt

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General measures for good skin hygiene

Regular brushing of your dog's coat helps to remove dead hair and dirt, but also to stimulate the skin and hair regrowth. It is also an opportunity to inspect the skin for redness, hair loss, ticks, scabs, pustules, etc.

Shampoos can be used as long as they are specific for dogs, as dogs have a higher pH than humans. Using an unsuitable shampoo could disrupt the skin's ecosystem. Cleansing wipes (or pads) can be used in skin folds (eg on the face of Bulldogs or Shar Peis) and between the pads.

Ears should also be regularly inspected and can be cleaned with cleaning products to remove excess earwax. Be careful not to irritate the skin too much when cleaning! Products designed for this purpose are available from veterinarians. Proper ear cleaning can prevent ear infections.

Prevention of skin acariasis

Skin acariosis is a disease caused by ticks and other mites that can be found throughout France. Acariosis includes diseases such as scabies or demodicosis. Mites, such as ticks, can transmit more or less serious diseases, such as piroplasmosis or Lyme disease. It is therefore important to inspect your pet's skin at the end of each walk and to remove ticks using a tick remover.

There are two systems: a clamp system and a hook system with a slot. Tick ​​removal is effective in domestic carnivores and should be done as early as possible to limit the likelihood of disease transmission.

You should not apply products that will kill the tick while it is on the animal, such as alcohol. There would then be a risk that it will propel the pathogens from its salivary glands onto its hook. Repellent sprays exist and can be used on your dog to prevent infestations. A veterinary prescription is preferable for proper use.

Prevention of skin fungus

Skin mycoses are contagious fungal infections, also called ringworm. They preferentially affect young dogs and those with compromised immune systems.

There is no preventative treatment. Only good hygiene and keeping a safe distance from affected animals are recommended.

Prevention of superinfections linked to atopic dermatitis, the leading dermatological disease in dogs

Atopic dermatitis is the most common skin disease in dogs. It is a chronic, recurrent inflammatory disease with a genetic component associated with skin barrier abnormalities, potentially aggravated by environmental factors. It is comparable to eczema in humans.

It causes severe itching, redness and creates a breeding ground for superinfections. To "educate" the immune system of a young atopic dog, walks in the forest may be recommended for those living in the city.

In addition, diet plays an important role in triggering and/or maintaining this pathology. Hypersensitivity reactions to certain proteins, such as chicken, or an unstable digestive microbiota contribute to maintaining dermatitis. In addition, the skin needs good quality proteins, because it is constantly being renewed. Diet can therefore help in the management of atopic dermatitis.

Therefore, an atopic dog will need a good quality diet enriched with PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acid). Many ranges of veterinary kibble offer foods that best meet the specifications of this condition, and constitute an important and effective means of prevention.

Limiting aeroallergens, such as dust mites or pollens, is another way to prevent attacks. You should be careful with irritants, such as dust, heat, cold (which can also cause dryness ) , humidity (which can lead to bacterial superinfections) or perfumes can be aggravating or even triggering factors.

Preventive treatment is put in place after diagnosis by the veterinarian. Moisturizers, which aim to rebuild the skin barrier, are the cornerstone of treatment. The goal is to reduce insensitive water loss. Different galenic forms are found on the veterinary market, in the form of creams, balms or sprays, to be applied to non-hairy areas. These products help reduce itching, redness, cracks and fissures.

Preventing behavior-related skin problems

Finally, skin problems can be the expression of a poor match between the dog's environment and its needs. Benign licking lesions can be aggravated by bacterial superinfection in the case of compulsive licking, or even self-mutilation.

These behaviors are usually the result of an anxiety disorder or a lack of physical exercise. As a preventative measure, regular and varied physical exercise and lick mats, chew treats, etc. can be good solutions to stimulate your dog physically and intellectually. If the disorder persists, it may be necessary to consult a canine behaviorist.

Skin problems of infectious origin can be prevented by a number of hygienic measures. Adequate nutrition, regular inspection and maintenance of the coat and the application of antiparasitic treatments are often sufficient to prevent the onset of these diseases. However, if an infection is declared, it is advisable to determine the cause before undertaking any treatment.

Bibliography

  • Dermatology and endocrinology courses at the National Veterinary School of Alfort
  • MARSELLA R. Managing dogs with chronic atopic dermatitis. Compend. Cont. Educ. Pract. Vet., 2001
  • OLIVRY T. New drugs in veterinary dermatology: cyclosporine: frequently-asked questions. In: 18th ESVD-ECVD Annual Congress, Nice
  • ROSYCHUK RA. Cutaneous manifestations of endocrine disease in dogs. Compend. Cont. Educ. Pract. Vet.
  • ZUR G, IHRKE PJ, WHITE SD, KASS PH. Canine atopic dermatitis: a retrospective study of 266 cases examined at the University of California, Vet. Derm

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