Itchy, flaky skin on dogs is an all-too-common problem with many pet owners. There are many reasons for conditions of the skin that it makes it difficult to diagnose the actual causes. And not knowing the true cause makes it complicated to treat. Of course, if the condition goes untreated, it can lead to hair loss and the poor dog feeling so uncomfortable, scratching themselves raw.
This is surely not what we want for our precious pet. It breaks our hearts to see them suffer, even more so when we do not know how to help them, as much as we want to. Some of the causes of the skin problems can be from allergies, parasites and some fungal infections such as ringworm and yeast infections. A visit to your vet would be necessary so they can take a skin sample to determine the actual cause.
Going through each possible cause: first, the allergy issue is one of the most common issues. Dogs can have some of the same types of allergies as humans, such as contact allergies (touching something new to them that does not agree with them), or food allergies that do not agree with them. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? The only way to pinpoint the actual cause involves trial-and-error-type tests which are extensive, unless you really want to put your pet through an actual allergy test, which is much like a human test. Know what you have changed recently and try to eliminate it, until finding the real cause (if it is possible). That is part of the treatment, plus using something like Benadryl as advised by your vet.
The other most common cause of itchy skin is due to parasites, and there are countless ones that can affect your dog. The most widespread is the ever popular pesky flea, can get deep within the skin and hair follicles, unseen to the naked eye. Other parasites can be scabies, and different types of mites such as those which cause mange, that may require special medications and/or medicated dips and shampoos.
The third but not least important problem with skin problems in your dog is due to some fungal infections. These can include yeast infections and ringworm. An additional problem with these micro-organisms is that they can be spread to other animals and even humans if not treated immediately and carefully by your vet.
Aside from the treatments as mentioned, there are special dips, shampoos, and antihistamines; and some other trusted and true remedies can include but are not limited to some antibiotics, steroids, an anti-fungal medication (such as a treatment for athlete’s foot) or any of the combinations of healing management plans incorporated by your vet. After all, we not only want to manage any of these problems spreading in our homes and families, we do love our pets and it indeed hurts us as well when we see them hurting. As a responsible pet owner, we do want our “best friend” to be Happy and Healthy.
