Dog skin disorders
Skin disorders may be primary or secondary (due to scratching, itch) in nature, making diagnosis complicated.
[4] Some of the allergens associated with atopy in dogs include pollens of trees, grasses and weeds, as well as molds and house dust mites.
Ear and skin infections by the bacteria Staphylococcus pseudintermedius and the yeast Malassezia pachydermatis are commonly secondary to atopic dermatitis.
The axillae, ventral abdomen, distal extremities, inner pinnae; and periocular, perioral, and perianal regions are commonly affected.
Diagnosis of atopic dermatitis is by elimination of other causes of irritation, including fleas, mites, and other parasites, such as Cheyletiella and lice.
[1] Blisters in the epidermis rapidly break to form crusts and erosions, most often affecting the face and ears initially, but in some cases spreading to include the whole body.
Treatment of autoimmune skin diseases in dogs requires methods to reduce the abnormal immune response; steroids, azathioprine and other drugs are used as immunosuppressive agents.
A hot spot can manifest and spread rapidly in a matter of hours, as secondary Staphylococcus infection causes the top layers of the skin to break down and pus becomes trapped in the hair.
Hot spots can be treated with corticosteroid medications and oral or topical antibiotic applications, as well as clipping hair from around the lesion.
These include seborrheic dermatitis, ichthyosis, skin fragility syndrome (Ehlers-Danlos), hereditary canine follicular dysplasia and hypotrichosis, such as color dilution alopecia.
[16] Lupoid dermatosis is a hereditary autosomal recessive disease that has been identified in the German Shorthaired Pointer and the Hungarian Vizsla.
[17] Clinical signs include: facial erythema, crusting and scaling,[18] skin lesions, lameness, ulcers, and disfiguration: it progresses to joint pain and azoospermia in males and disruption of the oestrous cycle in females.
The supplementation of both omega fatty acids 3 and 6 have been shown to mediate the inflammatory skin response seen in chronic diseases.
[19] Furthermore, diets lacking in essential fatty acids usually present as matted and unkept fur as the first sign of a deficiency.
Though not always the case, omega 6 fatty acids promote inflammation of the skin, which in turn reduces overall appearance and health.
Vitamin A, which can also be supplemented as beta-carotene, prevents the deterioration of epithelial tissues associated with chronic skin diseases and aging.
[24] Vitamin E neutralizes free radicals that accumulate in highly proliferative cells like skin and prevent the deterioration of fibrous tissue caused by these ionized molecules.
By including zinc in the diet it will not only aid in the development of collagen and wound healing, but it will also prevent the skin from becoming dry and flaky.
