Skin Allergies
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If you've ever been kept awake by a dog that can't stop scratching, biting and licking itself, then both of you have suffered from skin allergies. Skin allergies, or dermatitis, are one of the trickiest problems to diagnose in an animal, since they can have many different causes. In its misery, the affected animal also usually worsens the problem by continually scratching and licking at the affected places, undoing any healing that's occurred. [...]
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There are few things as painful as cuts, lesions or warts on your feet, can you imagine how painful it would be for a dog to have a growth between their toes? Interdigital cysts are fairly common in most breeds of dogs, especially those with longer hair between the pads of the feet. In most dogs cysts start very similar to pimples or ingrown hairs and are infections in the sebaceous glands (oil glands) or the hair roots called follicular cysts. These cysts will occur between the toes and around the bottoms of the feet and, in the case of true cysts, will often occur in more than one foot. Typically dogs that are prone to cysts will have them reoccur throughout their life and there is little that owners can do to prevent the problem. They can, however, keep the hair trimmed between the pads and watch for any early signs of redness, swelling or lesions between the toes. [...]
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One of the most frustrating issues with treating dogs with skin allergies is trying to determine exactly what is the source of the irritation, known as the allergen. For many dogs it is fleas, well not exactly the fleas themselves but the saliva they secrete as they bite and feed off the dog. There are many different allergens in flea saliva and these are considered to be some of the most problematic conditions for dogs as they are so concentrated even a single bite can cause irritation across a large part of the dog's skin.
Food allergies are also very problematic for many dogs. Often these allergies are to gluten or wheat products in the food but they can also be from corn, preservatives and even flavorings and colorings used in the food. Since most commercially produced dog foods have the same ingredients, owners may need to go to a BARF or bones and raw foods or other natural type diet to eliminate the problematic ingredients from the dog's food. [...]
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Just like human skin, skin on a dog can become infected, can develop rashes and lesions, and can also become dry, flaky and irritated. Sometimes the first sign of serious health conditions and diseases is noted in the skin and coat condition, so carefully examining the dog's skin during routine grooming is essential as an overall health check. A healthy dog's skin will be smooth and free from large amounts of dander or flaky dead skin, free from lesions or abrasions, have normal coloration and be elastic and healthy looking. Skin that is flaky, dry, does not snap back into place or has excessive moisture, hot areas or lesions is a sign of an unhealthy dog. [...]
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Skin Allergies
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