Dog Skin Care

There can be many causes of skin irritations and infections. Skin irritations can be red, itchy, cause hair loss, and even become odorous. The best way to get to the bottom of your dog’s skin issues is to have a consultation with one of our wonderful veterinarians. We want to ensure your dog’s comfort and skin health needs are met.

Despite the name, ringworm is not actually a worm (or even caused by a worm). It’s a fungal infection of the top layers of the skin and hair. Classic symptoms of ringworm include lesions that typically appear on a dog’s head, ears, paws and forelimbs. These lesions can cause patchy, crusted circular “bald spots” that sometimes look red in the centre. In mild cases of ringworm, there may be just a few broken hairs, while severe cases of ringworm can spread over most of a dog’s body. It’s also possible for a dog to carry the fungus and not show any signs or symptoms.

Skin allergies in dogs are typically caused by two factors: environmental and food-related allergies. Food allergies can be controlled with a proper diet and avoiding the triggers that cause the discomfort to your dog. Environmental allergies can be controlled with medications that can help reduce the side effects of allergies.

The causes of parasitic skin diseases are just that, parasites! Fleas are the biggest culprit to irritating our beloved pets. Treatments come in many forms, topical as well as oral parasite preventions are available at our clinic.

Causes of hormonal skin disease in dogs is typically due to an imbalance of hormones. Alopecia and dermatosis are the two most common skin diseases caused by hormones in dogs. Hair loss, redness, itching is just a few of the symptoms. The number one treatment is to spay or neuter your pet to avoid imbalance. If the problems persist, there are other medications and hormone therapy available.