Friday, October 28, 2011

Dog Skin Problems: What You Need to Know

By Dirk Gruenberg


Do you feel like your dog constantly scratches himself or chews on his skin, because it might be itching? Then that can be frustrating, particularly if he rips patches of fur out or otherwise damages is skin.

Fortunately, this kind of behavior is not usually the result of some dramatic illness. However, it can still feel worrisome to the owner and very unpleasant to the dog.

So what is the cause of skin problems in dogs? Well, more often than not skin problems are related to allergies. Dogs, just like us, can have allergies. Often the source of their allergy is in their food - with corn being the number one culprit.

Eliminating corn from your pet's diet will most likely resolve the skin issue, though it can take up to two weeks for the itching to disappear completely. Your dog may also have a parasite of some kind.

When thinking about parasites, the one that is the most common is fleas. Consequently, it would be a good idea to check your dog for fleas regularly. You may find them along the dogs back or his tail.

Often times, you may spot a flea actually on the skin of the dog, however in many cases, the dog may have been bitten by a flea while outside, and hasn't carried them in.

Look for red, itchy bumps which somewhat resemble mosquito bites in humans.

If you see this type of mark on your dog, a bath with a flea shampoo will kill any living fleas on your pet, but also act as a type of repellent for a certain period of time to keep fleas from biting your dog in the future.

Of course, you can also upgrade your action to protect your dog from fleas a little bit. Ask your vet for more aggressive flea medication. Often this kind of medication comes in form of drops that are applied to the neck of the dog - and it might keep fleas away from him for months.




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