Common Skin Diseases in Dogs and Cats: Types and Prevention and Treatment Methods
Any disease that can cause itching, hair loss, scabbing and abnormal skin changes in dogs and cats is collectively called skin disease, and the clinical incidence of this disease is high.So what are the common skin diseases in dogs and cats? How are they treated? What are the prevention and treatment measures?
What are the common skin diseases in dogs and cats? How are they treated?
1. Allergic skin diseases
Some pet dogs have allergic reactions to bathing products and food, and the surrounding environment can also trigger allergic skin diseases in dogs, such as pollen and mosquito bites. Dogs suffering from allergic dermatitis will scratch constantly, and if you part the fur where they keep scratching to take a look, you will find an unsightly rash. For allergic skin diseases, corticosteroids can be used, but it is best to avoid contact with the allergens.
2. Yeast infection
If a dog keeps scratching its ears and licking its paws, you can have it checked at the hospital to see whether it is a yeast infection. Pet dogs with yeast infection will become angry or itchy for no reason, or show symptoms of skin discoloration and loss of color. Yeast usually multiplies in places favorable to it, such as the paws and ears. Therefore, these two places are usually the sites most easily infected in dogs. Yeast infection is very easy to diagnose, and ordinary ointments can also cure it. Only in special cases will the veterinarian recommend that you use oral medication or medicated baths as the treatment method.
3. Folliculitis
Superficial folliculitis is an infection that causes lumps, scabs and sores to appear on a dog's skin. Short-haired dogs are relatively prone to this kind of folliculitis, while long-haired dogs may show loose skin folds accompanied by peeling. Dogs suffering from folliculitis generally also have various skin diseases such as mange, allergies and abrasions. The usual treatment methods are oral antibiotics, antibacterial ointments and dog shampoo.
What are the prevention and treatment measures for common skin diseases in dogs and cats?
Various skin diseases caused by fungi parasitic on the hair, epidermis and claw keratin tissue of dogs, cats and many other animals are collectively called dermatophytosis. It is characterized by clearly demarcated round patches of hair loss on the skin, underlying skin damage, exudate, scales or scabs, and itching. It occurs in countries all over the world. This disease is a zoonosis, and in human medicine it is called “ringworm”.
I. Main symptoms
The skin on the face, ears, limbs, toes and claws, and trunk of affected dogs and cats often has typical lesions. These are manifested as hair loss, spreading rapidly outward in round, oval, irregular or diffuse shapes (1-4 cm in diameter). Usually the course of acute infection is 2-4 weeks; if not treated in time, it turns chronic and often can last for months or even years.
II. Prevention and treatment measures
1. Topical drugs: apply Pikang cream, clotrimazole, sulfur and other ointments or Xuanjing 1-2 times a day until recovery. Before use, cut the hair on and around the affected area, wash away dandruff, scabs and other dirt, and then apply the ointment. A 0.5% chlorhexidine solution can also be used to wash twice a week.
2. Oral drugs: oral drugs include griseofulvin and ketoconazole, etc.
(1) Griseofulvin, 40-120 mg per kg of body weight per day for dogs, 20-50 mg per kg of body weight for cats. Crush the drug and feed it mixed into food once or in several portions, continuing for several weeks until cured. During medication, increasing fatty foods in the diet can promote absorption of the drug. Griseofulvin can cause fetal malformation, so oral administration is prohibited in pregnant animals.
(2) Ketoconazole, 10-30 mg per kg of body weight per day, taken orally in 3 divided doses, continuing for 2-8 weeks. This drug is more easily absorbed in an acidic environment, so milk should not be drunk and alkaline foods should not be fed during medication. Its side effects include anorexia, weight loss, vomiting, diarrhea and stillbirth in pregnant animals, etc.
For chronic and severe dermatophytosis, oral drug treatment must be used, or oral and topical drugs must be used simultaneously.
3. Prevention. The following measures can be taken.
(1) Strengthen nutrition and feed complete, balanced commercial dog and cat food to enhance the body's resistance.
(2) If dogs or cats are found to have dermatophytosis, they should be isolated immediately, and utensils should be strictly disinfected and sterilized with chlorhexidine, sodium hypochlorite and other solutions.
(3) Conduct regular quarantine inspections. All positive animals should be isolated and treated. Newly introduced animals should be isolated and observed for 30 d, and only after being confirmed negative can they be mixed into the group for rearing.
(4) Veterinary hospitals should usually pay attention to hygiene in order to prevent contamination of instruments and utensils and to control infection by pathogenic fungi.
(5) After a veterinarian confirms that a dog or cat has dermatophytosis, the owner should be made aware of the harm this disease poses to public health and the corresponding measures that should be taken to prevent its spread.
(6) People who come into contact with affected animals should pay special attention to protection. People suffering from dermatophytosis should be treated promptly so as to avoid spreading it and infecting dogs, cats and other animals.