Dry Skin in Dogs

I've seen my dog scratch herself, and at times I think she does it because she's bored. While a little bit of scratching is fine, but if you find your pet doing it constantly, it means that he/she might have fleas or a skin condition. Alternately, your dog may have itchy, flaky, dry skin. Albeit a common problem, if it goes untreated it can lead to hair loss and infection. Some of the common causes of dry skin on dogs are:

Parasites: Parasites are a primary cause for itchy, flaky dry skin in dogs. It is quite common for a dog to have fleas, which can be spotted on inspection and accordingly dealt with. However, there are other parasites that can create similar problems. Some are not visible to the naked eye as they reside deep in the hair follicle. To detect these kinds of parasites, a veterinarian may carry out a quick, simple skin scraping procedure to determine which, if any parasites, are present. Some of the possible (read: common) parasites your dog might have are cheyletiella mites (sometimes called "walking dandruff"), scabies (sarcoptic mange), demodectic mange and dog ear mites. To treat most of these mites, you will need a special prescription medication. Read more on fleas on dogs.

Allergies: While we are familiar with human allergies, dogs can have allergies too. The common allergies to cause itchy dry skin in dogs are atopy (allergy to inhaled substances), food allergies and contact dermatitis. Dry itchy skin is just one of the numerous symptoms of food allergies, which are difficult to diagnose in humans, and thus much more so in dogs. The diagnosing process often involves a lot of trial and error to pin point the cause of the allergy. Treatment can be in the form of anti-histimine medications and limiting contact with the irritant. The onset of contact dermatitis can be sudden, sometimes arising overnight, which leaves a dog reacting to a substance or surface that he didn't have problems tolerating right up to the previous night! Household cleaners, laundry detergent, shampoos, dog perfumes, and fabrics like wool can trigger this condition.

Fungal Infections: Another likely cause of this skin condition is fungal infections. A yeast infection, or ringworm could create itchy, scaly, dry skin on dogs, and unfortunately, the latter can easily be spread to other pets and even human family members. These micro-organisms can cause constant irritation, from the time the lesion forms, until the time it heals. These infections cause flaking and scaling, and often redness, oozing and a secondary infection. A bacterial infection to produce dry skin is Pyoderma.

Congenital Disorders: Among the inherited conditions that cause dry skin in dogs are primary seborrhea/seborrhea oleosa, alopecia X, cutaneous ichthyosis, black hair follicular dysplasia, congenital hypotrichosis, follicular dysplasia/color dilution alopecia, or pinnal alopecia.

Dry skin in dogs may also be due to endocrine disorders such as Hypothyroidism or hyperadrenocorticism. As is obvious, in order to cure dry skin on dogs, treatment to correct/tackle the root cause of the condition needs to be meted out. While dry itchy skin on dogs is usually not an emergency, but your dog still needs veterinary care. It is important to treat dry skin on dogs before the condition escalates.