By Maria Michele Canlas-Cordova
(Part 1)
Most owners are confronted with skin problems. Itchiness and hair loss are the most common.
To be able to treat the skin disease, one has to identify the symptoms and causes and determine the gravity of the problem.
A veterinarian does the skin scraping to determine the kind of skin disease. The vet scrapes a part of the affected and the examines the sample.
Here are the different kinds of skin disorders:
A. MANGE
1) DEMODECTIC
-mites live in the hair follicles
-hair loss
-thickened skin on the affected area
-redness
-itching
-this is NOT contagious to humans and other animals
-it is passed on from the mama to the babies
-there are two kinds of demodectic mange:
a) Localized -in small patches
b) Generalized -covers a big area of the skin
-your pet may have fever and bacterial infection due to scratching
Cause :
When the animal has a weak or compromised immune system, skin mites increase faster.
Dogs or cats with demodectic mange should not be bred because the litters will definitely have a weak immune system too.
Treatment:
1. TOPICAL treatments are normally done:
-antibacterial creams
-antibacterial shampoos
-apple cider vinegar
-food grade diatomaceous earth
2. ORAL treatment
-immune system booster
-Vitamin B complex
-Ascorbic acid
3. INJECTABLE or more aggressive oral medicine should be administered/prescribed only by a licensed vet. This is the last recourse if the condition is severe. This may cause a liver problem, thus, it is recommended that a liver protection supplement is given to your pet.
2) SARCOPTIC /Scabies
-itching
-soreness
-red patches or skin rashes
-scabs
-CONTAGIOUS to other animals and humans
-can be contracted due to exposure to places with other dogs, cats, or animals like the vet clinics, grooming stations, parks and other places with a lot of pets.
Cause:
-female mites implant their eggs under the skin
Treatment:
1. TOPICAL treatment
-medicated bath (specific for scabies)
-anti-bacterial creams to relieve pain and soreness
-apple cider vinegar
-food grade diatomaceous earth
2. Medicine
a) ORAL treatment
-Antibiotics (should be prescribed by a licensed vet)
-immune system boosters
– Vitamin B complex
-ascorbic acid
b) INJECTABLE meds are available but should be administered by the vet after consultation.
For pets diagnosed with sarcoptic mange, please wash beddings and clean surroundings often.
3) EARMITES
-shaking of the head due to itchiness
-brownish black powder coffee-like deposit inside the ear
Cause: Otodectes Mites
-contagious to animals near the infected one
Treatment
1. TOPICAL treatment
-clean ears using cotton buds dipped in a mixture of water and apple cider vinegar
-after removing the dirt, you may now use an ear drop specific for ear mites twice a day
-food grade diatomaceous earth
2. ORAL treatment
-immune system booster
-Ascorbic acid
– Vitamin complex
-Antibiotics as required by veterinarians
3. HOTSPOT
-also called Pyotramatic dermatitis
-inflammation of parts of the skin
-moist and sometimes with pus due to infection
-itchy
-redness of the affected area
Cause:
Allergy that becomes a wound due to constant licking of the infected area
Treatment:
1. TOPICAL
-remove an allergy-causing trigger that has been identified (whether food, shampoo or external allergens)
-creams, spray for itchiness and wound of animals
-povidone iodine
-medicated shampoo
2. ORAL
– A vet will prescribe antihistamine or prednisone when needed only. Do not decide on this.
-Antibiotics
-immune system booster
-Vitamin B complex
-Ascorbic acid
Please note that your vet might suggest a change in food or diet.
To be continued next week.
