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Taking care of skin problems in senior dogs

After having given you a lifetime of love, loyalty and companionship, a senior dog needs a reason to live in its older days. Even though it remains debatable whether dogs experience emotions like humans or not, they definitely deserve the same compassion as any other senior member of your family. With advanced age, senior dogs become more vulnerable to the same dog skin problems that they had to face while young. The skin is the first line of defense against the attacks of external pathogens. And senior dogs are prone to have a dry skin and loose some of the shine of their coats as oil secreting glands slow down. Graying hair and a dry skin are the key indicators of advancing age. An itchy skin is common in all dogs but it occurs more frequently in senior dogs. As senior dogs are more vulnerable to environmental irritants and external parasites, fleas and ticks, an itchy skin in seniors require immediate attention lest they cause secondary infections. * Senior dogs should be given medicated baths to keep their skin in good shape. Also use a very mild shampoo and only those that have been specially formulated for dogs. * The aging skin of the dog is more inclined to react to allergens and dryness. A blow drier at this age can prove to be harsh on the dry skin. Use thick absorbent towels instead. * Lumps under the skin are more prevalent in senior dogs. Look for any unusual growth while grooming. This could be a tumor that might be difficult to cure at this age if early treatment is not provided. * Cut the toe nails more frequently than before to avoid damage to the skin on itching or scratching as a drier skin is likely to be brittle. Dogs usually run down their nails while walking but senior dogs are less active, which makes their nails grow faster. * You need to be more regular in grooming and even more observant so as to locate any abnormal signs on the skin. Even harmless looking flea bites can potentially cause a major infection or an allergic reaction at this age. Your flea control program also needs to be more focused. Whether it is a senior dog or a cat, an older skin cannot take care of itself. In senior cats, even mild conditions like feline hair loss, cat dandruff and feline acne require more than normal attention in the case of older cats. Grooming at an advanced age is not only meant to spruce up the looks, but also to protect the first line of defense of the body against external factors. References: http://www.srdogs.com/Pages/care.fr.html http://www.srdogs.com/Pages/srcitz.html

Cat Skin Problems

Of all the body organs, the skin is not only the biggest but also the most problematic organ of the cat’s body. Most medical conditions demonstrate symptoms that relate to skin and coat. In addition external factors like physical trauma and parasites can also affect the skin in a significant manner. Like dog skin problems, cats can also suffer from skin disorders that are self limiting and chronic conditions that require treatment over a protracted period of time. Pruritus: The Itchy Cat Itching brings forth almost an amazing array of changes in a cat’s skin. Constant itching can make it impossible for the veterinarian to ascertain whether the skin condition has caused the itching or whether the excessive itching has caused the skin lesions. Besides itching, pruritus causes symptoms like symmetrical feline hair loss, damage to skin due to intense scratching and Miliary dermatitis. Miliary dermatitis relates to appearance of multiple crusty lesions that are greasy and filled with cat dandruff. It can also lead to Eosinophilic granuloma complex, a condition where linear inflamed crusts are accompanied by oozing red areas near the chin and the trunk. Food allergy, bacterial infection, external parasitic ear or other mites, dust, pollen and insect bites are some of the major causes of pruritus. Feline Flea While grooming, cats eat fleas that may have infested their coat. This makes it difficult for the owner to ascertain the presence of fleas. You can determine whether your cat has fleas or not by using a fine comb on the coat and examining the comb for trapped fleas. Black and comma shaped flea excreta or flea-dirt can also prove the prevalence of fleas in a cat. Fleas can be harmful for cats in various ways: They carry larva of intestinal parasites that can infect your pet. Allergy to flea bites can induce itching and scratching. This causes many skin problems later. Adult fleas feed on the blood of the host and can cause anemia in young cats. Ringworm Ringworm is caused by fungi that grow in dead tissue, hair or nails. It is a condition that causes skin lesions and circular areas of hair loss appear. Ringworm is infectious and occurs mostly due to contact with an infected individual. Feline acne and stud tail Cats use secretions of sebaceous glands located near the chin, nose and the base of the tail for territorial markings. Excessive use of the sebaceous glands makes cats susceptible to feline acne. Use of the glands at the base of the tail for territorial marking is commonly known as ‘stud tail’. Cats with feline acne or stud tail do not show any clinical signs except for black heads or some bacterial infection. Severe cases cause irritation and inflammation and the affected skin might become overly swollen. Besides the conditions discussed above cats develop skin problems due to overexposure to sun (especially among light colored cats), mite infestations and excessive licking of the inflamed site of the skin. References: http://www.fabcats.org/skinproblems.html

What does hair loss in cats signify?

The condition of skin and coat is an important indicator of your pet cat’s general health. Many common cat and dog skin problems are similar to human skin afflictions. Cat dandruff is the most discussed cat skin disorders. But feline hair loss seems to be the most prevalent reason behind frequent visits to the veterinarian. Alopecia, the medical term for hair loss, in cats is also a symptom that is common to numerous cat skin disorders and diseases. At an overall level the frequency of skin diseases like dermatitis (inflammation of the skin) is lower in cats as compared to dogs. Irrespective of how often it happens, the fact of the matter is that once the skin problems starts, it is equally uncomfortable for cats and dogs alike. And excessive hair loss is actually a symptom of some deeper disorder that the pet is probably suffering from. There are many conditions that can cause the symptom of hair loss. The identification of the one that is troubling your cat can be done only in conjunction with other symptoms. But one should be aware of the possible issues that might actually be behind the unreasonable hair loss. 1. Inadequate functioning of the immune system - Sometimes symptoms like chronic skin infections, abscesses and excessive hair loss imply that the immune system is not functioning adequately. Hair loss can also be caused by fungal infections like ringworm since the infection weakens hair shafts. 2. Allergic reaction to certain allergens - The first allergic reaction in cats and dogs is associated with the skin. The skin is the first organ that reacts to the allergens. But the issue, like in humans, is that it is extremely difficult to hone into the cause of the allergy. The process of identifying the allergen is even more difficult in pets since one cannot really keep a log of all that the pet has come in contact with. Food items, environment and chemical substances are only few of the common allergens that give rise to allergic reactions in cats. Allergies induce itching and can lead to broken skin, lesions and hair loss. Cats have also been known to develop feline acne due to the use of a plastic bowl. 3. Insect bites and hot spots – Cats are less prone to hot spots than dogs. Some experts state that hot spots occur due to stress factor. But there is a body of researchers that believe that hot spots actually occur due to certain insect bites. When the pet scratches the insect bite, the area becomes wet with serum and eventually leads to painful hot spots. 4. Fleas – The presence of fleas in the fur can cause your cat to be extremely irritable. Even a single blood sucking flea has the capacity to cause dermatitis and intense itching through out the body. The anterior and the webs between toes are the most affected areas. Hair loss actually occurs in such cases when the presence of fleas leads to yeast or bacterial infection. 5. Mange – Another skin disease that can cause excessive hair fall is mange. It is a persistent condition that is also contagious. Demodectic mange is genetic in nature and Sarcoptic mange is contagious and causes intense itching. Cheyletiella mites attach themselves to the hair shafts and cause irritation. The infested cats scratch and loose hair. Significant hair loss is actually an important symptom that can ultimately lead to proper diagnosis of the underlying disease. If you consider hair loss as a significant and pertinent indication, timely intervention can help in early detection.

Immune and auto-immune skin conditions in dogs

Dog skin problems manifest in different ways as compared to cat skin problems. A typical description of a dog with skin problems would read as under: * Itchy skin and eruptions. * Inflammation in the ears and toes. * Excessive licking. * Intense itching near the anus and genitals. Though these symptoms can appear anywhere the commonly affected areas are the lower back, nose and mouth. Ulcerative skin diseases known as lupus are the most dangerous autoimmune skin diseases that affect dogs, other pets and even humans. Autoimmune related skin diseases are mostly caused by allergies. These allergies occur as a reaction in a dog due to certain food items, pollutants, chemicals, dust, pollen and other substances that are normally harmless. The affected organ responds to the allergen and the autoimmune reaction of the body causes certain symptoms. This reaction of the autoimmune system that is triggered to expel the foreign substance gives the condition the name - autoimmune disorders. Another common cause of autoimmune skin disorders is unrestrained use of vaccinations, overdose of cortisone and commercial diets. Together these factors result in weakening the autoimmune system and increase vulnerability. Autoimmune related skin disorders manifest themselves in various ways in dogs. One set of conditions known as pemphigus is characterized by large thin-walled blisters (bullae). These blisters can arise from normal skin or mucous membranes. Later, they can ulcerate and form crusts. Another characteristic of pemphigus is red patches that change to pustules and later dry up to form yellow crusts. Normally these are restricted to the nose, the mouth and areas around the eyes and ears. The crusts bind to the skin underneath and can spread through out the body leading to de-pigmentation of the skin. Another set of conditions is erythema. Erythema is an abnormal redness of the skin resulting from dilation of the blood vessels. Erythema multiforme is red rash caused by hypersensitivity to a drug, disease or another allergen. Systemic lupus erythematosus is an inflammatory disease of the connective tissue with multiple conditions. Typical symptoms include fever, weakness, abnormal fatigability and skin lesions on the face or neck or arms. Toxic epidermal necrolysis is an autoimmune condition that leads to disintegration and shedding of dead tissue. This is a severe and painful condition in which blisters and ulcers form on the skin, mucous membranes and footpads. Skin problems like canine and feline hair loss, feline acne and cat dandruff that appear to be minor can probably be harbingers of autoimmune skin conditions to come. An abnormality in any part of the skin noticed during routine pet care or grooming should be attended to and treated immediately. High doses of conventional drugs can cause autoimmune skin disorders. Alternative treatments like homeopathy remedies and natural treatments can be highly beneficial to your pet and aid in strengthening the immune system.

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