Med Dogs

Improve Your Dog’s Life with Skin and Coat Medication

Does this sound like your dog? He or she is constantly scratching at their ears, one particular spot on their body, or scratching, biting and licking themselves all over. Your pet may even be rubbing their whole body against furniture, the carpet, and any other rough surface.

During a grooming session with your dog, if you observe red, scaly, or flaking patches of skin, or open sores that may be bleeding or that have a discharge, it could be a sign of a skin disorder. Also, if your dog is shedding more than usual, and you notice they have bald spots where clumps of fur have been pulled out, your dog may have a skin condition.

There are several possible conditions that can cause irritation to your dog’s skin and also make his coat dull, lifeless and weaken it enough that he may lose large amounts of his fur even with minimal scratching. Some skin and coat ailments in dogs are harder than others to treat than others. However, your persistence can end your dogs suffering from the intolerable itching and pain of inflammation, infections, and other conditions affecting the health of his skin and coat.

Fleas and ticks are a primary source of skin irritation in dogs, cats, and other pets. These blood-feeders are also carriers of serious diseases such as heartworm and Lyme disease. Other microorganisms like mites, chiggers, and fungi’s can cause canine mange and other skin afflictions in dogs. Dirt and debris picked up from your dog’s environment and held against the skin by his coat can irritate his skin. Chlorine and other pool chemicals, as well as microbial organisms living in bodies of water that dogs come into contact with swimming or by drinking, can cause skin and coat problems. Dogs can develop food and other allergies the same as people do and this can result in uncomfortable skin and coat issues for them. There are even psychological and behavioral reasons some dogs develop skin and coat problems. It is always best to have your veterinarian evaluate and conduct tests on your dog to determine the exact cause of his skin and coat problems and to help decide the best treatment plan for your dog.

Treatment Options

When fleas and ticks are the problem, you will want to treat your dog with a product designed to kill these blood-thirsty pests (adult and their eggs) immediately and that continues protecting your dog from them for 3 to 4 weeks between applications. Some well known medications for treating flea and ticks on dogs include collars: Powerband flea and tick collar, and Preventic tick dog collar, orals: Capstar and Sentinel flavor tablets, topical solutions:  Frontline Plus, Advantage, Revolution, and Advantix, sprays: Virbac long-acting knockout and Frontline flea and tick spray, and shampoos: EctoKyl CA, Adams, and Soothe 3x flea and tick shampoo.

Treating his environment is also necessary for full protection and helping to prevent re-infestations. Mycodex Environmental household spray, Siphotrol-Plus Foggers, and sprays, and Virbac room, area, and yard applications are popular flea and tick products for your home and yard.

Many of these product for treating fleas and ticks on dogs can also irritate their skin so you may want to follow- up an application of a flea and tick control product on your dog with a bath using a medicated or emollient-rich shampoo for dogs.

Your vet may recommend treating your dog with products like, Animax Topical, Atopica Capsules, and Allergroom and Allermy shampoos to get rid of chiggers, mites, and other parasites.

When the problem is due to a food allergy or a pathogenic infection, your dog is likely to need to be placed on special diet, given prescription medications, and possibly treated at home with medicated shampoos and nutritional supplements, to help correct the problem and help his skin and coat to heal and stay healthy. Allergy shampoos, conditioners, lotions, sprays, and supplement products like Derm Caps in liquid and pill form, Welactin Canine Liquid, and Cyclosporin caplets among others can help sooth a dogs discomfort from irritated skin and promote healthy skin regeneration and a shiny coat.

Your dog’s diet may be to blame for his inflamed skin tissue and lackluster coat. Many brands of cheaper dog foods say they provide your dog with balanced nutrition despite not having the amount of protein your dog needs for healthy skin and coat and for his overall health. Buy dog food containing high amounts of proteins, fats, and other nutrients your dog needs for good health and consider adding supplements such as Omega3 fatty acids, Caps,( which has the Omega 3’s plus vitamins A, D,  and E,)  ACTIS Omega, and other supplements for dogs in tablet, capsule, or liquids to his diet for greater health protection.

Your dog cannot tell you that he has a skin condition that is causing him unbearable itching and pain. He can only continue to scratch at the irritation making it worse and potentially inviting infections to set in, until you take notice of his discomfort and take steps to remedy the source of his unhealthy skin and coat condition so that he can return to being the happy care-free canine you have come to know and love.

About the Author

Cynthia Andrews is a freelance writer who writes about pets, at times focusing on a specific kind of pet care and pet meds.