Under all that copious fur there is skin. Skin that is susceptible to a myriad of diseases and afflictions just as we humans are. The difference being that in humans we can readily see a health problem. In a dog, skin health problems are not readily apparent until the dog gives us an indication. Usually, the indications are excessive licking and scratching. In general we humans tend to take our skin for granted. If we go out into the sun, we use sun screen. If we have dry skin, we use a lotion. And occasionally we notice irregularities and then we go to the doctor. We’re pretty complacent and tend to think of skin as the wrap that molds our body. With dogs, the skin goes beyond being a mold. It is an organ in itself. This organ regulates the heat in a dogs body and works in conjunction with the foot pads which allow the dog to perspire.
As with humans the skin communicates sensations such as pain, heat, cold, touch, etc. to the brain. An animals skin also processes vitamin D just as we do. When we take our pet to the veterinarian, one of the usual examinations done is one of the skin. When the veterinarian back brushes the fur he/she is not only looking for parasites such as fleas and mites, but they are also looking at the skin. Dry skin and fur can indicate illness. Yellow skin can indicate jaundice and blue skin can indicate heart problems. Rashes can mean allergies.
Dogs can have seasonal and environmental allergies as well as food allergies. Food allergies may not always be associated with new foods but can also come from foods they have eaten for years and have become sensitive to due to many reasons. So called “hot-spots”, for example may be a result of a dog no longer being able to digest a certain food. Your veterinarian will recommend ways to test your dogs diet and recommend a course of treatment. Many dogs such as spaniels have seasonal and environmental allergies which can manifest themselves not only with sneezing and watery eyes, but also with skin rashes.
Allergies to fleas and medicines can also cause skin rashes. There are now veterinarians who are specializing in animal allergies and dermatology. Should your veterinarian find it necessary a referral could be made for diagnosis and treatment.
There are also genetic skin disorders and glandular skin disorders. There are several diseases associated with ovarian and testicular problems. Diagnosis and treatment can be made by your veterinarian. Dogs are also susceptible to various types of skin fungus. They are highly contagious to humans and other animals. Mange is another skin disease that is contagious. Quick diagnosis and treatment is essential.
In addition to the previously mentioned skin problems, there are also seborreic (seborrhea) skin diseases, tumors, melanomas, infected sores, mites, etc., that can be diagnosed by your veterinarian.
The purpose of this article is to make owners aware that the care and regular examination of your dogs skin is essential. Before buying a dog, consult with the breeder and a veterinarian. Know the diseases which are specific to the breed you desire. Know your dogs body as you should know your own. Check for skin problems during regular grooming.
If you find an area of concern, consult your veterinarian immediately. Do not make a self diagnosis and start a course of treatment. Only a veterinarian can make a proper diagnosis and recommend oral and/or topical treatments. Delay in proper diagnosis and treatment can cause delay in recovery and possible spread of the ailment and unnecessary prolonged discomfort for your beloved pet.
Terrie Simpson
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/dog-health-care-article-what-to-do-if-your-dog-has-skin-problems-748783.html
#1 by Hazel86 on September 6, 2010 - 8:49 pm
If you know a lot about quality dog food and/or feed a grain free diet, I'd like to hear your opinion?
Okay, I work at a pet store that sells high quality and grain free foods such as taste of the wild, merrick, wellness, eagle holistic, evolve, nature’s variety, wysong, halo, etc. Well, today at work, I was reading an article about a new line of food we will be carrying from wysong called "Wysong Epigen" (it’s a dry dog and cat food), and the article is titled "Starch free vs. Grain free". Here is the article: (ps – in your response to the article, I don’t want to hear you advocating raw food, I don’t care, all I want opinions on is the commercial dry foods, thanks)
"Starch is the fundamental problem is all kibble pet foods. "Epigen" is the first kibble pet food absent of this unnatural (to carnivorous pets) sugar source (starch is simply a polysugar). Grain free products have merely replaced grain with other, less healthy starches such as potatoes, peas, and tapioca. This solves nothing. It only creates a perception of benefit that, according to scientific studies, is not true. Starch is starch, whether it’s from potatoes and tapioca, or corn and wheat.
Starch-free Epigen represents a true first, and is an honest, natural, and healthy product. Grain free diets are marketed as "new", "more natural" "more wild", "just like raw" and "more meat". All such claims are false and misleading.
Starch-free Epigen replaces the starch ingredients with proteins (the carnivore’s main requirement) and a wide spectrum of essential nutrients. Grain free products are not only laden with starches, they are nutritionally inferior. Moreover, studies have shown that by replacing grain starches with other forms. beneficial probiotics are decreased and pathogenic bacteria are increased.
Grain free products have only been falsely promoted as more akin to what dogs and cats would eat in the wild. Grain free diets have no science behind them and solve no health problems because they contain the same problematic starch that has been in all pet foods since the beginning. They do, however, create an illusion of benefit and uniqueness, but that only justifies an inflated price. What has driven grain free is marketing industry trending, hype, and profiteering."
I am not a fan of this article. I have switched many people’s dogs with skin issues to grain free foods and have had GREAT feedback from most, and my dog is on Taste of the Wild, and his mild dry skin has disappeared. Do you agree with this article, or do you think it’s just marketing on Wysong’s part? thanks for reading.
we are not about marketing. We care about the foods for the pet. This is simply something that was faxed to us by Wysong company. I DO NOT like what they are saying, and I promote grain free feeding, and I feel as though this article does nothing buy bash it..
#2 by Katie on September 7, 2010 - 1:51 am
We feed our dog ChoiceOne Meijer brand food and and water!!
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#3 by cjrossi on September 7, 2010 - 1:53 am
Funny – first you’ve got the grain free foods and THEIR marketing angle that attacks food w/grains – now you’ve got Wysong upping the ante and attacking grain free food w/starches!
You’ve gotta do something to differentiate your brand from its peers … this is Wysong’s ploy. They should back up their talk w/a white paper like Orijen did.
Commercial pet food marketing … its a (ahem) … dog eat dog world.
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You know who needs to see this is TJ … I can picture his spectacles getting all steamed up as he types up his feisty reply
… and then he RIPS the paper out of the typewriter and hands it to a grandkid to post here ;-}
#4 by Fuzzy Liberal on September 7, 2010 - 1:55 am
LMFAO ^^^ omg that was just…LMFAO
*dies laughing*
I think it raises a valid point. I’m curious to see the actual ingredients instead of an article though.
I didn’t even finish reading the article, but if it has grains it pshhhh screw that food. Grain free is def. a better way to go. I do think the starch thing is a valid point but …
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#5 by Alesi's Chis Go Jude! on September 7, 2010 - 1:57 am
Sounds like a great marketing strategy, but I’d prefer to see an actual review, and not a sales pitch. The top allergens in dogs are mostly grains, not starches, and if we’re going to start talking about what dogs eat in the wild, I’m pretty sure there are no dog food plants, or animals that are made up entirely of both grain, and starch-free kibble
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#6 by ♥shelter puppies rule♥ on September 7, 2010 - 1:59 am
Ok I’m going to sum up another article briefly. They say that Corn is beneficial and needed for dogs because it’s a fiber. They say dogs have evolved to need corn. Without corn, the fat will go right through the GI tract. Guess who says this? Science Diet. It is ALLLLLLLL about marketing tactics. That article was sitting in a pamphlet at a vet’s office. A vet is supposed to give trustworthy info. Nope. So just like your experience, your store is supposed to be trustworthy, being a small pet store that sells high quality brands, but it’s not and it’s just about marketing.
Oh yeah and personally I am SICK of people (not you) calling grain free and raw diets FADS or NEW!!!! That’s how dogs ate until the 1940’s when the Great Depression demanded a cheaper way for man to feed his dog! That’s when Kibble was invented!
add: Sorry I didn’t mean to insult the store you work at. I don’t know it. I just meant, we can’t trust places like stores or vets that sell things we (in general) have to learn ourselves because marketing can be tricky.
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#7 by Ann Imal on September 7, 2010 - 2:01 am
Well your first problem is that you work in a pet store and think you know everything about nutrition. I currently have a dog in my clinic who has allergies and is on a pet store brand `grain free` diet that is not working but the owner for some reason believes the info from the 16 year old at petsmart rather than someone who has gone to school for almost 10 years. Why do you think that nutritionists, or veterinary nutritionist all say the same thing and the crap food companies say something different. Well lets see, the veterinary nutritionist who studies how dogs use the food they are given and not a specific diet says something but everyone believes the company they see the ad for on tv. I dont get it. There was a test done on hypoallergenic pet store foods that tested for how well it worked. Well they all failed, every single one of them. And to get to this grain free thing, it doens`t mean anything and there is no studies or research that has showed that this helps. Grains are just a carb, and it is impossible to make a food without carbs. It doesn`t mean anything. Please explain to me, why you think the way you do. Why are grain free foods good. What are they doing in the body that is bad. What is classified as grains (give me a list). Show me some research from these food companies. This article is exactly right about the marketing of grain free as being bull****, but the rest is also bull****. I really do think you know about these things that your work has taught you, but you are so misinformed. Let me guess, you think natural, organic, human grade mean something on a bag. It doesn`t, there are no rules that food companies have to abide by if they are not AAFCO approved. And their definition of natural is that the products have to come from an animal, plant, or mineral source. Unless your planning on puttting radios in your dog food, I`m pretty sure it would pass that test. And there are absolutely no restrictions on using the word organic, anyone can put that on anything. Absolutely no rules for it. There are rules in human foods but not for pet food.There is so much marketing crap out there, it saddens me because people actually believe it.
Oh and it is not grains that cause allergies most commonly, its proteins, what is wrong with you people. I really wish I could sit down with all of you, and show you all the myths of foods, marketing and the science and research behind it, I really do.
OH GIVE ME ALL THE THUMBS DOWN YOU WANT, YOU JUST KNOW YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO VALID SCIENCE OR RESEARCH ON YOUR PRECIOUS GRAIN FREE CLAIM!!!!!!!
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RVT
#8 by Vicky on September 7, 2010 - 2:03 am
Here is what I think: I dont think starch is necessarily bad for dogs. I do not believe dogs digest corn. Therefore they feel full at first, but then end up eating more and pooping more and having a less nutritious diet. High energy dogs would actually benefit from starches because they need the extra calories. However, I do agree that the main staple in a dogs diet should be meat in most cases. That is why I only buy dog food thats first ( main) ingredient is Chicken ( thats just the meat we have, im fine with any meat) and has no corn or corn meal. However my food does have rice but the vets reccommend feeding boiled chicken and rice when your dog has an upset stomach, so obviously rice is OK.
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#9 by Josie at Nutro on September 7, 2010 - 2:05 am
My question with this is: Where are the nutritional data studies to back these claims up? Companies can say anything they want, but unless they provide me with the documented studies proving their claims, I consider it "hype" and/or "advertising strategy".
You are absolutely right being leary of companies that tout claims like this without backing them up with real proof.
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14yr. veterinary technician