Dog with bad dandruff: Dog Dandruff: Facts, Prevention & Treatment

Increase Vitamin E intake

Vitamin E supplementation can also help improve skin health, which will allow the retention of moisture, explains Dr. Michelle Burch DVM from Safe Hounds Pet Insurance, who recommends speaking with your veterinarian on appropriate dosing for your dog. “Too high dosing can lead to an upset stomach in the short term and with possible damage to the red blood cells and liver in the long term,” warns Dr. Burch.

Dog dandruff. Symptoms, treatment, prevention.

When a dog develops dandruff, it becomes noticeable to the naked eye. In most cases, the problem can be dealt with on your own, but sometimes you have to contact a veterinary clinic. In this article, we look at the causes of dandruff in dogs, how to treat and prevent it, and how to help your dog relieve itching during treatment.

What dog dandruff looks like

Dandruff is tiny particles of dead skin. In ordinary life, there are few of them, this is a natural process of generating skin cells. When the process is disrupted, the number of dead skin cells increases.

White dandruff, reminiscent of flour, also found in other shades, yellow, black, pink. The location of dandruff is chaotic. Dandruff can be only on one part of the body, for example, the abdomen, ears, tail.

Dandruff can be wet or dry. Wet may clump.

Causes of dandruff in dogs

There can be many reasons, but the most common are:

Malnutrition . The pet consumes food containing many additives and preservatives for a long time. The diet lacks nutrients and vitamins.

Poor pet grooming . The wrong brush can harm your dog’s skin. The brush should be selected based on the characteristics of the dog’s coat.

Parasites . Fleas, ticks and other parasites cause great damage to the skin. They can cause not only dandruff, but also scabies, loss of coat.

Dry climate in apartment . Strong heating causes the air to dry out. Dry climate leads to dry skin, which in turn causes dandruff.

Use of non-dog shampoos . Often dog owners neglect to purchase a separate dog shampoo and use their own. This blunder can lead to serious problems with the dog’s skin.

Shedding period . During shedding, the dog may develop dandruff. It usually goes along with the molt. Comb out the coat, so you will help the dog.

Stress . Just like humans, dogs can be stressed. It causes changes throughout the body. Along with dandruff, other symptoms may appear, for example, refusal to eat, changes in behavior. Stress can cause a move, a long excommunication of the owner, a stranger in the house.

Fungus . An infection that affects the skin, causing itching, baldness, and dandruff.

Age . In older dogs, the immune system changes, there is a lack of vitamins. It is important to maintain the dog’s body. Introduce nutritional supplements. Be sure to check with your veterinarian before changing your diet.

Allergic reaction . It can be caused by anything. For example, food, hair care product, new overalls, or medicine.

Hormonal failure . It usually appears after a course of antibiotics. In this case, you should contact the veterinarian who prescribed the treatment.

All of these reasons require a special approach. You should not self-medicate. This can be life-threatening for the animal. Contact your veterinarian. After taking the tests, they will tell you the exact diagnosis and prescribe the right treatment.

What other diseases does dandruff indicate

Dog dandruff can be accompanied by various diseases and health problems. For example, the yellowish color of dandruff indicates a problem with the sebaceous glands and a hormonal disorder. Dandruff also causes itching and hair loss. The dog has bald spots. Often pets do not eat well, sleep, become aggressive and irritable.

A large amount of dandruff on the pet’s body is an indicator of a fungal disease. If a dog’s tail is balding, it may be an indicator of blockage in the anal glands.

If black dandruff is found, this is the first sign of the presence of blood on the skin. The reason may be improper combing of the pet.

Pink color of dandruff is a dangerous indicator. This says that along with dandruff, the top layer of the skin exfoliates. Subsequently, an infection may appear.

How is dandruff diagnosed in dogs?blood

He will also ask about the dog’s lifestyle over the past few months. Approximate time when dandruff appeared, whether the dog was abroad, whether it communicated with stray dogs. The veterinarian will definitely ask about nutrition, changes in the behavior of the dog.

Treating dandruff in dogs

Once the cause of dandruff has been determined, your veterinarian will prescribe treatment. It usually takes a holistic approach. Most likely, they will prescribe washing with a special shampoo, remedies that restore the immune system and vitamins.

If the dog has severe itching, then a steroid drug is prescribed to relieve this condition. If parasites are the cause, the dog will be prescribed drops and washing with a special shampoo.

To restore the coat, the doctor will prescribe a drug to stimulate hair growth, plus vitamins.

See also:

Dog dermatitis. Causes of occurrence and methods of treatment

Fleas in a dog. How to get rid and how to treat?

How to properly clean the ears of a dog and a cat

Dog dandruff: causes, treatment and care

Author Starodubova Elena Reading 9 min Published on 10/09/2019

For a responsible owner, examining your pet and combing his “fur coat” is a mandatory procedure. This is the only way to notice in time that the condition of the animal’s skin has worsened, and crumbly scales have appeared on the coat. This means that the dog has dandruff. Not a rare occurrence in our environment.

Many people think that dandruff affects only the appearance of the dog, but in reality, it is a direct reflection of disturbances in the body. Therefore, it is imperative to find out the reason for such changes and take appropriate action. In the article we will figure out how to do it.

Contents

1. Types of dandruff, symptoms and causes
2. Wandering Dandruff or Cheyletiellosis
3. Seborrhea
4. Sebadenitis or adenitis of the sebaceous glands
5. lichen/trichophytia/dermatomycosis
6. “Black Dandrinum” – Bloshin dermatitis
7. Allergic reaction
8. Hormonal failures
9. Risk group
10. Popular issues

9009 9009 9009 9009 9009 9009 9009 9009 Types of dandruff, symptoms and causes

Dandruff is the exfoliating particles of the upper layer of the epithelium (skin). In itself, this phenomenon is not a disease, and the cause of the appearance can be quite harmless and easily fixable, but it happens quite the opposite.

Common causes of dandruff include:

• Avitaminosis, especially vitamin A deficiency.
• An unsuitable shampoo can have a negative effect on the condition of the skin and coat, and sometimes cause allergies. Do not trust cheap means.
• Too dry and stuffy air in the room where the dog lives. It also affects the condition of the dermis (skin).
• Moult. During this period, there is a change not only of wool, but also of the upper layers of the epithelium. So dandruff is normal. Just need careful care of the dog at this time, and, if necessary, include vitamin supplements in the diet.
• Insufficient care. If you don’t brush and wash your dog when necessary, then be prepared for the consequences, and dandruff is the lesser of two evils.
• Helminths.

However, each case must be considered on a case-by-case basis. By the definition of “Dandruff” people have in mind very ambiguous symptoms. Below we will look at what you may encounter, in addition to the usual dandruff.

Wandering Dandruff or Cheyletiellosis

This is a parasitic disease caused by Cheyletyella mites. They live on the surface of the skin. The mites themselves are not visible to the human eye and can only be seen under a microscope. But the dog’s reaction to the fact that “named guests” live on it, you will notice by the following symptoms:0003

• Coarse dandruff – white translucent flakes, reminiscent of bran. It can mainly be observed on the upper part of the neck and on the back. The peculiarity is that the scales of the epithelium are not localized all the time in one place. As the tick moves, the location of the skin lesion also changes, hence the name of the disease “Wandering Dandruff”.
• Intolerable constant itching. In the course of their vital activity, ticks pierce the skin of the dog, thereby causing severe itching. The animal constantly itches and may even injure itself.
• Reddened skin.
• In places of scratching, wounds appear through which pathogenic microflora can penetrate. Then the sores will fester.

Cheiletiosis definitely needs to be treated, otherwise the dog will suffer from endless itching and his appearance will deteriorate rapidly. It is very important to contact the veterinarian in time and begin treatment before the dog’s body becomes like one big itchy wound.

Seborrhea

Many people think that this is a synonym for the word “dandruff”, but this is not entirely true. If the latter is a symptom that appears for many reasons, then seborrhea is a disease, just one of the reasons. Seborrhea is a congenital disorder of keratinization (a complex process of death and restoration of the upper layers of the skin, which is aimed at increasing its strength and elasticity.) The disease does not appear immediately, but at the age of about a year and over time these symptoms progress:

• Excessive formation of dandruff, in the form of white or yellowish, dry or oily flakes of various sizes.
• Wool is dull and of poor quality.
• So-called seborrheic foci appear – small dry, constantly scaly sores.
• Oily skin.
• Bad smell. Even after bathing – a characteristic smell of “dog”.
• A large part of the body is affected, including the interdigital spaces, the armpit. The lower part of the body is affected more than the upper, i.e. predominantly belly.
• Often lesions on the tips of the ears, they seem to be resting.

This pathology is typical for dogs of any breed, but most often occurs in:

• American Cocker Spaniel.
• English Springer Spaniel.
• West Highland White Terrier.
• Basset Hound.

It is impossible to cure Seborrhea once and for all, as this disease is genetically determined. However, quality care, bathing and treatments minimize symptoms.

Sebadenitis or adenitis of the sebaceous glands

This pathology is an inflammatory process in the tissues of the sebaceous glands. Due to their destruction, the production of sebum is disrupted, which, in turn, leads to a deterioration in the condition of the skin. Sebadenitis is an idiopathic skin disease, i.e. the reason for its appearance is not clear, we can say that the disease occurs “by itself”. Most often it overtakes dogs of breeds:

• Poodle.
• Akita Inu.
• Samoyed dog.
• English Springer Spaniel.
• Havanese.
• Hovawart.

These three breeds are most predisposed to Sebadenitis and have been shown to inherit this pathology. It is much less common in other breeds.

Signs of Sebadenitis include:

• Manifested at the age of one year.
• Silvery white dandruff.
• Clusters of greasy scales are stuck on the root of the hair.
• A very characteristic symptom for long-haired dogs is the formation of scales in the form of a fern leaf.
• In poodles, lesions begin on the muzzle and then spread to the back and chest.
• In other breeds, lesions may present with symmetrical hair loss.
• The overall quality of wool is greatly reduced.

Sebadenitis has not yet been completely cured, but supportive therapy aimed at restoring skin function gives good results.

Ringworm/trichophytosis/dermatomycosis

This is a skin disease caused by pathogenic fungi. There are several options for the manifestation of lichen, but in any case, it greatly affects the condition of the skin, but dandruff in this case is only an accompanying symptom. Basically, lichen is recognized by characteristic sores.

“Black dandruff” – flea dermatitis

Sometimes people may think that their dog has black dandruff. And it really looks exactly like this, black scales adhering to the coat and crumbling from it when combing, or remaining on the pet’s bed, suggest precisely this thought. But in reality, this is not dandruff at all, but the waste products of fleas. Fleas do not have a specific localization, they feed on any part of the animal’s body, but it is their waste that can most often be found in the area near the tail.

To check that it is indeed flea waste, there is a “wet leaf” test.

For the test, simply comb the dog over a white sheet lightly dampened with water so that “Black Dandruff” is on the sheet. If you try to erase it, it will leave behind red streaks. This is because flea feces is digested blood.

Allergic reaction

Allergy is often manifested by excessive dryness of the skin, as a result of which the scales of the epithelium exfoliate. But the main symptom of an allergy is itching.

Hormonal fluctuations

Dogs can experience harmless hormonal fluctuations, resulting in coat quality and skin elasticity that usually go away when the body recovers.

But it happens quite differently when we are dealing not just with a hormonal surge, but with a serious illness, these include:

• Cushing’s syndrome.
• Diabetes mellitus.
• Hypothyroidism.

These disorders always lead to serious dermatological problems and alopecia (baldness). So dry skin flakes can be seen at the beginning of the disease, and already at its height, the presence of dandruff fades against the background of other symptoms.

Risk group

In the risk group of a dog breed with a predisposition to seborrhea and sebadenitis:

• Poodle.
• Akita Inu.
• Samoyed dog.
• Hovawart.
• American Cocker Spaniel.
• English Springer Spaniel.
• West Highland White Terrier.
• Basset Hound.

And also pets, regardless of breed, if:

• They are not properly cared for (rare baths, not brushing their hair).
• Unbalanced diet.
• If you use cheap, untested shampoos or products not intended for dogs to bathe your pet.
• No treatments for external and internal parasites.

Treatment and care

To get rid of dandruff, first of all, it is necessary to find out the cause of its occurrence. After making a diagnosis, it is necessary to cure the underlying disease, otherwise no means will help get rid of skin peeling. If dandruff is caused by harmless causes and is the main problem, then we begin to fight it.

1. We correct the animal’s diet, add vitamin and mineral supplements to it.
2. Do you bathe and brush your pet regularly? If so, then you should change your shampoo and brush. If not, start by bathing with an anti-seborrheic shampoo, available from your veterinarian. Use, for example: Frontline, Beaphar, “Doctor” and others. Carefully read the instructions for use, some of them can not be used more than twice a week and longer than a month, for example, shampoos with the addition of FLUCONAZOLE.
3. Be sure to brush your pet regularly.
4. If necessary, increase the humidity in the room where the dog lives.
5. If proper care does not help, and in addition to skin peeling, some other symptoms appear, then hurry to make an appointment with a veterinary dermatologist. In this case, an examination by a specialist is required.

Remember that dandruff itself is not a disease, but only a symptom. The problem lies within the body and it must be solved.

FAQ

Why does my dog ​​get dandruff after washing?

Most likely a reaction to the shampoo. This may not be a quality product, or it may simply be an individual reaction of the body to the components of the shampoo, in any case it should be changed.

Dog dandruff during shedding, what should I do?

During shedding, this is normal. But it is still worth adding vitamins to the diet.

Prevention

• Periodic treatments for internal and external parasites.
• Bathing at least once every 3 months and when soiled.
• Use quality hygiene products.
• Brush your dog several times a week.
• Examine your pet yourself after each walk.

Briefly about the main thing

1. Dandruff is not a disease, but a symptom of some disorders in the body, so it is very important to find out the cause in time.
2. The reason can be quite harmless, or it can become a serious threat to the pet’s health.
3. Some diseases that cause dandruff are congenital and are inherited.
4. To get rid of dandruff, it is necessary to cure the underlying disease.
5. Follow basic preventive measures and contact your veterinarian promptly.

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10 signs that the dog is sick

10 signs that the dog is sick

Dogs can’t tell you exactly what hurts them. Complain when you feel unwell, feel unpleasant symptoms or pain. Therefore, it is we, the responsible owners, who must pay attention to the signs of the disease in pets and provide timely assistance, contact a veterinary specialist.

1 sign

Changing the habitual smell of dog hair.

A dog is an animal and, subject to basic hygiene procedures, the smell of wool is practically not felt. But any changes in health can also affect the smell emanating from the dog’s coat.

There can be many reasons:

1. diseases of the ears,
2. inflammation of skin folds,
3. infestation,
4. diabetes.

2 feature

Sneezing or coughing, breathing difficulties.

These manifestations may have different causes. Ranging from a cold or a mild allergy to a severe infestation with internal parasites. If these symptoms bother your pet for more than 24 hours, it is recommended to take the dog to the veterinarian at home or at the veterinary center.

3 feature

Profuse salivation, bad breath.

Dogs can experience the same dental problems as humans. Therefore, take care of maintaining dental hygiene in time. Treat your pet with healthy teeth cleaning treats. Show your pet to a veterinarian at least 2 times a year. Pathogenic bacteria cause inflammatory processes that can cause diseases of the internal organs. An unpleasant smell from the mouth can be a sign of gastritis or inflammation of the lymph nodes.

4 feature

Long-term changes in dog behavior.

With any feeling of discomfort, the dog will stop habitually stretching after sleep and a long rest. Of course, each pet is unique, but if for no reason he starts to sleep a lot, get tired quickly, or behave excessively aggressively, this should alert you. If the dog lies curled up a lot (if this is not the usual sleeping position) – this may be a sign of gastrointestinal diseases, and it also indicates pain.

5 feature

Change in body temperature, dry mucous membranes.

These two signs are combined, since often one of them is the cause of the other. Every dog ​​veterinary medicine cabinet should have a thermometer. If it is not there, you can touch the ears or paws of the pet. They have many blood vessels. When the body temperature rises, they become noticeably hotter. Dry, bright red gums can also be a sign of fever. Please note that a dog may develop a fever immediately after intense physical activity – this is normal. Therefore, before sounding the alarm, let the dog first rest and drink water.

6 feature

Changes in physiological processes.

It is advisable to contact your veterinarian if you notice in your dog:

1. loss of appetite,
2. thirsty,
3. stool problems,
4. vomiting.

Loss of appetite can be a sign of stress: a move, the arrival of a new family member, the transition to a new food – this does not require special treatment. But in combination with other signs, it requires observation and a visit to a specialist.

7 feature

Appearance of rash, irritation or growth on the dog’s skin.

Make it a rule to carefully examine the dog after a walk. Especially in the warm season, when there is a high risk of catching a tick. Daily monitoring of the skin condition will allow you to immediately notice the first signs of allergies, skin diseases arising from parasites.




8 feature

Change in wool quality.

The coat can very objectively inform about changes in the pet’s body. So, the appearance of dandruff all over the body can signal various problems:

1. stress,
2. chronic infection,
3. metabolic disorders,
4. too frequent bathing,
5. using the wrong detergent.

If the coat is bristling, this may be a sign of inflammation, temperature. If you observe that the coat is hard and with a coating, this signals helminthiases, infections, hypovitaminosis. In this or that case, you should contact your veterinarian.

9 feature

Decrease or increase in pet’s weight.

Of course, these symptoms may not appear immediately. But if, with the usual diet and appetite, your pet’s weight has changed, this may be a sign of diseases:

1. internal parasites,
2. metabolic disorders,
3. liver or kidney damage.

With these symptoms, you should contact your veterinarian.




10 feature

Changes in gait, movement of the dog.

If the dog protects a certain paw, does not step on it – this may be a sign:

1. joint inflammation,
2. dislocation,
3. splinter,
4. wounds,
5. irritation on contact with reagents.

This behavior requires immediate medical attention.

If the dog began to walk more slowly, it is difficult to climb or descend the stairs, it is difficult to get up after a long sleep – these are possible signs of joint damage, especially if the pet is already aged.

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The health and well-being of the dog depends only on the attentive attitude of the owner. Pay attention to changes. Get your vaccinations up to date.