What to do if your dog has a skin disease

Dog skin disease: owners are advised to first take their dogs to a pet hospital for a skin scraping examination to determine the type of infection and then conduct targeted treatment. First, if your dog has a skin disease caused by fungal infection, it is recommended to use drugs containing terbinafine. Second, if it is a bacterial skin disease, it is recommended to use antibacterial and anti-inflammatory drugs. Finally, if it is a parasitic skin disease, it is recommended to use external parasite control drugs, along with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory drugs to prevent secondary infections.

Bacterial skin diseases

If the skin disease is caused by bacterial infection, it usually presents with symptoms such as redness, ulceration, and purulent secretions. Therefore, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory drugs are needed for treatment. The general treatment course is about 7-14 days, which aims to clear the bacteria on the dog's skin surface and control the inflammation, allowing the skin to recover. It is also important to note that bathing the dog is strictly prohibited during treatment, as this may cause the dog's skin to stay damp, promoting fungal growth and exacerbating the skin disease.

Fungal skin diseases

If the skin disease is caused by a fungal infection, symptoms such as hair loss, itching, scaling, and frequent scratching usually occur. As fungi are contagious, the dog should first be isolated, and then treated with anti-fungal drugs containing terbinafine. The dog needs to be given medication on time during the treatment to prevent drug resistance. Generally, it takes about 14 days to treat mild skin diseases, and longer for more severe cases. In addition, vitamin B should be given and the dog should be exposed to sunlight.

Parasitic skin diseases

If the skin disease is caused by parasites such as fleas and mites, symptoms such as skin redness, itching, hair loss, and red spots usually occur. In this case, appropriate parasite control drugs are needed to eliminate the parasites, and drugs containing amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium for antibacterial and anti-inflammatory purposes to prevent secondary infections. Moreover, regular external parasite control treatments are necessary for dogs, and the living environment should be disinfected.