Dog Eczema - Everything There Is To Know About It

It is only normal that you are troubled by the rashes that's plaguing your pet dog's skin. After all, dog eczema is no laughing matter as it causes hair loss in your dog and leaves him constantly pestered by the itchiness of these rashes. As a dog owner, it is only logical that you seek everything that there is to know about dog eczema. A complete understanding of this canine dilemma will be useful in quelling it.

Dog eczema is no different to the same eczema that affects us humans. The only difference is that it affects dogs and their skin. What happens with dog eczema is that the skin underneath their fur becomes irritated, causing these distinct rashes to appear on your dog's skin. Particularly, it is only your dog's epidermal skin layer that becomes irritated and inflamed.

Whether your dog has long or short hair, hair loss is among the first signs of dog eczema. Your dog won't be losing all of his hair but will lose it on skin areas that are affected by eczema. Following hair loss, you will immediately notice bald patches on your dog's skin. These bald patches are often accompanied by your dog's persistent licking, scratching, or nibbling on these same areas. If you notice your dog licking, scratching, or nibbling on these bald skin areas, then you can assume that your dog is irritated by them and that there is some form of underlying skin irritation.

When you look closely at your dog's bald skin spots, you will also notice that the skin looks different. It will be dry and flaky. Aside from the obvious itchiness of these spots, you can determine if they really are rashes by comparing the skin on these areas to the skin of your dog which still has fur on it. If the skin on the bald spots look thicker and dryer compared to skin on the rest of your dog, then it is possible that your pet has dog eczema.

Later on, dog eczema may progress to its wet stage when left untreated. The dog eczema symptoms which were earlier mentioned only belong to the dry stage of this canine condition. During the wet stage of this condition, your dog's bald skin spots will no longer appear dry. While the rashes may still be thick, you will notice that they are already oozing and possibly even bleeding. Basically, during this wet stage of dog eczema, your dog's rashes are already wounded. These wounds leave your dog more prone to infections since their skin is already broken.

As soon as you notice that your dog is losing hair or if you suspect that your dog is already suffering from the dry stage of dog eczema, calling the vet is your safest option. It is not advisable that you use steroid eczema creams or ointments that are prescribed for humans on dogs. There are specific eczema creams and ointments designed for use on dog eczema. With regards to natural eczema treatments, you can consult these with the veterinarian as to which products might help with your dog's condition.

The best way to control dog eczema is not with the use of any eczema treatment though. It is always better that you identify what irritated your dog's skin in the first place. This may require you to put your dog on a "trial and error" in order to identify what caused his dog eczema. However, the reward will be fruitful with the identification of these causes since you will be able to keep skin irritants away from your dog in the long run.