Dogs are adorable, faithful creatures who have walked by man’s side for centuries, but what does not fall into these categories are dog hives. Unfortunately, man’s best friend can also endures many health issues and infections along the pathway of life. As much as we love and protect our dogs, problems are bound to occur especially with dog hives, dog scabies and dog parasites which make them utterly uncomfortable.
Dog Hives
Like in humans, dog hives are small, itchy bumps that appear on the skin as an allergic reaction. In dogs the fur will be raised around the area of infection and they cause immense discomfort to the pets who will scratch and lick in an attempt to relieve the distress. You should not allow your dog to keep scratching as he/she will rip open the hives causing more discomfort and severe skin infections.
Pet owners must pay very keen attention to the dog as they try to establish the reason for the hives. Watch out for increased howling, heavy breathing and unconsciousness as they signal severe health issues that must be treated by a vet. If the hives are not too severe you can utilize some home solutions to make your pet more comfortable. A cold bath will soothe the before you can apply a simple home solution of baking soda, aloe Vera and green tea to reduce itching and allow the skin to heal on its own. You can also use over the counter solutions that provide some comfort as the hives heal. The only way to hives is closely monitoring your dog to identify and ensure that he/she never comes into contact with allergens.
Dog Parasites
Dogs are exposed to a horde of internal and external parasites, all of which pose great health risks. External parasites like ticks, fleas, mites and lice live on a dog’s skin, slowly depriving them of energy and will to live. These dog parasites make a dog’s coat dull and unattractive, not to mention the discomfort they bring. A dog infested by dog parasites becomes very irritable, keeps scratching and growling due to the itching beneath their fur.
There are many ways a dog can pick up parasites but if you take his/her grooming seriously, your canine will never play host to mites and fleas. If the is already done, do not give up on your friend but rather buy some anti-parasite products and use them to get rid of the itchy menace. When buying dog skin solutions ensure that the dog’s skin can withstand the compounds use to break out of hives.
Dog Scabies
This skin condition is caused by sarcoptes mange, an oval shaped, light colored, microscopic mite. While there are other types of mite that normally live on the dog’s skin, the mange brings about mild to serious skin problems. Dog scabies occurs when the mites only attack one or two specific areas causing isolated scaly patches. Generalized scabies occurs all over the skin, making it very itchy and smelly. The application for generalized dog scabies depends on its extent and age at which the dog gets the condition. Demodectic scabies is confined to the dog’s feet and it comes with severe bacterial infections. The vet usually requires deep biopsies to locate the mange mites and make proper diagnosis.
Do not rush to isolate a dog with scabies as experts say that the mites are not transferable to you or other pets. The mites may migrate from one dog to another becoming part of its resident mite population without posing dangers if the new host is healthy. Schedule a visit to the vet’s once you see the scaly, flaky scabies patches on dogs to infection from spreading to other parts which would only make the problem harder to solve. Home options might conquer mild scabies but you should definitely seek professional help for generalized and demodectic pododermatitis which are more severe. Once the dog is treated you can future infections by cleaning the kennel and compound before disinfecting it with mite repelling products. Good grooming and proper hygiene will also help by creating an unfavorable environment for harmful mites to thrive.
Superior Protection
These skin problems show that our pets need superior protection against germs and injuries because they are not invincible. By taking deliberate steps to improve the dog’s health you will certainly have him/her by your side much longer.
