Content
- What is seborrhea? Why does it occur?
- Other causes and predispositions
- Types of seborrhea
- Diagnosis of seborrhea
- Canine seborrhea treatment
Seborrhea is a very common disease that affects the scalp of dogs, especially the areas of the torso, feet and face. With seborrhea, the skin's sebaceous glands produce a large amount of tallow, causing at the same time, scales, back and excess fat.
Although it is very common, if seborrhea is not treated in time, it can lead to secondary skin infections. Puppies often smell bad due to the accumulation of fat and oil in their fur. Additionally, this condition can cause the animal to scratch the affected areas too much, causing bleeding and other skin damage.
Let's see next in this article by PeritoAnimal the symptoms and treatment to the seborrhea in dogs.
What is seborrhea? Why does it occur?
Seborrhea is a disease that can be considered secondary in frequency. That is, that is caused by another disease and it is one of the manifestations that indicates that the animal may be presenting a more serious problem. These primary diseases could be:
- Allergies
- Fungi
- endocrine disorders
- Skin cancer
- Nutrient-poor diets
- metabolic disorders
- pancreatic diseases
- parasites
- autoimmune diseases
Other causes and predispositions
On the other hand, seborrhea of the primary type is considered to be a hereditary disease, in which there are certain breeds predisposed to its presence such as: Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, Cocker Spaniel, Basset Hound, German Shepherd, West Highland White Terrier, Shar Pei, among others. In general, this type of seborrhea is a condition that affects puppies before they are 2 years old.
Types of seborrhea
There are two types of seborrhea that are related to the evolution of the dog's skin condition:
- THE dry canine seborrhea it is the scaly form, which occurs during the early stages, when excess keratin builds up on the skin. This type of seborrhea can be seen but does not cause important clinical symptoms.
- THE oily canine seborrhea it is the type of oily disease, which is characterized by excess fat and lack of shine in the hair. At this stage, the symptoms that appear are more obvious and uncomfortable: oily hair together with dry and flaky skin, irritation and the need to scratch. When the disease is very advanced, infections of the skin and inner ears, alopecia, fever, loss of fitness and appetite, and depression due to attack on the immune system can occur. It is important to bear in mind that the majority of registered cases of seborrhea in dogs present a combined form of the two types of the disease.
Diagnosis of seborrhea
The diagnosis of hereditary or primary seborrhea is made only when the other causes have been ruled out. If it is a secondary seborrhea, it is essential diagnose the root cause of the problem, so that our pet recovers as quickly as possible.
Now, for seborrhea to be diagnosed accurately and correctly, knowing what the real causes of the disease are, it is necessary consult the veterinarian for him to carry out specific studies of the skin, a physical examination, skin scrapings to identify parasites, fungal cultures, blood analysis and stool examination. It is possible that the specialist will order a skin biopsy if deemed necessary.
Canine seborrhea treatment
Before starting any treatment, it is important to know what type of seborrhea we want to treat. When the disease is still in its early stages and the animal's skin does not show sores caused by the itching, the treatment is usually painless and simple. The approximate duration is one month and is mostly based on washing the puppy once a week with cold water and anti-seborrheic soap, emphasizing the most problematic areas. The baths can be complemented with vitamin supplements. If the seborrhea is oily, benzoyl peroxide or selenium sulfide can be applied.
If seborrhea is of the hereditary type, it is incurable but totally treatable. With good treatment and constant veterinary supervision, seborrhea can be kept under control and make the animal continue to have a normal life. For the hereditary form, it is good to give them weekly baths with salicylic acid and sulfur and give them oral medications, such as retinoids. When a dog suffers from seborrhea (of any type) it is very positive to add to his diet foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids, such as salmon oil. In addition, it is important to keep him as far away as possible from the complicated areas where he has sores caused by the itching.
