Stuffed Animals

     Following are the canine scabies treatment options that help to get rid of this skin disorder.

     Fur Trim: Before the actual scabies treatment for the dog begins, its long hair (if any) has to be clipped to ensure that topical treatments reach the affected areas. This is essential for the treatment to be effective.

     Medicated Shampoos: This is one of the most effective scabies treatment for dogs that can destroy the scabies, responsible for causing this skin disease. Doctors often recommend shampoos as dogs respond quite well to this form of treatment. These shampoos contain insecticides that help to kill these mites. As there are a number of medicated shampoos available over the counter, the dog owner will have to consult a veterinarian to choose one that suits the dog’s health the best.

     Injections: Another scabies treatment for dogs involves administering prescribed drugs intravenously. Drugs for this skin disease include Selemectin, Frontline Plus, and Revolution, that are very much capable to eliminate scabies. Selemectin is injected or taken orally and found to be safe in dogs. Selemectin is a convenient way to treat the condition as the medication is administered once a month and also does not produce any side effects. Read the rest of this entry »

          Alternately, your dog may have itchy, flaky, dry skin. Albeit a common problem, if it goes untreated it can lead to hair loss and infection. Some of the common causes of dry skin on dogs are:

     Parasites: Parasites are a primary cause for itchy, flaky dry skin in dogs. It is quite common for a dog to have fleas, which can be spotted on inspection and accordingly dealt with. However, there are other parasites that can create similar problems. Some are not visible to the naked eye as they reside deep in the hair follicle. To detect these kinds of parasites, a veterinarian may carry out a quick, simple skin scraping procedure to determine which, if any parasites, are present. Some of the possible (read: common) parasites your dog might have are cheyletiella mites (sometimes called “walking dandruff”), scabies (sarcoptic mange), demodectic mange and dog ear mites. To treat most of these mites, you will need a special prescription medication. Read more on fleas on dogs.

     Allergies: While we are familiar with human allergies, dogs can have allergies too. The common allergies to cause itchy dry skin in dogs are atopy (allergy to inhaled substances), food allergies and contact dermatitis. Dry itchy skin is just one of the numerous symptoms of food allergies, which are difficult to diagnose in humans, and thus much more so in dogs. The diagnosing process often involves a lot of trial and error to pin point the cause of the allergy. Treatment can be in the form of anti-histimine medications and limiting contact with the irritant. The onset of contact dermatitis can be sudden, sometimes arising overnight, which leaves a dog reacting to a substance or surface that he didn’t have problems tolerating right up to the previous night! Household cleaners, laundry detergent, shampoos, dog perfumes, and fabrics like wool can trigger this condition. Read the rest of this entry »