Most Common Skin Problems for Dogs and Cats

Many people in Britain own a pet dog or cat, or even multiple pets; I myself am the owner of two retired greyhounds. As a pet owner and animal lover, it is your duty to ensure your pet’s health and wellbeing, so that they can stay happy and healthy for longer.

Regardless of breed, there is one common complaint shared amongst many dogs and cats in the UK. I am of course referring to skin problems. Here is a list of some of the most common skin problems that dogs and cats across the land face:

Image credit (Flickr: normanack)

Fleas

The most common skin condition that affects both dogs and cats are fleas. These insects multiply in their thousands once they’ve found a suitable host, and pets can be particularly sensitive to flea bites, with some actually developing an allergy to them.

These allergies are usually caused by a chemical in the flea’s saliva, and for many pets even just one bite from a flea can cause a serious skin disease.

Food allergies

Some skin conditions can actually be attributed to food allergies. Just like humans, dogs and cats can be allergic to certain foods, with the root cause normally being a substance or chemical that is contained within certain types of foods.

Although you can get advice from your vet about the best course of action, it is normally going to be a case of isolating certain foods that your pet eats until you can narrow down the source.

Atopy

Atopy is the term used to describe a medical condition where a dog or a cat can develop an allergic reaction to something in their environment. For example, they might develop an allergic reaction from something on or near to where they spend a lot of time.

Things such as dust mites, pollen and grass are just some of the items that can cause atopy and subsequently, allergic skin reactions.

Mange

Another cause of skin conditions that are related to atopy is mange. There are many different types of mange, for example, demodectic mange can be caused by mites and is commonly seen in puppy dogs. Cat owners will be pleased to know that mange is less common in cats than it is in dogs although it can still occur.

There is also a type of mange that can be contagious to people too as well as dogs and cats, and this is known as sarcoptic mange; it is more commonly known as scabies.

Ringworm

Ringworm, although not a common problem, can also be the cause of many skin conditions and diseases in cats and dogs. It’s not a particularly easy problem to sort out unfortunately, because it can be difficult to clear an infected environment of the fungi that causes ringworm.

It is also worth noting that ringworm affects, and is contagious to, humans as well. Although you might think ringworm is actually something caused by worms, it isn’t; in fact, it is a fungal skin disease. This is one of the worst dog skin problems that you will have to resolve, so it is worth talking to your vet about the best way of combatting such problems.

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