Dogs also suffer from skin diseases. The fact that our faithful four-legged friends have fur that protects them from harmful environmental influences often prevents the timely recognition of unhealthy dog skin. Skin diseases in dogs are comparable to those in humans or even identical. These include allergies, inflammations, or tumors. Others affect specific dog breeds.

Inform yourself, take preventive measures in time, and read in this basic article about the symptoms by which you can recognize your dog’s skin diseases.

The Layers of a Dog’s Skin: An Overview

The skin of dogs is white to gray in most breeds and has a three-layer structure:

The internal structure of these layers is extremely complex.

The Functions of the Skin:

Skin Care from the Inside: Tips for Proper Nutrition for Your Dog

To ensure the health of your dog’s skin and the beauty of its coat, regular grooming is not enough; balanced nutrition is also necessary. Deficiencies often manifest first on the skin and hair of the dog.

Essential Fatty Acids for the Dog’s Organism

Essential fatty and amino acids are so named because they are vital for the dog but cannot be synthesized by the dog’s organism. They must be ingested through food. The organism needs them to metabolize fat-soluble vitamins and provide the dog with the necessary energy. A lack of fatty acids inevitably leads to metabolic disorders and deficiencies, which can manifest initially as dry or scaly skin, itching, and dull fur.

High-quality dry and wet food contains essential fatty acids as additives. A look at the label of your dog’s food reveals: Valuable fats are cold-pressed omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which the dog’s body needs in a certain ratio. They are obtained from fish (salmon, cod, haddock) or plants (linseed, hemp, rapeseed, walnut). Generic terms such as “fats and oils” usually refer to inferior fats such as frying fat, which should never be included in your dog’s diet.

If you feed your dog a raw diet (BARF), you should ensure a balanced addition of both fatty acids and preferably change the types of oils regularly.

High-Quality Proteins for Canine Skin

The most important for a beautiful coat and healthy canine skin are high-quality proteins from various meat, fish, and plant varieties, which the organism breaks down into amino acids. Since dog hair consists of 90 percent keratin (fibrous proteins), a lack of this building block inevitably manifests in the coat structure.

Only when several protein sources of good bioavailability complement the dog’s food is the high-quality nutrition of your four-legged friend guaranteed. A dog that receives soy instead of quality meat as a protein source in its complete food will sooner or later show corresponding deficiencies because the canine organism metabolizes soy very poorly. The best sources of protein include eggs, offal, and muscle meat, from which a high-quality dog food should consist.

Dietary Supplements – When Are They Necessary?

Situations in which a dog has an increased need for certain substances make targeted supplementation with dietary supplements useful or even necessary. This applies, for example, to pregnant dogs. Sick and elderly dogs also have an equally increased need for minerals and trace elements. Properly dosed, dietary supplements can help prevent or compensate for a deficiency. Give supplements preferably after consulting with your veterinarian or after expert dog nutrition advice.

If the dog is healthy, its diet is fine, but the coat is still dull, it could be due to improper coat care. Because here, too, there are a few important things to consider – here are tips for coat care.

The Natural Wonder Skin

A First Layer: Epidermis (Outer Skin):

The outermost covering (1) of the dog’s body and at the same time a protective barrier against environmental influences (pathogens, harmful radiation, and extreme temperatures). Although the thinnest layer of skin, it consists of 5 layers.

B Second Layer: Dermis (Corium or Leather Skin):

Controls the elasticity and resistance of the skin and includes sebaceous glands (2), blood vessels (3), nerves (4), and hair follicle muscles (5) in addition to connective tissue cells. The hair follicle muscles ensure that the dog can erect its fur and perceive touches through the hairs.

C Third Layer: Hypodermis (Subcutaneous Tissue):

It is a storage site for fat cells (6) and also contains vessels and nerves (7) that serve as heat insulation.

The Most Common Skin Diseases in Dogs and Their Symptoms

Since the skin of the dog – apart from primitive breeds without fur like the Peruvian Inca Orchid and the Mexican Xoloitzcuintle – is covered with hair, its skin problems are only discovered late. Therefore, frequent – preferably daily – fur and skin care should be a must for every responsible dog owner. The list of possible symptoms is as long as in humans. Only a veterinarian’s diagnosis can provide certainty.

The following guidelines can help you assess the situation:

Allergies:

An allergy in dogs is one of the most difficult diseases to diagnose. The difficulty lies in finding the allergen (allergy trigger) for the allergy. Is it the dog shampoo, the food, or the flea bite? If the triggering allergen is found, the dog’s condition usually improves very quickly.

Possible skin symptoms include:

Hormonal Problems:

If there is a change in fur structure or hair loss, problems with the internal organs or the hormonal system may be the cause. Diseases of the digestive organs (intestines) and the thyroid gland, in particular, quickly manifest themselves in the fur.

Cushing’s syndrome, a disease of the adrenal glands, also accompanies a hormonal disorder and requires immediate veterinary treatment.

Tumors in dogs often have a hormonal cause that must be immediately examined by a specialist. This includes, for example, testicular tumors in males or ovarian tumors in females.

Possible skin symptoms include:

Autoimmune Diseases:

Here, the dog’s immune system acts against its own cells and organs, just like that of humans. The skin can also be affected. The so-called collie nose or discoid lupus erythematosus is common in collies and shelties but can also affect other breeds (German shepherd, German shorthaired pointer, Siberian husky). Characteristic of this condition is that sunlight exacerbates the symptoms. Skin infections that do not respond to antibiotics can also be an indication.

Possible skin symptoms include:

Fungal Infection:

The family of diseases caused by fungi is diverse. However, among the most common pathogens in canine skin diseases are filamentous fungi and yeast fungi. Puppies are more prone to filamentous fungi infections than adult dogs, with the fungus Microsporum canis being the most common cause. Yeast fungal infections such as Malassezia dermatitis multiply rapidly and lead to noticeable skin infections – especially when the dog’s immune system is already weakened by another disease.

Take the symptoms seriously and consult your veterinarian with your pet. Fungal infections weaken your dog’s immune system and are contagious to humans!

Possible skin symptoms include:

Bacterial Infections:

Bacteria on the skin proliferate particularly well and quickly when the dog’s organism is already weakened by other diseases. Bacterial infection often accompanies allergies as a comorbid condition.

The symptoms are usually atypical or overshadowed by those of the allergy:

Ectoparasites:

Parasites include (grass) mites, fleas, ticks, and lice in particular. Flea bites often lead to allergic reactions, while ticks not only transmit allergies but also viruses and bacteria, causing diseases such as Lyme disease and ehrlichiosis.

Possible skin symptoms include:

Regular checks, grooming, and appropriate prophylaxis (e.g., spot-on preparations or collars) can help prevent infestations in time. However, existing infestations can only be resolved with the help of medical preparations prescribed by the veterinarian.