Why Does a Dog Have Sores on the Skin?
Many conditions can cause your dog to have sores on its skin. According to Doctors Foster and Smith, one of the first signs may be a crusty area on the skin. Many times, though, small problem areas can develop into sores that can open and drain.
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Conditions
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Acute moist dermatitis, according to the Dog Health Guide, is also known as hot spots. With hot spots, you may notice your dog licking and biting at the affected areas, and hot spots will present themselves as round, raw looking sores. Demodectic mange is another condition that causes sores that will drain, crust over and cause hair loss. Scabies causes red spots on the skin, which will cause your dog to scratch, and the spots will turn into sores. Blastomycosis shows up as round, draining sores that may crust over.
Causes
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Your dog, according to the Dog Health Guide, will develop hot spots most often in warm weather. Hot spots can be caused by a number of things including: flea bites, mites, poor grooming and allergies. Demodectic mange is caused by mites, and can appear in one or more places on your dog's skin. Scabies is another condition caused by mites that leave toxins on your dogs skin, which is what causes the redness and sores. Blastomycosis is a fungal infection that is systemic, and this fungus in found most often around rivers and lakes.
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Diagnosis
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It will help, according to PetPlace, to have your veterinarian perform thorough physical and diagnostic tests to determine the cause and course of treatment. Things your veterinarian will want to know is how long your dog has had the sores, how the sores have progressed, history of travel and any previous problems and treatments. Your veterinarian may take samples of any discharge coming from the sores to help obtain a complete diagnosis.
Treatment
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Treatments for skin sores depend your dog's condition. With hot spots, your veterinarian may prescribe antibiotics, flea or parasite products, and clipping the hair around the spots will help alleviate discomfort. The typical treatment for demodectic mange is a topical medication such as dermasil, or your veterinarian may order prescription medication for infected sores. Scabies can be treated, according to the Dog Health Guide, by using topical medication that is for mange conditions. Blastomycosis is treated with anti-fungal medications such as Sporanox and with anti-fungal shampoos.
Care at Home
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To treat your dog's skin sores, according to PetPlace, you may have to give oral medications over a long period of time, anywhere from two to four months. Do not let your dog swim if he or she has open sores as this can allow additional infections to set in. Be aware, that some infections can affect humans as well, so ask your veterinarian about any possible risk of your dog transmitting its skin infection to humans.
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