Recurrent Pyoderma

Recurrent pyoderma is a common canine skin infection.

Recurrent pyoderma is a skin infection, usually caused by a bacterial infection, allergies or genetics. Most pyodermas will respond to treatment and not come back. However, recurrent pyodermas will respond to treatment initially, but will soon come back. If the pyoderma continues to come back after treatment, there may be other underlying causes and you should consult your veterinarian.

What Is Pyoderma?

Bacteria, allergies or underlying medical issues cause pyoderma.

Pyoderma is a common skin condition in dogs caused by bacteria, allergies or genetics. There are different levels of infection, some more serious than others, depending on how many layers of skin are affected. The types of infection include: surface pyoderma (infects the topmost layer of skin); superficial pyoderma (infects just under the surface, close to the hair follicle); and deep pyoderma (infects much deeper, below the hair follicle).

What Is Recurrent Pyoderma?

Recurrent pyoderma usually comes back because the underlying cause still exists.

Most pyodermas go away with treatment, never to come back. However, in recurrent pyoderma, the treatment resolves the infection at first, but it comes back later. Between infection episodes, your dog is, by all appearances, normal. Sometimes, the pyoderma recurs because the root cause of the infection was never really cured. Usually, there are underlying skin diseases or other medical issues that result in recurrent pyoderma. When your veterinarian runs every conceivable test and still cannot find a root cause for the recurrent pyoderma, he will refer to the infection as "idiopathic."

What Causes Recurrent Pyoderma?

Skin diseases, including allergies, may be the root cause of recurrent pyoderma.

A variety of skin diseases are the primary underlying cause of recurrent pyoderma. Many of the skin diseases relate to allergens in the environment, including grooming supplies or food allergies. Also, your dog could have allergies to parasites, such as fleas or scabies mites. However, other skin diseases related to glandular functions, genetics, the immune system or skin cancers may cause recurrent pyoderma. If your veterinarian cannot find any allergies in your dog, she may want to run tests for uncommon or rare causes, such as resistant strains of Staphylococcus bacteria or problems with your dog's immune system.

How Is Recurrent Pyoderma Treated?

Medical tests are often needed to determine the root cause of recurrent pyoderma.

First, in order to determine the root cause of the recurrent pyoderma, your veterinarian may recommend a variety of tests or cultures on your dog's skin, blood or hormones. Depending on the results, your veterinarian may assign a variety of treatments.

For recurrent pyoderma related to allergies, you may need to switch to hypoallergenic dog foods and shampoos. You will need to check your dog's environment for possible allergens such as fleas, dust mites, scabies mites, plants, sprays and cleaning supplies. Your veterinarian may also prescribe antihistamines for severe allergies.

If the root cause is a bacterial infection, your veterinarian will likely prescribe an antibiotic regimen. The strength and number of the antibiotics and the length of time your dog is on them depends on the severity of the infection. Antibiotics can be costly and have side effects. Consult with your veterinarian about possible side effects of the drugs. You may also need antibacterial shampoos to treat the skin directly.

Can I Prevent Recurrent Pyoderma?

Follow all your veterinarian's recommendations to help prevent recurrent pyoderma.

Recurrent pyoderma is challenging to treat, so practicing preventative measures can be helpful. The best action to take against recurrent pyoderma is to follow all your veterinarian's recommendations. You should never take your dog off of the antibiotics without your veterinarian's approval. Usually, your dog will stay on the treatment for up to two weeks or more after the infection has cleared up; this is to ensure a full cure so the pyoderma does not come back. You may also consider removing allergens from your dog's environment, including switching to a hypoallergenic food.

Check and treat your dog for fleas or other parasites--and don't forget his bedding and environment. Consult with your veterinarian before treating for parasites. You want to ensure you don't further irritate your dog's skin.

You should bathe and groom your dog at least once a month. Avoid the perfumed shampoos and conditioners since this may aggravate skin allergies and the recurrent pyoderma. Typically, Sebocalm is an effective shampoo for treating recurrent pyoderma, but check with your veterinarian.

References

• International Veterinary Information Service: Proceeding of the North American Veterinary Conference
• Veterinary Information Network: Canine Recurrent Pyoderma--Finding the Causes & Successful Management
• Pet Care: Recurrent Pyoderma--A Challenge to Treat