Skin

Injuries and medical conditions can damage the skin, causing it to break open and ooze. Minor cases of oozing skin breakage are common in dogs.

When a cat develops patches of dark skin, referred to as hyperpigmentation. Cats may develop dark or black areas on their skin due to chronic irritation, hormonal changes, prolonged UV exposure, certain cancers, or as a result of a genetic condition.

A dog’s skin turning black or becoming dark is called hyperpigmentation. As with other mammals, skin color in dogs is related to how much melanin (pigment) is present.

Any area of skin that is abnormally different from the tissue around it can be described as a skin lesion. Skin lesions vary widely in appearance and include sores, blisters, ulcers, wounds, rashes, warts, tumors, color changes, and any other abnormalities.

A skin lesion is any area of skin that is abnormally different from the tissue surrounding it. Sores, blisters, tumors, rashes, skin ulcers, warts, and any other change to normal skin can be referred to as a skin lesion.

Dandruff is the presence of excessive amounts of dry, flaky skin near the hair roots. Cats of any age may develop dandruff.

Dandruff in dogs describes an accumulation of dry flakes on the surface of the skin. It is a common symptom affecting dogs of any age and results from a variety of underlying conditions.

A rash is a very common symptom of many skin conditions in cats. Rashes include many different skin abnormalities including red spots, hair loss, scabs, raw patches, and thick crusting with wrinkled skin (lichenification).

Rash is defined as an eruption on the skin in dogs. This may appear as reddened skin, hair loss, scabs, moist, pruritic (itchy) spots with pus, bumps, raw patches, sores, scales, or thickened, crusty skin.

Itching (also referred to as pruritus) in horses is a common symptom that may indicate insect bites, skin infection, or allergic reactions. An itchy horse will often rub against other surfaces, including stalls, trees, fences, or buildings, which may lead to loss of hair and more irritated skin.

Subcutaneous lumps appear in dogs as abnormal growths or masses located under the skin. If the lump is manipulated manually, the feeling of a subcutaneous lump varies depending on the cause but it is a bump separate from the skin.

Hair loss (also known as alopecia) in horses occurs for three main reasons: because the hair has been broken or rubbed off; the immune system is not working properly and an infection has taken root; or the immune system targets the hair as a foreign invader. 

A swollen umbilicus describes the presence of an enlarged umbilical stump in newborn foals. Depending on the underlying cause, the swelling can feel soft and fluid-like, hard and warm, or may be accompanied by other symptoms.

Crusted, scabbed skin in horses is sometimes referred to as “skin crud.” This is a catch-all term for symptoms where the skin has raised bumps, hair loss, scaling, pus formation, or crusting.

Peeling or sloughing skin in horses is characterized as an area of the body where the skin has begun to lose its surface layer. Generally appears as flaking or patches of skin that are missing or damaged.

Scooting is a behavior where the pet sits, lifts its rear legs into the air and uses its front legs to drag the anal area across the floor. This is a normal behavior in response to itchiness, but becomes a medical concern if it is excessive or accompanied by other symptoms, especially around the perineal area.

Feline alopecia or hair loss is the partial or complete absence of hair in areas of the body where hair is expected to be.

Hair loss, or alopecia, is characterized by hair loss leading to bald patches and places in the coat that are abnormally sparse.

Anal scooting describes the behavior of a dog when it drags its rear end across the floor; usually characterized as sitting, lifting hind legs, and using anterior legs to drag the body forward while the anus area drags on the floor

Sarcoptic mange is a specific type of mange that occurs in dogs with an infestation of Sarcoptes scabiei - a parasitic mite that burrows along the surface of the skin in places with sparse hair including the outer ears, abdomen, and elbows.

Cheyletiellosis in cats is a form of mange commonly known as ‘walking dandruff’. Caused by parasitic Cheyletiella species of mites living on the skin of many animals including cats, dogs, and rabbits

Feline scabies, or mange, is a rare, but highly contagious condition caused by the parasitic mite Notoedres cati.

Burns can be caused by heat (thermal), friction (mechanical), or chemical reactions.

Cats experience two types of contact dermatitis: allergic and irritant. They both involve skin contact with an offending substance which leads to a dermatologic reaction.

Mud fever is an inflammatory skin condition affecting the lower limbs of horses, caused by bacterial, viral, parasitic, or fungal agents that thrive on the skin over the pasterns and fetlocks.

A claw disorder is a disease or trauma which affects the claw and surrounding tissue. There are several disorders that fall under this classification including traumatic injuries, Symmetric Lupoid Onychitis (SLO), bacterial and fungal infections, tumors, and keratinization defects

Head tilt refers to an abnormal posture of the head, where the head is tilted to one side with one ear lower than the other.

Solar dermatitis is a condition caused by exposure to UV rays, which leads to irritated skin, rashes, and potentially cancerous growths.

Allergies are common in cats, similar to other species. Harmless proteins in the environment (allergens) stimulate the immune system, which overreacts and produces a strong inflammatory response.

Foxtails and other grass awns, are a common form of seed dispersal for many types of grass. Awns have numerous bristles that allow the seed head to embed in the skin and orifices of animals and their shape makes them difficult to remove