Dog skin

Ear discharge describes build-up of debris in the ear canals which works its way out of the external ear.

Poor quality coats in dogs manifest as abnormally thinning, patchy, oily, dull, or brittle fur. A healthy dog’s fur should be smooth and shiny.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

Hives (urticaria) are an uncommon condition where dome-shaped bumps (wheals) develop on a dog’s skin. Hives are  most commonly caused by reactions to insect bites or allergies. Hives are rarely dangerous, although in severe cases swelling around the throat may impact breathing.

Transmissible venereal tumors (TVT) are an unusual form of tumor which can be transmitted through skin-to-skin contact between dogs. The exact source of this cell line is unknown, but is thought be thousands of years old.

Skin abscesses are a common condition in dogs caused by the introduction of bacteria under the skin as the result of a puncture wound. Once bacteria enter under the skin, they cause the tissue to swell, leading to pain, discomfort, and the production of pus.

Canine acne describes an inflammatory skin condition primarily affecting the chin and lips of young dogs. The underlying disease process is not fully understood, but it is thought that injury to the muzzle causes inflammation of the hair follicles which sometimes leads to secondary infection, pain and itchiness.

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.

The brown recluse spider (Loxosceles reclusa), is commonly found in the south central and southwestern United States. Envenomation by a brown recluse spider is also known as loxoscelism.

Lice infestation, also known as pediculosis, describes parasitic infestation of the skin and hair with different species of lice. Infestation is more commonly seen in young, debilitated, and malnourished dogs.

Ringworm, also known as dermatophytosis, is a fungal infection of the skin, hair, or nails in dogs. Ringworm is a common and highly contagious disease which presents with patches of hair loss alongside red and crusty lesions.

Cuterebriasis is a parasitic infestation caused by the larvae of Cuterebra species (Botflies). Botflies are typically parasites of rabbits and other rodents, but sometimes they may infect dogs and other pets. 

Frostbite occurs when parts of the body freeze after prolonged exposure to cold temperatures. Severe cases cause death or damage to affected tissues in dogs. 

Cutaneous hemangiosarcoma is cancer of the blood vessels of the skin. This type of tumor is generally fragile, blood-filled, and can be found anywhere on the skin.

Papillomatosis, also known as warts, is an infection caused by papillomavirus in dogs. Papillomatosis presents as benign skin tumors (warts) most commonly in the oral cavity and lips, but can affect any part of the skin

Eosinophilic granuloma and  furunculosis are skin conditions which manifest in dogs as red or yellow bumpy nodules which can be itchy or painful. They result from skin inflammation triggered by hypersensitive reactions and are associated with insect bites.

Lupoid onychodystrophy is an uncommon disease that affects the nails or claws of dogs. Dogs with lupoid onychodystrophy typically have multiple nails on more than one paw affected, but are otherwise healthy.

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a malignant tumor formed of keratinocytes, a type of skin cell. SCCs are often characterized by the location of the tumor (e.g. oral, digital, etc.).

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

Cheyletiellosic mange, or walking dandruff, is an uncommon parasitic infestation of Cheyletiella sp. mites in dogs.

Demodectic mange occurs when large numbers of Demodex mites infest a dog’s skin. When small in number, Demodex mites are considered a normal part of the canine biome.

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.

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

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

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