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Slide 2

Do You Know what
Your Dog is Telling
You about Their Health?

"Knowing what is normal and abnormal can exposure to hundreds to thousands of dogs.
This Book helps fill in that missing experience."

-D.Rae Worden, Fergus Veterinary Hospital

Slide 1

Become a Rock Star of Veterinary Visits

Are you taking your dog to a vet for a wellness exam or because they’re ill? Do you know what questions to ask your veterinarian? Do you know how to get the most out of your visit?

Get your FREE Veterinary Visit Checklists and maximize your veterinary visits.

A Primer On Skin Fold Infections

A Primer On Skin Fold Infections

Skin-fold infections are prevalent in dogs.

A Primer On Skin Fold Infections: Shar Peis are one of the breeds susceptible to skin fold infections

The role of breed and body condition score

Folds in the skin create a moist environment that favors the growth of bacteria. As a result, they are vulnerable to infections, especially in wrinkly breeds such as:

Bulldog
Shar Pei
Pug

Obese dogs are also at greater risk of pyoderma because of the folds produced by excess fat. In addition, frictional trauma leads to inflammation and the overgrowth of bacteria. In other words, the condition is similar to hot spots.

The severity can range from mild inflammation to severe ulcerations.

The most susceptible skin folds are in the following:

around the face
lips
groin
armpits,
and mammary glands

What does a skin fold infection look like

When suffering from pyoderma, a dog’s infected skin folds will be moist and red.

Pustules may develop and discharge a thick, whitish material. The infected skin may have a foul odor. Dogs with pyoderma may lick or scratch in affected areas. Diagnosis is based on physical examination. However, your veterinarian might perform cytology to confirm.

In the above video, Dr. Lera of Heron Lakes Animal Hospital talks about facial fold dermatitis with Mugsy, an English Bulldog.

Treatment of skin fold infections

Mild cases

Treatment of mild cases typically involves:

clipping fur in the affected area
cleaning with a mild soap
topical preparations containing antibiotics and often corticosteroids to provide local relief

Severe infections

Dogs suffering from severe skin fold infection may also require oral antibiotics and other medications.

Prevention

Skin-fold infections frequently recur, and diligent home care is the best defense against future problems.

Skin folds require regular inspections. It is essential to keep them clean and dry.

Your veterinarian can recommend a cleaner for routine use. In addition, weight loss can play an essential role in overweight pets.

Related articles:
Common Dog Misdiagnoses: Skin Issues

Further reading:
Skin Fold Pyoderma in Dogs

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Jana Rade

I am a graphic designer by day, dog health advocate, dog writer, member of the Dog Writers Association of American and an award-winning author. Jasmine, the Rottweiler of my life, was the largest female from her litter. We thought we were getting a healthy dog. Getting a puppy from a backyard breeder was our first mistake. Endless veterinary visits without a diagnosis or useful treatment later, I realized that I had to take Jasmine's health care in my own hands. I learned the hard way that simply seeing a vet is not always enough. There is more to finding a good vet than finding the closest clinic down the street. And, sadly, there is more to advocating for your dog's health than visiting a veterinarian. It should be enough but it often is not. With Jasmine, it took five years to finally get a diagnosis for her initial issue. Unfortunately, other problems had snowballed for that in the meantime. Jasmine's health challenges became a crash course in understanding dog health issues and how to go about getting a proper diagnosis and treatment. I had to learn and I had to learn fast. Helping others through my challenges and experience has become my mission and Jasmine's legacy. I now try to help people how to recognize and understand signs of illness in their dogs, how to work with their veterinarian and when to seek a second opinion. My goal is to save others the steep curve of having to learn things the hard way as I did. That is the mission behind my blog and behind my writing. That is why I wrote Symptoms to Watch for in Your Dog, which has turned out being an award-winning guide to dog owners . What I'm trying to share encompasses 20 years of experience.

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Do you know what your dog is telling you about their health?

Symptoms to Watch for in Your Dog is an award-winning guide to help you better understand what your dog is telling you about their health and how to best advocate for them.

Learn how to see and how to think about changes in your dog’s appearance, habits, and behaviour. Some signs that might not trigger your concern can be important indicators that your dog needs to see a veterinarian right away. Other symptoms. white hard to miss, such as diarrhoea, vomiting. or Limping are easy to spot but can have a laundry List of potential causes, some of them serious or even Life-threatening.

Symptoms to Watch for in Your Dog is a dog health advocacy guide 101. It covers a variety of common symptoms, including when each of them might be an emergency.

Symptoms to Watch for in Your Dog: Order Now