Diseases of the skin are probably the most frustrating and common conditions for veterinarians to treat. A dogs general physical health and care is often reflected by the condition of its skin and hair coat. Due to this, canine skin diseases are important for owners to recognize, treat and prevent. Many skin diseases are lifelong problems requiring continual or frequent treatments by owners and veterinarians. It is true that every dog will have its day for canine skin disease.
Lets begin by defining some terms veterinarians frequently use to describe canine skin diseases.
Alopecia can be focal, patchy or generalized in distribution. Certain diseases cause characteristic alopecia patterns. When a small section of a tumor or organ is removed for microscopic analysis. Folliculitis is an infection or pyoderma within the hair follicles. Group of parasitic diseases caused by mites, which are microscopic skin parasites diagnosed by skin scrapings.