SKIN DISORDERS

Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of theend. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.—Sir Winston Churchill

The skin is the largest organ of the body. Skin may account for12–24 percent of a pet's body weight. The skin has many functions,which include being an enclosure barrier, regulating temperature,producing pigment, producing vitamin D, functioning as a sensororgan, growing hair, and stretching and shrinking. The skin organcan be easily damaged, but it has an uncanny ability to repair andmend itself from many different kinds of trauma. At times, the skinneeds help healing, and you need to provide this help to allow yourpet's skin to repair.

I recently repaired a severe burn on the back of a small breed ofdog that will look like new without a visible scar due to the uniquereparability of the skin. This organ has hair that gives color to the pet.Unfortunately, a lack of attention to our pet's skin issues can result inmajor dermatologic problems. In this chapter, we will address manyskin issues as well as others that normally can be prevented withsimple attentiveness to such things as crustiness, scaling, nodules, hairloss, nonhealing wounds, excessive scratching at the skin, and otherproblems that can occur to the largest organ of the body.

YOUR PET, YOUR CHILDREN, YOU, AND MRSA

What the heck is MRSA? Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus(MRSA) is often called by its acronym and is pronounced "murr-sir"for short or just called staph. Methicillin is a penicillin salt used to treatbacterial infections. Staphylococci can also be found on the skin, inskin glands, in the nasal passages—and other mucous membranes ofwarm-blooded animals—and in a variety of food products.

MRSA is most commonly found in the nose or nasal passages andaround the anus of dogs and cats. However, it can be found in otherareas too. I read about a cat that had MRSA on its toes, up its neck,and into its ears. Staphylococci can cause infections of tissue cells ofthe gums, heart, lungs, bones, and in wounds and open sores. Justabout any part of the body can become infected by this and manyother organisms.

The problem is not just MRSA; organisms such as Streptococcipseudintermedius (MRSP) can become resistant to bacteria. Petscommonly carry MRSP or streptococcus infections, and humans tendto carry MRSA. Streptococcus infections tend to be found in openwounds and recent surgery sites as well as the nose and around theanus. Resistance is most often caused by prolonged use of antibioticsworking on fast-developing bacteria that sets the stage for bacterialresistance. All animals have bacteria on their bodies; most of the time,this bacteria is in check between the different species that live on thebody. Bacteria are one-celled organisms that can reproduce rapidlyand develop resistance from mutations that occur quickly.

If your pet/pets have any antibiotic-resistant bug, is it a risk toyour children and to you? Most would say that getting a resistant bugfrom a pet is very uncommon, but it can, does, and has happened. Ifyou have a bacterial-resistant bacterium on your pet, you should seekthe advice of your family physician and let your physician help youwith this problem as it relates to your children and you. Certainly ifany family member obtains an infection of any kind and you knowthat your pet/pets have a drug-resistant infection, you need to makeyour family physician aware of the situation. This information willhelp your physician. The young are more apt to obtain an infectionfrom a bacteria-resistant pet since they play with the pet and may bekissing the pet or touching areas where they should not touch, suchas the nose or the anal areas of pets. Many people kiss their pets, andany pet with a bacterial-resistant infection should not be kissed untilit has healed.

TREATMENT

This type of infection should be under the direct guidance andtreatment plan of your pet's veterinarian. It has the potential to bedangerous to family members. However, it is thought that transmissionfrom pets to people is rare. If the rare infection happens to be one ofyour family members, it could be serious—and possibly fatal.

PREVENTION

The best way to prevent this condition is to have a good wellnessplan and have health checks at least two times per year. If diseaseconditions are noted at these checkups—and if diseases are present orcaught in early stages—further development can often be prevented.This saves big bucks in the long run since a healthy pet is cheaper thanone being treated for any health condition.

PET GROOMING

Many cats and dogs with long hair are not groomed properly and havemats on the body that allow for skin infections, flea infestations, anddirt and grime accumulations. The issue of grooming is a day-to-daycommitment for the pet owner. Merely brushing the pet daily willkeep the mats away. However, unlike an apple a day will keep thedoctor away, it is not so when it comes to pet grooming. My personalexperience with brushing a cat is that the cat loves it and purrs allthe time it is being brushed. The cat actually shows up on time to begroomed every evening about shower time.

There is an instrument called a FURminator that is an excellenttool for ridding the pet of dead hairs in the body coat. The FURminatorcan be purchased online or at pet stores. By using the FURminator,many dead hairs are removed. With the use of the FURminator, youensure that there will never be hair mats on your pet. You have to usethe FURminator. You cannot purchase it and let it sit on a shelf andexpect the pet not to have hair mats.

The coat of any furry animal has three types of hair: anagen (newhairs), catagen (middle-age hairs or between the anagen and telogenhairs), and telogen (resting or dead hairs). The telogen hairs are oftenleft on tables and chairs when a pet gets nervous or scared. Telogenhairs are released due to the so-called erector pili muscles contractingwhen the pet is excited or frightened.

PREVENTION

Grooming prevents clumping of hair and prevents lameness due tofoot issues caused by matted hair on the feet and between the toes. Itprevents dirt and grime accumulation under hair mats, which oftenresult in skin infections. Prevent skin infections by grooming yourpet, which shows your pride in the pet—and the pet looks so muchbetter.

HAIR LOSS OR MATTING ON THETAIL OF CATS AND DOGS

Many cats and dogs will start to lose the hair on the top side of thetail or so-called dorsal side of the tail. Normally this syndrome startswith a small area of hair loss in dogs; in cats, the hair on the tailstarts to become matted, and there is an accumulation of waxy, oilyaccumulation of the tail hair. This is due to the oil secretion from theso-called sebaceous glands that are concentrated on the top or dorsalside of the tail.

This syndrome is common in dogs. It often starts with a smallarea of hair loss that gets larger with time. A small area of hair loss isoften the first sign in dogs. Normally the lesion is about 2.5–5 cm [1–2inches] below the tail head. The hair loss area may be scaly, greasy,and have an increased darkening of the skin.

It is not uncommon for dogs to have a secondary infectionassociated with the hair loss. This, however, is not a 100 percentoccurring sign. If a secondary infection does occur, you will need tosee your pet's favorite doctor for antibiotics.

In cats, the oily secretions cause a stripe of matted hair with a waxy,oily accumulation. As with the dog, the cat's tail may become darker inthe affected area. In both the dog and the cat, the discoloration tends tobe black or at least dark. In the cat, the lesion is normally confined to thetail, and there is no other skin involved. This is not necessarily so in thedog; many dogs have seborrhea secretions on other areas of the body.

Stud tail is a cosmetic disease and does not affect the quality oflife of the pet; normally the prognosis is good for this syndrome.Fortunately, it is uncommon in cats. However, this syndrome is rathercommon in dogs of all sizes.

TREATMENT

The treatment of choice for cats and dogs is castration or surgicalneutering. In the dog, castration may induce partial to complete lesionregression or prevent any further development of the syndrome.Improvement is seen within two months.

Surgery is not an instant fix like a lot of people like to think in thismodern world. In cats, surgery may not resolve the issue, but it mayhelp prevent further development of the problem. Surgical excision ofthe lesion has been tried, but it is not very effective since the lesion mayreoccur within four years. This option is not feasible due to needingto repeat the surgery.

This is a personal decision you will have to make if faced withthis issue. In cats, regular grooming of the matted hair and combingmay be necessary, especially for cats that are poor groomers. I wouldrecommend the FURminator for helping to keep the tail hair groomed.The FURminator is somewhat expensive, but I have found it to be veryeasy to use and very effective. I know of no other grooming tool thatworks as well.

Omega-3 fatty acids have been of some benefit; depending on theanimal's size, doses can range from 500 mg to 3000 mg. I suggest about180 mg EPA of omega-3 fatty acids per ten pounds of body weight.You be the judge about the effectiveness by trying a dose of fish oil(omega-3 fatty acids), but remember that no treatment is instant. Ittakes time to be effective. Seborrhea shampoos used every two toseven days have been used with some success since they cut the oilyaccumulations and may improve smell. See Table 1.1.

The dose to be given is determined by the weight of the pet. Youcan also purchase fish oil. Dump the oil into a small container—andgive the same dose according to the following charts. Dealing withfish oil capsules is anything but convenient. It is a messy way to obtainthe omega-3 acids, and Nordic Naturals can be purchased at vitaminshops and online. Type "Nordic Naturals" in the search line, and thesite to order online pops up. The products come with a calculated dosedropper that is easy to use. The website is www.omega-direct.com.Click on products, and then click on pet products, or you can make afree call 1-800-595-2714.

PREVENTION

This is a so-called idiopathic condition, which means that we do notknow what triggers the condition. There is really not much you cando to prevent it. If it is going to happen, it will occur. You will at leastknow what it is and what can be done if you elect to do so. If you havea wellness plan, it will normally be diagnosed early. This will preventfurther development in your pet of the so-called stud tail.

A problem with capsules is that more oil gets on one's hands thaninto the pet. You could cut the capsules, pour the oil in a container,and then dose the oil from the container at the same dosage asNordic Naturals from Table 1.1. Nordic Naturals has worked outthe dosing and has an easy way of getting the correct dose withoutany fuss.

DOG AND CAT BLEEDING SKIN

The most obvious sign of bleeding in a dog or cat is the presence ofblood on the surface of the pet. The very first thing one must do isnot to lose one's cool. Stay calm if you feel yourself becoming excitedor apprehensive. Count to ten and take a deep breath. Once you havesettled down, your next step is to determine how much trauma ispresent, where the trauma is, and if it is something you can treat—orif it is a job for the pet's doctor.

To determine if you need to take the pet to see the doctor,think about open wounds on yourself. If a wound on your bodyis not bad, you tend to treat it yourself; if it is bad, you go to yourphysician. Use the same evaluation system for your pet as you wouldfor yourself.

You can treat bleeding wounds effectively with Quick Clot or PetClot. This is an amazing, relatively new product on the market thatworks for people, small pets, and large pets. It stops bleeding veryquickly.

TREATMENT

If you determine you can treat the wound, you first need to stop thebleeding. You can do this very quickly with a product like Quick Clotor Pet Clot. Clot-producing products work on people as well as pets.These are simple to use. They are packaged as a sponge or gauze padthat you apply to the wound. With a little pressure, the bleeding willstop. Once you have stopped the bleeding and have determined thatthe wound is one you can treat properly, you can apply medication,such as a triple antibiotic ointment, and bandage the wound if possible.It can be a challenge to keep bandages in place. Animals often removea bandage faster than you can put it on.

Quick Clot or Pet Clot can be purchased online. Simply type thename in the search line of your preferred Internet search engine, andretailers will pop up. One such website is www.quikclot.com.

PREVENTION

The best prevention, in my opinion, is to keep control of the pet whenthe pet is outside, such as using a leash when walking the dog or lettingthe cat out. My experience is that the most severe bleeding is due tothe pet being hit by a passing car. Obviously there are other ways thatpets can be cut. It is important that sharp objects be put away—andthat you are aware of trauma areas within your neighborhood. Petsupervision prevents pet accidents. Take the time—and you will beglad you did.

HAIR STAIN CAUSED BY EYE DISCHARGE

Many dogs have a discolored hair problem from eye discharge atthe corner of the eye by the nose. This is seldom seen in cats. Thesyndrome is frequently seen in Maltese terriers and toy poodles. Ittends to be most obvious in small white-haired dogs that have a brownor reddish-brown stain on the hairs along both sides of the nose dueto the eye discharge.

The basis of the tearing needs to be investigated since it can becaused by many different syndromes. The lower eyelid could be rollinginward and rubbing on the eyeball, or eyelashes could be pokingthe eye. Either will cause tearing. Other defects might include nasalfolds that interfere with the eye or eyelids, and allergies need to beconsidered as a culprit. Perhaps the duct that runs from the eye intothe nose, which allows excess tears to be discharged into the nose,may be plugged and is not allowing tears to be properly drained intothe nose.

This duct is most often called the nasallacrimal duct. In many cases,no specific cause for this problem can be determined. If a conditioncan be identified, it can be surgically corrected or treated (perhaps asan allergy or obstructed nasal lacrimal duct). Correction of identifieddefects in or around the eye will normally eliminate tearing, allowingthe hairs to be free of staining and tears.

TREATMENT

Affected animals should not be bred. During the past several years,limiting breeding has reduced the incidence of this syndrome. If adefect has been identified and can be corrected, the pet often requiressurgery. There is not much that can be done to eliminate the hairstaining from tears if the cause of tear production is not identified.

There is a product called Angels' Eyes for dogs and cats that hasbeen used to supposedly remove tear stains. I cannot vouch for theeffectiveness of the product since I have not used it. It can be foundat online drug sales companies; one company that has the product is1-800-Pet Meds.

PREVENTION

There is not any known home hair staining prevention currentlyavailable. If you have a pet with hair staining syndrome, the basis ofthe tearing is either treatable or unidentifiable—and most likely nottreatable. Both treatable and unidentifiable conditions are normallycongenital or developmental.

Due to the way the tearing develops, it unfortunately makes ownerprevention unattainable. Eliminating affected dogs from breedingseems to be the best option. Breeding selection has been responsiblefor greatly reducing the numbers of occurring cases of hair stainingdue to tears, making this the most effective program for eliminationof tear hair stains.

CLEANING EARS

It is easy for you to clean your pet's ears. All you need is a bit of mineraloil and some warm water. Fill the ears with mineral oil and massagevigorously. Let the pet shake its head to get as much of the mineral oilout as possible. Repeat this process three times, being sure to massagethe filled ears and letting the pet shake its head.