Dog Skin

Knowledge of dog skin can help understand why dogs itch and scratch.

A common cause of the itchy, scratching dog is canine atopic dermatitis. The skin of dogs with canine atopic dermatitis is quite abnormal. Ceramide in a deficient skin barrier is lacking a protein called sphingosine. The sphingosine deficient ceramide is like aged, crumbling mortar between the skin cells in the dogs' skin. The protective barrier to the skin "leaks". Water loss through the skin causes very dry skin. Allergens such as pollen, dust mite and moulds are able to also penetrate through the skin and trigger an allergic reaction in the deeper layers of the skin. Red, itchy skin which is intensely itchy is manifested.

The red itchy skin makes the dog lick and scratch and mutilate itself. The skin is traumatised and damaged and irritated. The red and inflamed skin becomes infected. The dog begins to suffer from an unbearable itch and starts to mutilate itself. Severe trauma and skin damage can be caused from excessive and repeated scratching. An unrelenting itch for the dog causes self mutilation from excessive scratching. I have seen dogs scratch themselves until they bleed and rub themselves on concrete or gravel or destroy their skin by excessive rubbing on fence posts and trees.

Misery from extended suffering from itchy skin is a feature of canine atopic dermatitis. This problem is commonly seen in breeds such as the West Highland White Terrier and the Maltese Terrier most of the terrier breeds and the Shih tzu. Another terrier that suffers terribly is the jack Russell Terrier. The Bull Terrier breeds and the Bulldog breeds suffer terribly from skin problems also. The Sharpei is possibly the worst breed affected. These dogs have terrible allergy problems and terrible skin problems all because of one little protein called sphingosine that is missing from the protective skin barrier.

There are many pet care products that have been developed for dog skin. most products that are marketed as natural treatments or miracle treatments for itchy dog skin are worse than useless beacuse they actually do further harm to the skin. Many brands of dog shampoo contain soap and surfactant that further damages the crumbling ceramide and removes it. This can lead to very dry and unprotected skin. Dog shampoo can actually make the problem worse by drying the skin and removing the protective barrier. Tea tree oil and other essential oils are extremely acidic and further damage the faulty skin barrier. Itchy, red and dry skin will be the result of using the wrong products.

There are some very good natural therapies and natural treatments that can help the itchy,scratching dog.


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