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Skin diseases are common in dogs. Although seldom fatal, many are chronic -- they can be controlled but not cured. Therefore, many skin diseases require frequent, if not lifelong, treatment.
Dermatology is the medical specialty focused on the diagnosis and treatment of skin diseases. The skin and hair coat in dogs have many functions and their condition can be used as an indicator of a dog's general health.
Because there are so many causes of skin diseases in dogs, diagnosis is often difficult and response to treatment may take time to evaluate. Allow your veterinarian to determine the cause by using careful case histories and modern diagnostic measures before deciding on a course of treatment. Many diseases cause similar clinical signs, making diagnosis even more difficult.
Bacterial, fungal, allergic, parasitic and hormonal skin diseases occur in dogs. Less commonly, numerous hereditary and immune-medicated forms of skin disease also affect dogs. many skin diseases cause intense itching and this leads to further skin damage from self-mutilation. Rare causes of skin disease include nutritional deficiencies, viruses and poisons. Skin tumors and cysts are common in older dogs.
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