Scabs On Dogs
Scabs on dogs are a natural part of healing if your dog has had any kind of cut, sore, injury, or anything else that has removed skin. When your dog has a scab it’s important that you make sure your dog leaves it alone so the skin can continue to heal. Many dogs will try to lick or chew on their skin when they have a scab. Scabs can also be caused by excessive scratching from parasites such as mites and fleas, or from allergies. If your dog is reacting to one of these problems, you need to take care of the cause of the problem so your dog will stop having the itching that is causing the skin problems.
Cause of Scabs
Scabs can be caused by many different things. If you know what is causing the scabs you should make sure that your dog leaves them alone so they can heal properly. If you don’t know what is causing the scabs you need to find out so you can take care of the underlying problem and clear up any health problems your dog may be having.
Parasites
One of the most frequent causes of scabs is parasites such as mites and fleas. Fortunately, this is also one of the easiest problems to solve. If your dog is chewing on his skin or scratching a great deal and making sores on his body which leave scabs, you need to get rid of the parasites. Give your dog a good bath to get rid of fleas. Talk to your vet about a good flea preventive. Many good topical flea preventives today will also kill mites.
Allergies
Many dogs will also have scabs if they have allergies, particularly if they have contact dermatitis. Contact dermatitis is an allergy that is based on the things your dog touches. It can include common things such as plants or pollens, detergents, and household cleaners. It can also include fertilizers and chemicals used in your yard. Any of these things can cause your dog to itch, scratch, develop sores, and then scabs. Your dog can also develop similar symptoms with other kinds of allergies such as food allergies.
Other Causes
Your dog can also develop scabs from scratching if he has hot spots or different kinds of mange. If your dog has these skin problems you will need to take him to the vet for treatment.
Stop Your Dog from Scratching
If your dog is scratching and creating sores and scabs on his body there are some things you can try to keep him from harming his skin. One thing to try is an Elizabethan collar or an “E-collar.” You can get one of these collars from your vet or from a pet store. It is a cone-shaped collar that your dog wears around his neck. It prevents him from being able to reach parts of his body to scratch and chew. Your dog may hate it and it is sometimes called “the cone of shame,” but it will prevent scratching and chewing.
You can also buy a thick “no-cone” collar for your dog to wear. This kind of collar will also keep your dog from being able to chew or scratch on himself.
Treatment
If your dog has scabs you can ask your vet for a good topical medication to put on them to help them heal faster. Ask for something that your dog won’t want to lick off. You can also use a triple antibiotic ointment or a lotion that contains vitamin B or E for healing. Hydrocortisone cream is also recommended for helping scabs heal faster. It can also prevent infection and make your dog more comfortable. Ask your vet before using a hydrocortisone product as they are not recommended for all conditions.
You can also prevent your dog from having dry skin by bathing him with a soothing dog shampoo such as one that contains oatmeal. Giving your dog fish oil capsules, which contain omega-3, will also improve the condition of his skin.
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If your dog is showing any of these symptoms you need to see your vet. Tests should be done to find out if your dog has cancer and what kind of cancer it might be.
Diagnosis
Your vet will need to have a complete health history for your dog as well as making a physical exam of your dog. Your dog will need to have a rectal exam so your vet can check the dog’s urethra, parts of the bladder, and the prostate gland in the male. X-rays will be needed to see if the tumor has spread to any other places in your dog’s body. Urinalysis and blood tests will also be needed. Depending on the kind of technology your vet has available, there are also some other tests that can be done to measure the bladder tumor and identify exactly where it is. You may need to arrange to see a specialist or visit a university veterinary college for some of these tests.
Treatment
Your vet will discuss treatment options with you or he or she may refer you to a cancer specialist. There are several different ways of treating bladder cancer in dogs. If the tumor is limited to a small area then surgery is often recommended. Chemotherapy is another option. Drug therapy is another option. The drug Feldene, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory also known as piroxicam, has been used with some success in treating transitional cell carcinoma.
Bladder cancer is life-threatening unless it is treated. If it is not treated the tumor can block the urinary tract and your dog will not be able to urinate. This alone could kill him. This kind of cancer is also very likely to spread to other parts of the body. About half the time this kind of cancer is diagnosed, it has already spread to other parts of the body. Your dog’s ability to overcome bladder cancer will depend on where the tumor is located, whether it has spread, and what kind of treatment your dog can take and how effective it is. Some dogs can live more than a year after diagnosis with the right treatment.
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