The paw pads on your dog’s feet protect them from a variety of surfaces. As a result, these pads are susceptible to various factors that might irritate them. This inflammation is known as pododermatitis, and it can make even ordinary actions difficult for your dog, such as walking. If you suspect any abnormality in your dog, you should bring them to Virginia Beach veterinary hospital for a thorough medical evaluation.
We’ll go over everything you need to know about dog pododermatitis, including its reasons, consequences, and treatment choices, in this blog.
What is Dog Pododermatitis?
Pododermatitis is the blistering of the epidermis of your dog’s paws. It’s a skin condition that can damage one or more of your puppy’s paws. The most common targets are paw pads, nails, nail creases, and interdigital regions.
What Causes Dog Pododermatitis?
A variety of factors can induce pododermatitis, including an underlying illness, an infected surface, or an allergic response. Knowing the reason will aid in determining the best course of action for your pet. The following are the most prevalent causes of this ailment, so you’ll know what to look out for:
- Infections
Infections of the paws are a common cause of inflammation. Bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses are all examples of them. T
- Allergies
One of the most prevalent causes of dog pododermatitis is allergies. An allergic response might cause soreness in your dog’s paws after it has been initiated. It most commonly affects puppies between the ages of 6 months and three years.
Dust, pollen, and food items are common causes of allergy reactions in dogs.
- Bodies from Other Countries
When your pet comes into touch with various foreign materials, it might cause paw irritation. It has the ability to penetrate the epidermal layer, causing varying degrees of discomfort. Grass seeds, flora, foxtails, spikes, timber slivers, and wood splinters are some examples.
- Genetics
If their parents have a neurobiological health issue linked to pododermatitis, pododermatitis can be transmitted to younger puppies in some circumstances. A baby Bull Terrier, for instance, may get paw irritation if their father has died from acrodermatitis. The familial variety of paw pad hyperkeratosis is also included.
- Hormonal Disturbances
Hormonal imbalance may cause pododermatitis as well. A hormonal imbalance can impair the skin’s immune system, making the paws more prone to infection. Luckily, it appears to be relatively infrequent in these circumstances, but knowing when it could happen is useful.
What is the Treatment for Canine Pododermatitis?
The etiology of pododermatitis will determine the therapy. To propose the best treatment approach for your dog, your veterinary hospital doctors must first evaluate the underlying issue.
Your veterinarian may do a full medical history assessment, physical examination, and various dermatological studies on your dog’s feet to determine the problem. Skin cytology, peelings, hair plucking, fungal and bacterial cultures, biopsies, urinalysis, diet trials, and radiographic imaging are among the tests available. They’ll help you rule out other possibilities and establish exactly what’s causing your pododermatitis.
Your veterinarian can explain the treatment alternatives for canine pododermatitis once the problem has been identified. Systemic and topical treatments are frequently used in remedies to relieve symptoms and aid your dog’s recovery. Here’s a list of therapy choices based on the reason to help you make an informed selection.