Thursday, May 30, 2013

What Breed Says About Skin Disease in Dogs

By Cathy Doggins


Breed is a valuable evaluative criteria in examining canine skin illness. Purebred dogs are chosen based on a particular set of criteria. This stability in desired traits provides a higher degree of certainty in understanding associated diseases in the breed. Inbreeding among purebred dogs also guarantees that undesirable features, such as canine skin problems, continue to be found. Over the course of time this results in illnesses being associated with each purebred dog breed.

Breed is not always a basis for diagnosing an illness. Some skin conditions can be the result of unique genetic characteristics of one litter or parent. For example, the disease blistering dermatosis was discovered in 4 genetically related litters of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever breed.

Some medical issues are connected with only one dog breed. For instance, the Shar pei, a breed known for chronic skin conditions, is known to have primary mucinosis as a disorder. This condition has a lower incidence in other breeds. Making research even more complex are anomalies that are impacted by geography. For example, atopic dermatitis has a higher incidence in English Setters in some geographies, but. not others.

Some sicknesses are now linked with several breeds. Sebaceous adenitis is now connected with Standard Poodles, Newfoundlands and Belgian Shepherds. Studies of the illness show that the disease is inherited, even though it varies based on the age at which is first manifests itself. When a veterinary dermatologist diagnoses the condition, breed becomes an essential evaluative factor.

Another breed specific condition is symmetrical lupoid onychodystrophy. It was diagnosed in Gordon setters, German shepherds and English setters. Other large breeds also have occurrences of the skin disease. Symptoms of the skin illness include nail problems, lameness and licking the paws. Diagnosis is based on breed, clinical symptoms and skin cultures. Examination of the cells underneath the nails also helps to confirm any diagnosis.

Labs also have a skin condition associated with the breed. The condition is called Interdigital cystic folliculitis and furunculosis. The disease is distinguished by cysts on paw pads. Dogs can also be grouped by skin pigment. Those with lighter skin such as Bassett hounds and Dalmatians are in danger of sun prompted diseases. As discussed before, here geography plays a part since the condition is prompted by the sun. As one can expect, the illness affects skin areas that are not entirely covered with the dogs coat.

Skin disease diagnosis is difficult for even he most experienced diagnostician. Lab tests, symptoms examined in a vet's office, and breed are all good tools in determining the cause of any condition having an impact on the skin.




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