Dog Health
Nail and Nail-Bed Problems in Dogs and Cats: Infections, Claw Loss and Toe Tumors
Claws grow from the skin at the end of each toe, so infections, immune diseases and tumors of the skin can reach the claw…
Dog Health
128 articles
Dog Health
Fly and Mosquito Bites on Dogs and Cats: Sore Ear Tips, Mosquito Bite Allergy and When to See Your Vet
Mosquitoes and several kinds of biting flies, among them stable flies, black flies, biting midges and sand flies, feed on blood. Their bites irritate…
Dog Health
Parasitic Worms of the Skin in Dogs and Cats: Guinea Worm, Pelodera Dermatitis and Hookworm Skin Rash
Most worms that infect pets live in the gut, but a few end up in the skin. This guide covers three of them: the…
Dog Health
Warts on Dogs and Cats: Papillomas, What They Look Like and When to See the Vet
Warts (papillomas) are caused by papillomaviruses. In dogs they are very common, and many probably come and go without the owner ever noticing. [1]…
Dog Health
Porcupine Quills in Dogs: What to Do and What Not to Do
A run-in with a porcupine leaves a dog with a face full of barbed quills. Cornell's veterinary college says to take your dog to…
Dog Health
Pemphigus Foliaceus in Dogs and Cats: The Autoimmune Crusting Disease
Crusts and pustules on a pet's skin are sometimes caused by the pet's own immune system. Pemphigus foliaceus is an autoimmune skin disease, and…
Dog Health
Sarcoptic Mange (Scabies) in Dogs: Signs, Diagnosis and Can People Catch It?
Sarcoptic mange, also called canine scabies, is caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei var canis. It is one of the itchiest skin diseases a…
Dog Health
Maggots and Warbles in Dogs and Cats: Fly Strike and Cuterebra Explained
Finding maggots in a pet's wound, or a swelling with a small hole in it, is upsetting. Both are caused by fly larvae, and…
Dog Health
Lice on Dogs and Cats: Signs, Nits and How Vets Treat Them
Lice are small, flightless insects that live in the hair of animals. They are uncommon in dogs and cats, but when a pet does…
Dog Health
Dark, Thickened Skin Patches on Dogs (Hyperpigmentation): What They Mean
Some dogs develop patches of skin that turn brown or black and feel thick and rough, often in the armpits, the groin or on…
Dog Health
Elbow Hygroma in Dogs: The Soft Swelling on a Pressure Point
If your large dog has a soft, squishy swelling on the point of the elbow, it may be a hygroma. It forms when the…
Dog Health
Dry, Crusty Nose in Dogs: Causes Vets Look For
This guide is about a nose that becomes crusty, cracked, lighter in color, red or sore: a skin problem worth showing to your vet.…
Dog Health
Hives and Facial Swelling in Dogs: Causes, What to Do and When It Is an Emergency
Your dog was fine an hour ago, and now there are raised bumps all over the coat, or the muzzle and eyes look puffy.…
Dog Health
Ticks on Dogs and Cats: Finding, Removing and Watching the Bite Site
Finding a tick on your dog or cat is unpleasant, but knowing what to do makes it easier. Ticks are small parasites that feed…
Dog Health
Lick Granuloma in Dogs: Why Some Dogs Lick One Spot Raw
Some dogs lick the same spot on a leg over and over until the hair is gone and the skin turns into a raised,…
Dog Health
Dog Scooting and Anal Gland Problems: Causes, Signs and When to See Your Vet
A dog dragging their bottom across the carpet can look funny, but scooting usually means something back there is uncomfortable. One of the most…
Dog Health
Dog Eye Discharge and Red Eyes: Common Causes and When It Is an Emergency
A bit of crust in the corner of the eye after a nap is common. Thick yellow or green discharge, a red eye, squinting…
Dog Health
Hair Loss in Dogs: Bald Patches, Thinning Coats and What They Can Mean
A bald patch on your dog's leg, a coat that slowly thins over the back, or fur that just does not grow back after…
Dog Health
Dog Dandruff and Dry, Flaky Skin: Common Causes and When to See Your Vet
White flakes on a dark coat, scale on the bedding, or skin that feels rough or greasy under the fur: dandruff is common in…
Dog Health
Seasonal Allergies in Dogs: Why the Itch Comes Back Every Spring or Summer
Some dogs are fine for most of the year, then start licking their paws, rubbing their face and scratching at the same time every…
Dog Health
Lumps and Bumps on Dogs: Which Are Harmless and When to Worry
You are scratching your dog's chest and your fingers find something new: a soft lump under the skin, a small raised bump, or a…
Dog Health
Ringworm in Dogs and Cats: Signs, Diagnosis, Treatment and Protecting Your Family
Despite the name, ringworm has nothing to do with worms. It is an infection of the skin, hair or claws caused by a type…
Dog Health
Dog Paw Problems: Licking, Red Paws, Bumps Between the Toes and Pad Injuries
Your dog's paws do a lot of work. They hit hot pavement, cold salted sidewalks, long grass and rough trails, and they are also…
Dog Health
Ear Infections in Dogs: Signs, Causes, Treatment and Safe Ear Cleaning
If your dog keeps shaking their head, scratching at one ear, or you notice a sour smell when they snuggle up, an ear infection…
Dog Health
Why Is My Dog So Itchy? The Most Common Causes and What Your Vet Will Check
Every dog scratches now and then. But when the scratching keeps you up at night, when your dog chews their paws raw or rubs…
Dog Health
Minor Wound Care for Dogs and Cats: What to Do at Home and When to See the Vet
A scrape from a fence, a nicked paw pad on a walk, a scratch from a playmate. Small wounds happen to every active pet.…
Dog Health
Pyoderma in Dogs: A Plain-English Guide to Bacterial Skin Infections
Little red bumps on the belly. Round, crusty rings on the back. A patchy, "moth-eaten" coat. If your vet has said the word pyoderma,…
Dog Health
Hot Spots on Dogs: What They Are, Why They Happen, and When to See Your Vet
You brush your dog in the morning and everything looks normal. By evening there is a wet, red, angry patch on their neck, the…