Six Signs of Skin Problems

The skin and hair coat are the most visible signs of a pet's health status. An animal that is healthy will often have a shiny, bright, smooth coat that is free of unpleasant odors. (That is unless you are the lucky owner of a pet that likes to roll in dead things!) An animal that is ill or malnourished will often have subpar skin and a hair coat. The remainder of this article will focus on six of the most common signs of a skin problem and the things that can cause unhealthy skin and hair in dogs and cats.

1. Greasy/oily skin. The hair coat should be smooth and even textured. It should not leave a greasy residue that can be rolled off of your fingertips after petting an animal. An excessively greasy coat can be a sign of many conditions including superficial or deep bacterial infection, fungal infection, or endocrine (hormonal imbalance) disease.

2. Stinky skin. Animals should have a normal, healthy, mild dog or cat smell. Unfortunately, hair can trap many odors including cigarette smoke, musty house, and skunk spray. Animals that smell like these things are not necessarily unhealthy; they were just exposed to unpleasant smells. Additionally, other areas of the body can cause a pet to have a foul odor such as the mouth or anal glands. A dog or cat with severe dental disease and dental infection can have a very foul smell that is more noticeable when the pet is eating or panting. Dogs and cats can empty their anal glands if they become scared, excited, or agitated. Anal glands have a strong fishy odor that can also linger on a pet's fur. Skin that actually smells unpleasant and cannot be explained by the above situations is most often malodorous because of a yeast or bacterial infection. The infection can be primary (the main cause) or secondary (i.e. due to something else). Many of the conditions listed elsewhere in this article can cause a secondary skin infection that results in a foul-smelling pet.

3. Itchy skin. Pets that itch and scratch excessively at themselves can have a multitude of problems. The most common cause of itching is fleas. However, other parasites such as mites and lice can cause itching as well. A Second common cause is armpits, flank, and abdomen. Animals can have allergies to a multitude of things including certain foods, pollens, molds, grasses, weeds, trees, and mites. Endocrine diseases such as hypothyroidism and Cushing's disease, some types of skin cancer, and some forms of autoimmune disease can also cause itching. Less commonly, some animals can lick or gnaw at themselves if they are bored or stressed.

4. Blotchy skin/skin sores. Many things can cause the skin to have a blotchy appearance including chronic itching, bacterial infection, trauma (self-induced or from another animal or object), allergic reaction, and hemorrhage or bruising. Skin sores, scabs, or blisters can be the result of bacterial infection, fungal infection, trauma, cancer, burns, etc. 

5. Bald skin/hair loss. Hair loss is one of the most obvious signs of a skin problem. Hair can thin or fall out completely from conditions including endocrine disease (Cushing's disease, hypothyroidism, seasonal flank alopecia), self-trauma from itching, allergies, parasites, fungal infections (ringworm), bacterial infections, autoimmune diseases, and congenital diseases among others.

6. Scaly/flaky skin. Flakes or scales seen along the hair coat are most often due to one of three things: dry skin, bacterial infection, or a mite called Cheyletiella. Winter months are notorious for causing animals, and people, to have dry skin. The combination of low indoor humidity and frequent running furnaces can cause the skin to become dry and flake. However, a bacterial infection that results in skin that blisters and peels and a mite called Cheyletiella or walking dandruff can mimic flaky dry skin as well.

Since many of the above signs can be a result of many of the same conditions, proper diagnoses are necessary to identify the exact cause and initiate treatment. A thorough diagnostic workup for the above signs may include skin scraping, 

superficial cytology, fungal culture, bacterial culture, sensitivity testing, biopsies, and bloodwork. Once a diagnosis has been made, the appropriate treatment can be started. Proper treatment of the above conditions will allow your pet to restore its normal, healthy skin and hair coat.

The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to take the place of your regular veterinarian. Please do not hesitate to contact your regular veterinarian if you have questions regarding your pet.