Ask the Vet:

Pets and skin issues

Skin problems are very common among Singapore pets. According to the Vets for Life team, every third dog brought into their clinic has a skin issue – from rashes and scabs to itchy paws and infected ears. Here they answer some common questions on the topic.

Our little dog has terribly red and itchy paws; what could be causing it?

Red and inflamed paws can be caused by mites, bacterial infections and fungal infections. Allergies to grass and dust mites and certain foods are also common reasons; contact allergies to soaps and floor washes are less likely causes.

If there are so many possibilities, how do we determine the underlying cause?

The first step is usually a skin scrape and skin cytology that can be done at the vet clinic. This will rule out two common mites: scabies and demodex. The skin cytology will look for bacteria and yeast infection, and a fungal culture will check for ringworm.

My dog was treated with antibiotics for a skin rash. He got better, but relapsed after the medication was stopped. Why?

Firstly, the length of time of treatment may not have been long enough. Most skin infections need to be treated for at least two weeks with the appropriate microbial. If shorter courses are given, a lot of the infections aren’t completely cleared. In severe cases, we can even give more than a month’s worth of antibiotics.

It can also be because concurrent medications were not given.

More commonly, an infection can recur if the underlying cause is an environmental allergy or a food allergy. In these cases, we are treating the symptoms not the underlying cause, so recurrence is common.

How can I find out what my dog is allergic to?

Food allergies are common and in dogs they manifest as skin infections more so than diarrhoea and gastrointestinal upsets. Usually, the animal will have infected ears, paws and belly. There are no fool-proof tests to check for food allergies, but the best way is to try an elimination diet or a “novel” (new) protein diet. Currently, we tend to recommend a hypoallergenic range or novel meats like crocodile or kangaroo.

After eight weeks, if the dog is still itchy, it’s more likely an environmental allergy. This is called atopy. A blood test can pick up allergies to certain plants – for example, grasses and trees – and dust mites. Then, appropriate treatment can be tailored for these.

Are dogs more prone to skin problems in this climate? What about certain breeds?

Sadly, the answer is yes. Our humid, warm and wet weather is never good for skin issues for our canine friends. Many are prone to getting recurrent yeast and bacterial infections, especially if their coats are long and thick and if they get wet in the rain.

Breeds we find are most susceptible are cocker spaniels, golden retrievers, German shepherds and Labradors. Bull terriers are also quite prone to atopy, and that fact combined with the weather means they are often predisposed to bad skin problems.

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