What are the common causes of eczema in pet dogs

Late at night, moonlight streamed into the room through the window, but the usually lively dog went against its usual routine, constantly rubbing against the floor, frantically scratching its body with its paws and making uncomfortable sobbing sounds. Turn on the light, turn off its fur, and suddenly notice red spots, papules, and even oozing fluid on its skin - the dog has eczema. At that moment, the owner's heart tightened in an instant, watching it suffer from illness, feeling both heartbroken and self blaming. He urgently wanted to know what caused his beloved furry child to suffer such pain. Dogs are an indispensable warm presence in the family, filling our lives with loyalty and love. When health problems arise, every detail touches the owner's heartstrings, and understanding the causes of eczema is the first step in helping dogs get rid of illness.

The skin structure of dogs is the basis for understanding the causes of eczema. Compared to human skin, dogs' skin is relatively thinner, with a thickness of only about one-third of human skin, making their skin more fragile and vulnerable to various external stimuli and damage. At the same time, the sebum film and microbial community on the surface of dog skin together form the barrier system of the skin. The sebum film can lock in moisture, maintain skin moisture, and prevent the skin from becoming too dry; The microbial community maintains the balance of skin ecology and inhibits the excessive growth of harmful bacteria. Once this barrier system is disrupted, the skin becomes like a city wall without protection, and skin problems such as eczema can easily take advantage of it.

A humid environment is one of the common causes of eczema in dogs. Dogs are naturally lively and enjoy exploring outdoors. If their fur is not dried in time after playing on rainy days, or if they live in dark and humid places for a long time with their skin in a moist state, it creates excellent conditions for the growth of bacteria and fungi. These microorganisms proliferate in large numbers, which can stimulate the skin and cause inflammation, leading to the development of eczema. For example, during the rainy season in the south, the air humidity is high. If the owner does not pay attention to keeping the dog's living environment dry and does not blow dry the wet dog's hair in a timely manner, the dog is prone to eczema. Imagine under the soft fur of a dog, the skin becomes inflamed and itchy due to moisture, but it cannot express this discomfort and can only relieve it by constantly scratching. The owner sees it in their eyes and feels pain in their heart.

Allergies are also an important factor in causing eczema in dogs. Dogs have many allergies, and food allergies are a common one. Common foods such as beef, milk, and eggs can become allergens for certain dogs. When dogs consume food containing allergens, their immune system recognizes them as "foreign invaders" and initiates an immune response, releasing substances such as histamine. These substances can cause skin blood vessel dilation, increased permeability, and symptoms such as redness and itching, which may develop into eczema over time. In addition, environmental allergens such as pollen, dust mites, molds, etc. cannot be ignored. In the season of pollen flying in spring, or when there is a lot of dust in the house and it is not cleaned frequently, dogs that come into contact with these allergens may also trigger allergic reactions, which can lead to eczema. Watching the dog continuously scratch and even break its skin due to allergies, the owner's heart is filled with self blame and anxiety, wishing to immediately find the allergen and prevent the dog from suffering again.

Parasitic infections can also cause dogs to develop eczema. Parasites such as fleas and mites parasitize on the skin of dogs, causing severe itching by feeding on their blood and irritating their skin. During the scratching process, dogs can damage the integrity of their skin, causing damage to the skin barrier and allowing bacteria to invade, leading to infections and ultimately forming eczema. Especially mites, they like to parasitize on areas of thin skin and sparse hair in dogs, such as the edges of ears, elbows, abdomen, etc. When a dog is infected with mites, it may initially only experience local itching and hair loss. If left untreated, the condition will gradually worsen and develop into extensive eczema. When owners discover abnormal behaviors such as scratching and hair removal in their dogs, they often feel very nervous and urgently want to help them get rid of parasites and restore their health.

In addition to the external factors mentioned above, the physical condition of dogs themselves is also closely related to the occurrence of eczema. Endocrine disorders, malnutrition, and weakened immunity can all increase the risk of eczema in dogs. For example, dogs with hypothyroidism may experience hormonal imbalances that affect skin metabolism, leading to abnormal sebum secretion and decreased skin resistance, which can easily trigger eczema. Long term consumption of nutritionally imbalanced foods, lacking important nutrients such as vitamins and minerals, can also affect skin health, making the skin fragile and susceptible to external stimuli leading to eczema. In addition, the immune system function of elderly dogs gradually declines, and their resistance to diseases weakens. Compared to young dogs, they are also more likely to suffer from eczema. Watching a healthy dog suffer from eczema due to internal problems, the owner will have a deeper understanding of the fragility of life and become more determined to take good care of it.

The causes of eczema in dogs are complex and diverse, and behind each cause, dogs may suffer physical pain. As owners, we interact with dogs day and night. They cannot speak or express discomfort through language, and can only convey health signals through behavior and symptoms. Understanding the common causes of eczema is an important step in safeguarding the health of our dogs. Only by delving into the causes can we do a good job of prevention in daily life. When dogs have problems, we can also take timely and correct measures to help them get rid of their illnesses as soon as possible and continue to be happy by our side.