Most of the time when a owner sees their dog itching or scratching themselves, they they do not think anything of it. However, excessive itching, scratching, or even chewing at the skin could be a response to a skin problem your protection dog has. To know how good of health your dog is in, it is helpful to look at there skin. This is because a dog’s skin is one of the many indications of your dogs health. All dog breeds and ages can be susceptible to skin problems; however, dogs young, elderly and dogs living in unhealthy environments may be more at risk. There are many different types of problems that your protection dog could get such as, hot spots, dry and flaky skin, acral lick granuloma, color or texture changes, shedding an hair loss, impetigo, allergic dermatitis, and yeast infections. These can occur due to a range of different causes, and it is important to find out what has. If you cannot, of course contact your veterinarian. One cause of many skin problems is seasonal allergies, the scratching could be a result common allergens like pollen, weeds, and dust. Some dogs may also develop food allergies to some ingredients found in dog food or fillers and colorings. Grooming products as well have been known to irritate dog’s skin, it is important to make sure that your are using products made specifically for dogs. Metabolic or hormones can cause a change in the skin color, consistency, and thickness. Overall there are many causes of skin problems and it is best to investigate on them before it worsens.

Skin problems are a serious matter and can affect your dogs health very much if not cared for properly. Symptoms of skin problems are usually easy to identify, if you pay attention to your protection dog’s behavior. Scratching, licking, chewing, scabs, redness, scaly patches on face and paws, rashes, swellings and rubbing their face on furniture or carpet are all symptoms of a dog with skin problems. It is not always the most simple thing to realize that your protection dog could have have a skin problem. This means it is important to contact your vet as soon as you see any abnormalities on the skin or witness excessive scratching, licking or biting. The vet will usually diagnose your animal by a skin biopsy, testing for ringworm, microscopic exam of the skin and hair, allergy testing, and blood tests. If your protection dog is diagnosed with a skin problem the ways it will be treated are by shampoos and ointments to treat parasites, a balance diet, dietary supplements, antibiotics, or injections to decrease the dog’s reactions to allergens. Please note that there are ways to prevent your protection dog from ever getting a skin problem, like using hypoallergenic shampoos, brushing your dog regularly, giving them a healthy diet, cleaning your home regularly and mostly providing them with a calm living environment.