This section is on canine skin, cosmetics, hygiene, and ears. These are all questions that have been submitted or that I have been inspired to talk about because of a question submitted. If you have any topics that you would like to have discussed please feel free to email me with the topic or question.
Way back when dogs did more than grace our lives, couches, and homes, they frequently had to battle intruders, soldiers in war, predators intent on devouring lifestock, etc. The less of the dog there was to grab onto the less that could be injured and the less vulnerable the dog was. In guard breeds, ears were cropped and tails were docked so that they could not be grabbed by intruders. In fighting breeds, ears were cropped and tails were docked so that they could not be grabbed by opponents. In many hunting dogs tails were cropped to avoid tail injuries as they ran through heavy brush. The terrier went underground to battle rodents and other tenacious wildlife. Ears and tails would be very vulnerable to these animals and, therefore, they were cropped and docked. This is the historic basis for cropping ears. Today, a very small minority of dogs are used for these purposes. Nevertheless, fanciers are dedicated to maintaining the historical look of the breed. Hence, the reason that ear cropping and tail docking occur today. Many European communities have banned these cosmetic surgeries and there is a movement in America to do the same. Presently, many veterinarians are not comfortable with performing these surgeries and, thus, may decline to provide these services. In answer to your question, there is a historical basis for the cropping of ears which was to provide less for opponents both four- and two-legged to injure in a battle. This reason many argue is no longer relevant in contemporary society. Others argue that it is an inherent part of the breed and needs to continue. Interestingly in many breeds like the Boxer and Great Dane there are an increasing number of dogs with non-cropped ears. For many show dogs, however, ear cropping is required.
Zinc responsive dermatosis is characterized by hyperkeratosis, cracks, and often secondary ulcers from the cracking. It typically affects the nose and footpads but can occur in any areas of repeated trauma (elbows from getting up and down, etc). Breeds reported predisposed to this are German Shepherds, Great Danes, German Shorthaired Pointers, Doberman Pinschers, Beagles, Standard Poodles, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, and Labrador Retrievers but it also has been reported in many other breeds. The condition is associated with diets high in calcium and in fiber (a kind called phytates) or with supplementation of calcium. Calcium absorption hinders zinc absorption resulting in a body deficiency even though there is not a dietary deficiency. The treatment is to stop calcium supplementation, evaluate the diet to see if it is high in calcium or phytate-containing fibers, and supplement for 4-6 weeks with zinc. Oral zinc can be given -- zinc sulfate (10 mg/kg/day) and zinc methionine (1.7 mg/kg/day). If you use zinc sulfate crush it and give in the food since this will enhance absorption and decrease irritation to the stomach. Once the skin is returned to normal, stop supplemetation. Other diseases in particular immune diseases like pemphigus complex and systemic lupus erythematous can cause similar lesions. If the condition is a zinc-responsive dermatosis then you should see improvement in 2-3 weeks and resolution often in 4-6 weeks. In the meantime, warm compresses on the lesions to hydrate them and antibiotic or keratolytic (ask your vet about these) ointments help to topically relieve the condition.
The importance of animal dental care has become increasingly obvious in recent years. Tartar and plaque buildup will predipose the dog to bad breath and gingivitis. Gingivitis (infection of the gums) provides a site of bacteria that can seed infections in the thorax particularly the heart. If the gingivitis is severe enough, the root of the tooth is undermined. If undermined severly enough, the tooth will fall out. The more teeth that are lost, the less the dog is able to eat and the greater the risk of malnutrition. Thus, dental disease has severe potential consequences.
The dog owner can help prevent dental disease in several ways. The easiest way is to limit the amount of soft food that a dog receives. Chewing hard food provides friction that reduces the buildup on teeth. Bones are another good way to allow the dog to remove tartar -- beef knuckle bones are great for this. Several food companies have diets specifically designed for dental care -- for example T/D diet from Science Diet. As in people, nothing can replace the benefits of regularly brushing teeth. You exclaim like many owners -- WHAT!! Brush my dog's teeth! Well, there are many products available that are designed to aid the owner in this task. It is the manual act of brushing that provides the greatest benefit so regardless of the solution used a good brush is essential. Puppies need to be trained to accept this along with other traditional grooming activities. Older dogs may be harder to adjust to this activity -- patience and time will often soften their objections. Finally, the veterinarian can clean dog's teeth similarly to the dentist cleaning our teeth. This technique requires anesthesia so it is not to be used as a alternative to other preventation efforts.
NEVER, NEVER, NEVER USE HUMAN TOOTHPASTE ON AN ANIMAL OR THE ANIMAL WILL GET FLOURIDE TOXICITY!!!!
Dewclaws in dogs are shortened toes which have all the normal bone and tissue parts of a regular toe including a nail. Almost all dogs are born with front dewclaws. Some breeds have rear dewclaws and even double dewclaws. The trait of rear and / or double dewclaws is characteristic of some breeds and in these breeds must not be removed if you expect to ever show. For all other breeds, rear dewclaws and front declaws are often removed. This is most easily done at the same time as tail dockings (about 2 days of age) but can be done later in life although the older the animal the more difficult and painful the removal is. Why remove dewclaws? It is primarily a personal preference. Dewclaws have a tendency to scratch people as the dog jumps or shakes hands; Dewclaw nails can be negelcted by owners unintentionally and can grow back into the skin causing problems, and dewclaws tend to get caught (again as the dog jumps or rears onto something) and, as the dog drops down, the nail or rarely the entire dewclaw gets ripped off. Some breeders routinely remove dewclaws, some don't. Proper trimming of the dewclaw nail (like any other toe) will reduce scratching and eliminate the risk of it growing into the skin.
Hot spots are sores that occur on an animal. These sores are usually initiated by continuous moisture (from licking or bath or humid weather, etc). The sores are kept open and aggravated by the animal's need to lick them and often get secondary infections. Some animals are more predisposed to these sores than others. The sores tend to be located on the legs or trunk of the body. They also tend to be local and not extend over a good portion on the animal's body. Treatment includes preventing the continual licking, antiinflammatory drugs to reduce the itching and redness, and antibiotics to treat any secondary infections.
Normal ear discharge is a light brown color and waxy in appearance. Dark brown or black chunky discharge in the ear indicates either an ear mite infestation or a yeast infection. An ear mite infestation is typically very itchy and the dog scratches at its ears a lot. A yeast infection is not very itchy, if at all, and usually the dog does not scratch at its ears. A yeast infection also often has a doughy or yeasty smell to it. Both conditions can lead to more serious secondary infections if not treated. Finding black ear discharge warrants a trip to the vet in order to determine the cause and the appropriate treatment. Once the problem is resolved, preventative ear cleanings are recommended to prevent recurrence.
SUBMITTED BY: Richard Jablonski, Connecticut
Sebaceous adenitis is a disease condition in which the sebaceous glands in the skin become inflamed and eventually destroyed. The sebaceous glands are responsible for producing a waxy substance, sebum, that keeps the skin from drying out and hair healthy as well as aiding in preventing bacterial infections of the skin. When the gland is destroyed, the sebum is not produced leading to dry skin, loss of hair, and increased risk of baterial infections. Breeds most prone to developing sebaceous adenitis are Standard Poodles and Akitas. Unfortunately, the underlying causes is not known. There is some evidence that the form of sebaceous adenitis in Akitas is an auto-immune disease in which the body recognizes the gland as foreign and attacks it -- but no definitive proof of that theory that I know of exists. In addition, there is no effective treatment currently known. There are several research projects looking into sebaceous adenitis. Thus, in the near future it may very well be that both a cause and a treatment will be found.
Some links on Sebaceous Adenitis:
The way to definitively diagnose it is with a biopsy of the margins of the affected areas and histopathologic analysis of the biopsy. There are other tests that can indicate the presence of pemphigus but a biopsy is the best way to know for sure. Treatment for all of the pemphigus diseases is to suppress the immune system to stop the body from attacking its skin. Prognosis varies considerably with the variety of pemphigus and the tolerance of the animal for the immunosuppressive drugs that are used.
I am afraid that I don't have any easy answers for you. I can sympathize because I have had the exact same problem with one my mother's Labs. Labs are so very prone to yeast infection in their ears that it is difficult to prevent and treat them. If you can figure out some way to keep the ears flipped back so that the ear is not hanging over the ear opening then that can help. Clip any hair in the ear to help increase air circulation. There is a product called DermaPet that is a "natural" ear cleaner that also dries the ear that would be something to try putting in the ear after the ear medication. Some people have had really good success with the a dilute vinegar solution or a woman's vinegar and water douche. Even though the vet didn't see earmites there may be an underlying earmite infestation that is predisposing her to the yeast infection. You might consider treating for ear mites with injectable ivermectin. Allergies can certainly predispose to ear infections. Trying a hypoallergenic food is an excellent idea just realize it takes a minimum of 6 weeks to see any real changes often as long as 12 weeks. And be sure the hypoallergenic food only has one protein and one carbohydrate source. Inhalant allergies can also predispose to yeast infections. I would keep her from any swimming until the infection is under control. Lastly, I can only tell you to not give up and be patient. I think it was a good 18 months before we finally got rid of the yeast infection in my mother's Labs. Unfortunately, this is one of the downsides of floppy eared dogs.
I don't know how much or what your vet has done so far but this is what I would recommend. You can talk with your vet and see what has been done so far.
If I were your vet I would:
Is your Akita a longcoat? If so I would trim the hair around the ears to improve circulation and drying.
After doing this if the ear infection does not resolve, then I would consider testing for an immunosuppressive disease like hypothyroidism or Cushings disease that is making it hard for her immune system to fight off the infection. If neither of these is present, then there may be an underlying allergy like an inhalant allergy or a food allergy that is irritating her ears making them more susceptible to developing infections.
In addition to the antibiotics/antifungal and ear cleanser, I would also consider adding an immune stimulant like echinacea and a general stimulant like ginseng. Vitamin E, Omega-3-fatty acids, and Vitamin C are always useful supplements in the times of infections since they aid healthy immune system function.
The false pregnancies are very common among all dog breeds. It arise from the fact that all female dogs go thru the same hormone changes after being in heat whether they are pregnant or not. It rarely is a problem in dogs. If it is a problem, spaying will alleviate the stimulus for the false pregnancy.
The skin allergies are, unfortunately, not that uncommon either in Akitas (and dogs in general for that matter). The most difficult part of addressing the problem is to determine the cause of the allergies. Flea allergies are incredibly common so insuring good flea control -- Top Spot is my favorite, Advantage is also good -- is one step to take. Inhalant and food allergies are the next most common. The cortisone injections will help the signs of the allergies but long-term use of steroids has a lot of negative consequences. I would highly recommend pursuing alternative or adjunct therapies. My Akita has mild inhalant allergies and I manage them simply by feeding a Eukanuba diet (Large Breed Adult to be specific). The fatty acid ratio in their diets help to some degree reduce inflammation. Other sources of these fatty acids are Flax seed oil and the fish oils. Vitamin E supplementation is also indicated in allergic dogs. Antihistamines can be useful as well. Topical shampoos and lotions can also aid in controlling allergies without the risk of systemic steroids. Trying an hypoallergenic diet such as fish and potato or venison and potato or the new Kangaroo and barley will help identify food allergies. And the ultimate step of skin testing and doing hyposensitization injections as in people is certainly an alternative. So there is alot you can do to address the allergies in order to reduce or even eliminate the need for steroids. I would recommend diecussing with your veterinarian other avenues to pursue as far as identifying and addressing the allergy.
I have to admit to not being that familiar at all with taping ears after ear cropping. I never had a breed that needed cropped ears and they do not teach that skill in vet school. I do know from my work with a veterinarian prior to vet school that there is no universally good way. What he did that worked well most (and I stress most not all) the time was this:
He took a popsicle (sp??) stick and wrapped it in tape to make a cylinder. He put this in the ear and then placed tape around the outside of the ear to hold the ear around the cylinder. I know he advised people to change the tape every 2-3 days to avoid it getting excessively dirty and itching the dog. He also shaved the ears for the surgery and kept them shaved during the bandaging time to reduce the pain of removing the tape. I know now that there are commercially made frames to put into the ear but honestly don't know the name of the company(ies). I am afraid I am not of much help and neither are the resources I have access to. My best advice is to contact your puppy's breeder or any Great Dane breeder for I bet they have a lot of good tricks that would help you out.
I have researched and answered these questions to the best of my ability. But I am human and make mistakes. If there is any part of my answer that you feel is incorrect, please let me know. The last thing I want is to disseminate false or incorrect information.