DO DOGS SUFFER FROM ACNE?

                                                If your dog gets this expression on its face, 
                                         its definitely time to think about giving up driving.

Yup! Pets get acne too. It's for sure you won't find your dog staring moodily into the mirror with a tube of Clearisil in its paws. Your Basset won't decide to cancel a walk in the park or refuse to eat chocolate because of skin eruptions. But dogs can develop acne that can be unsightly and uncomfortable as it is to any human teenager. Acne can occur in dogs of any age, although it does tend to be most common in the teenage set. For some reason it's the big breeds - Bassetts, mastiffs, Great Danes and their jumbo mates - that seem to suffer the most.

 I can hear the collective laughter and sniggers as you say "What are you on about now? Acne in a pet? Whoever heard of that? 

I'm afraid not many people have thought to lift up their dog's jowls and have a quick look when they have noticed their dog constantly rubbing both sides of its face on the carpet.

The signs of canine acne are rubbing their faces on the carpet, a smell from the mouth area, (it's a different smell to bad breath),  slight red swelling and pimple like bumps that are located on the base of your dog’s mouth and sometimes on the edge of the flaps of the mouth. They also look like blackheads or crusty sores on the lower lip and sometimes a swollen chin.

The causes can be air borne allergies such as grass pollen or house dust, or trapped food that makes them itch. They scratch and this can make the hair follicles  get inflamed and infected that gives them bumps, hormone imbalance, infected skin glands from poor grooming or in the case of jowly dogs like Basset hounds, food residue that has dried on the flaps of the face. 

Who knew all that?

Slobbery dogs  tend to suffer from it and the best solution is to wipe the area with a baby wipe or a wet flannel soaked in a mild disinfectant solution to clear up the infection.

A warm compress used daily after eating will help to remove infection and keep the area free of infection. Think of it as wiping your baby's mouth after meals.

Dogs don't complain that their acne is a social liability as it does for humans, but it can make them feel very uncomfortable. So the next time you tell your dog "Phwoar! you stink!" check out under the flappy bits for acne as your dog will probably not say "'ere Mum, I think I've got acne as my mouth is a bit itchy. Take a look will ya!"

One of my favourite remedies is aloe vera gel rubbed on the pimples to ease the itching and redness and it is not harmful to the dog. If you have an Aloe Vera plant, you  can break off a bit of the leaf and squeeze out the gel or you can buy a tube of it from the chemist. It's magic stuff not only for acne but for other cuts and grazes.

Best to look at the big picture and find out what is causing your dog to suffer the indignity of acne. It will stick around for a few days and then disappear, but if it is recurring, then it may be something in your home environment - household cleaner, fleas, dust, that is causing the problem. Then it's a visit to the vet for antibiotics to help clear up any infection.

Here is an enchanting clip of  Jerry, a dachsie (or Doxies as they call them in the USA) entertaining himself.

See you next week but before you go, keep this thought in mind .....

 If you think dogs can't count,
 try putting three dog biscuits in your pocket
 then giving Deefer only two of them.

Dawn ("-")