What to feed a dog with seborrhea
Seborrhea in Dogs
What Is Seborrhea in Dogs?
Seborrhea in dogs is a condition that affects keratin in the skin. Keratin is a protein that gives skin and hair its form.
In canine seborrhea, keratin is produced in the wrong amountseither too much or not enough. Seborrhea causes dogs to have a coat of hair thats dry and lackluster or greasy.
Seborrhea in dogs can be what veterinarians call primary or secondary.
Primary Seborrhea in Dogs
Primary seborrhea is a genetic disease that always causes the dog to produce abnormal keratin.
American Cocker Spaniels, West Highland White Terriers, English Springer Spaniels, and Basset Hounds are the most common breeds to have primary seborrhea, but any dog can have this condition.
Secondary Seborrhea in Dogs
With secondary seborrhea, an underlying issue is causing your dog to make abnormal keratin.
Health issues that can cause secondary seborrhea include:
Symptoms of Seborrhea in Dogs
Possible symptoms of seborrhea in dogs are:
Very dry, dull coat
Dandruff
Greasy, oily skin that smells bad
Crusted, plaque-like (rough and scaly) skin lesions
Itching that ranges from mild to severe
Large amount of earwax and ear debris
Generally, all the skin is affected by seborrhea, but the folds of skin between the toes, in the armpits, on the belly and perineum (the area under a dogs tail), and at the bottom of the neck are usually worse.
Dogs with lots of skin folds, like Basset Hounds, usually experience more affected skin in those folds.
Causes of Seborrhea in Dogs
The cause of a dogs seborrhea depends on whether its primary or secondary.
Causes of Primary Seborrhea in Dogs
Primary seborrhea is a congenital, genetic disease that typically starts at a young age and gets worse as your dog gets older. West Highland White Terriers, Basset Hounds, American Cocker Spaniels, and English Springer Spaniels are most commonly affected.
Causes of Secondary Seborrhea in Dogs
Diseases and other health issues that can cause secondary seborrhea in dogs include:
How Vets Diagnose Seborrhea in Dogs
Diagnosis of seborrhea starts with a physical examination by your veterinarian to check your dogs skin and look for other symptoms.
You will also be asked how long it has been happening, if your dog has been scratching, and if there are any changes in your dogs food and water intake.
Your veterinarian will perform testing to determine the cause of your dogs skin condition. The following tests could help:
A skin scraping to test for mites and lice
An impression cytology (collection) of skin and ear debris to test for a yeast or bacterial infection that looks like seborrhea, such as Malassezia yeast
A blood chemistry panel to screen for diabetes or Cushings disease (your vet will need further tests to confirm the diagnosis before starting treatment)
A blood test for thyroid hormone levels to determine whether your dog has hypothyroidism
A biopsy to look for autoimmune disease or cancer
Treatment for Seborrhea in Dogs
Based on the test results, your veterinarian will have a better understanding of what is causing your dogs seborrhea. The most important aspect of seborrhea treatment istreating any underlying conditions.
Treating the Underlying Cause
Hypothyroidism: If your dog has hypothyroidism, they are treated with hormone replacement, an oral medication called levothyroxine that your dog will take for the rest of their life.
Cushings disease: Treatment of Cushings disease involves lifelong medication called Vetoryl.
Diabetes: Treatment of diabetes requires daily insulin injections.
Cancer or autoimmune disease: If a biopsy shows that your dog has autoimmune disease or cancer, they will be started on medication to manage the disease, or your veterinarian may refer you to a specialist.
Lice or mites: If a skin scraping finds lice or mites, the veterinarian will put your dog on medication to kill the parasites.
Fleas: If your dog has fleas, a monthly flea preventative will curb flea allergies that can cause or worsen seborrhea.
Vitamin deficiency: If your veterinarian suspects vitamin A-responsive dermatitis or zinc-responsive dermatitis, they will recommend additional vitamins in your dogs diet.
Food allergy: If your veterinarian suspects a primary food allergy, they may recommend a hypoallergenic food trial.
Infection: If your dog has an infection that developed because of seborrhea, then the infection must be treated. Your dog will require a three- to four-week course of oral antibiotics and/or antifungals.
Treating the Seborrhea Itself
To treat the seborrhea itself, your dog needs frequent baths with anti-seborrheic shampoos, typically every 2 or 3 days to start with. These shampoos typically contain coal tar and salicylic acid.
Frequent bathing is continued for 2-3 weeks or longer, until the skin improves. The goal of bathing is to remove excess keratin. Depending on how your dog responds to treatment, bathing frequency may decrease to every 1 to 2 weeks, or it may stay at every 2 to 3 days.
Additionally, you will need to clean your dogs ears with a medicated ear cleaner every 2 to 3 days. If there is an infection in the ears, your veterinarian will prescribe an ear medication as well.
Your dog may also be started on prednisone to decrease inflammation and debris buildup. Regular rechecks with your veterinarian, typically every one to three weeks, are important to monitor how your dog is responding to treatment.
Recovery and Management of Seborrhea in Dogs
Recovery and management depend on the cause of the seborrhea. If a primary cause of seborrhea can be found, managing the primary disease is key.
It can take several weeks for the signs of seborrhea to resolve, and the primary disease-causing seborrhea will need to be managed for life.
It is also important to understand that once seborrhea is present, abnormal keratin placement in the skin will continue to occur.
Using anti-seborrheic shampoos and ear cleaners on a schedule recommended by your vet for the rest of your dogs life helps to decrease keratin buildup and prevent infections.
If your dog gets itchier or develops skin lesions, schedule an appointment with your veterinarian as soon as possible.
Management of seborrhea often requires a lifelong routine of bathing and ear cleaning, but with consistent treatment, your dog can enjoy a good quality of life.
Seborrhea in Dogs FAQs
How can I treat my dog's seborrhea at home?
After seeing a vet to confirm your dogs diagnosis, you can treat seborrhea at home by using an anti-seborrheic shampoo containing coal tar and salicylic acid.
Home treatment also includes bathing your dog every 2 to 7 days on a schedule set by your vet. You will also clean your dogs ears with a medicated ear cleaner every 2 to 3 days.
If an underlying health issue is causing your dogs seborrhea, youll need to follow all treatment protocols for that illness to ensure the seborrhea is properly managed.
If your dogs seborrhea is not improving, however, take them to the veterinarian. They might have developed bacterial and yeast infections of the skin and ears that require a prescription medication.
Does seborrhea in dogs cause hair loss?
Yes, it can cause hair loss.
What does seborrhea smell like on dogs?
Seborrhea can smell very badly, like grease, corn chips, or a strong doggy scent.
Is seborrhea in dogs contagious?
No, seborrhea is not contagious to other dogs or humans.
Image Credit: iStockphoto.com/photo-vista.de
WRITTEN BY
Emily A. Fassbaugh, DVMVeterinarian
Dr. Emily Fassbaugh grew up in San Diego. She attended the University of California, Davis for both her undergraduate studies in Animal...
Seborrhea in Dogs: Signs, Symptoms, Treatment
Unless you have a hairless dog breed, your dogs skin is often hidden by hair or fur. But for all breeds, skin health is a factor in your dogs overall well-being. Canine skin disorders like seborrhea, also known as seborrheic dermatitis, can lead to flaking and greasy skin. Learn how to recognize canine seborrhea and how to treat seborrhea in dogs.
What Is Seborrhea in Dogs?
Seborrhea is caused by a defect in skin keratinization (the formation and turnover of skin cells). It happens when the body produces too many skin cells and/or too much sebum (a naturally-occurring, oily substance).
Veterinary dermatologist Dr. Charlie Pye, DVM, DVSc, Diplomate ACVD, says there are two types of seborrhea in dogs. Seborrhea sicca is characterized by increased scale formation dandruff. Seborrhea oleosa is characterized by excessive greasiness of the coat and skin. Both types can be found occurring together on the same patient.
What Causes Seborrhea in Dogs?
Primary Seborrhea
Primary seborrhea is an inherited disorder where the cells in the top layer of skin, known as the epidermis, multiply excessively. Dr. Pye explains that primary seborrhea is often seen in specific dog breeds, including Cocker Spaniels, English Springer Spaniels, West Highland White Terriers, Basset Hounds, Irish Setters, Doberman Pinschers, Chinese Shar-Pei, Dachshunds, Labrador Retrievers, and German Shepherd Dogs.
Not all dogs of these breeds will be affected, Dr. Pye says, and many of these breeds are predisposed to diseases leading to secondary seborrhea. Therefore, a seborrheic individual of one of these breeds should not just be assumed to have primary seborrhea. Secondary causes of seborrhea are far more common.
Secondary Seborrhea
Secondary seborrhea occurs when a separate disorder, rather than cell multiplication in the epidermis, causes seborrhea in dogs. The secondary disorder could be anything that creates skin inflammation, such as canine allergies, external dog parasites, endocrine disorders, immune-mediated disease (conditions where the immune system may attack the bodys cells), or nutritional deficiencies.
Skin inflammation can lead to increased skin cell turnover, as well as changes to skin fats and fatty compounds called lipids. In particular, lipids within the skin may begin to overproduce. And all that results in a seborrheic appearance to the dog.
Whether the dogs have primary or secondary seborrhea, Dr. Pye says they should always be examined for secondary bacterial or yeast infections, as these conditions can be found commonly in seborrheic dogs.
What Are the Signs of Seborrhea in Dogs?
Because secondary seborrhea can be caused by so many different conditions, the signs of the disease can vary. However, the following list of symptoms may help you identify when theres reason for concern:
- Increased skin flaking, often seen as dog dandruff in their bedding
- Increased skin oiliness, meaning the coat and skin may look greasy
- Foul odors (often associated with seborrhea oleosa and caused by keratin deposits sticking to hair, but they may also be the result of secondary bacterial or yeast infections.)
- Red or inflamed skin, which may appear in areas with skin folds (such as around the armpits or thighs)
- Hair loss
- Bumps or pimples, which can indicate a secondary infection
- Itching in dogs, which may be caused by a secondary issue such as allergies
Does Puppy Seborrhea Exist?
Primary seborrhea usually begins when a dog is under 2 years of age. So puppies are not immune to seborrhea. In fact, any dog can get secondary seborrhea if they have a separate condition that causes skin inflammation.
Dr. Pye explains, Certain skin conditions are noted in puppies such as infectious diseases, parasites, and early onset allergies. If a dog was diagnosed with one of these diseases, they could have seborrhea as a clinical manifestation of this disease.
Is Seborrhea in Dogs Contagious?
Dr. Pye clarifies that seborrhea itself is not contagious. In addition, many of the diseases causing secondary seborrhea, like allergies or endocrine diseases, are also not contagious.
However, other causes of seborrhea (like certain parasites or fungal infections, including ringworm in dogs) can be contagious. If your pet is diagnosed with a contagious disease that leads to seborrhea, your vet may recommend treating other dogs in the house for that underlying condition. They may also recommend that you avoid taking your dogs to public places until the disease has been treated. If your dog has a contagious disease, use good hygiene practices to keep yourself safe, including wearing disposable gloves while handling them and washing hands thoroughly afterwards.
How Is Seborrhea in Dogs Diagnosed?
Depending on your dogs clinical signs of seborrhea, your vet might recommend a range of tests. These could include:
- Cytology (examining skin cells) to check for infection
- Skin scrapings to identify the presence of certain parasites
- Trials of parasitical medications (Some parasites are difficult to identify with scrapings, so medication trials can help rule them out as causes.)
- Blood work to rule out systemic disease in dogs (conditions that affect multiple systems or the whole body) and endocrine disease
- Food trials to rule out food allergies
- Skin biopsies to determine whether your dog has an immune-mediated disease or canine skin cancer
How Is Seborrhea in Dogs Treated?
The main treatment for secondary seborrhea involves addressing the underlying disease. Once this is treated, the seborrhea should resolve within a few months.
However, Dr. Pye says, If a patient truly has primary seborrhea, symptomatic treatment will be instituted. In the initial stages of treating secondary seborrhea, your vet may recommend treating the symptoms, as well.
According to Dr. Pye, your vet may recommend several potential seborrhea in dogs. These include:
- Bathing: Your vet will recommend either an antimicrobial shampoo or a dog shampoo aimed at removing excess sebum. Be sure to follow your vets instructions about how often to wash your dog and how long to leave the seborrhea dog shampoo on for. In the beginning, they may instruct you to bathe your dog one to two times a week. Its a good idea to avoid using very hot water, which can further dry out the skin. Also, shampoos will often need a contact time of five to 10 minutes on the skin to work best. If a dog is very greasy, your vet may recommend two dog shampoos, one to degrease the dog and another to moisturize the skin.
- Spot-on anti-seborrheic products: Spot-on anti-seborrheic products are small pipettes containing a liquid that can be applied directly to the skin once a week. They help to regulate skin turnover and the production of lipids.
- Omega fatty acids and other vitamins and supplements: Always talk to your vet before giving your dog any supplements, but they may recommend adding omega fatty acid supplements to your dogs diet, as these can decrease inflammation (in certain cases of secondary seborrhea) and moisturize the skin barrier (in cases of seborrhea sicca). Fish oils for dogs may also be helpful.
How to Treat Seborrhea in Dogs at Home
Always consult your veterinarian before starting any at-home treatments for seborrhea. Dr. Pye says, They can recommend the best possible approach for your dog, as no two cases of seborrhea are identical, and underlying disease could be present. Your veterinarian will help manage any skin disease.
If your dogs skin disease is not resolving, your veterinarian can refer you to a board-certified veterinary dermatologist who will be able to help address your dogs skin condition effectively. Board-certified dermatologists have had years of training in skin conditions and are equivalent to a human dermatologist and allergist.
With your vets approval, you can try some at-home seborrhea dog treatments, such as using medicated anti-seborrheic shampoo. A once-a-week bath for your dog with lukewarm water can also help reduce the signs. However, Dr. Pye warns that secondary seborrhea will return (even with at-home treatment) unless the underlying disease is addressed. Plus, your dog could potentially develop other clinical signs in the meanwhile.
Can Seborrhea in Dogs Be Cured?
Primary seborrhea is genetic and lifelong, and many of the diseases that lead to secondary seborrhea do not have a cure. Instead, they are chronic conditions, like allergies or endocrine disease, that require lifelong management. Therefore, in most cases, your vet may place emphasis on controlling the secondary disease so you no longer see any of the clinical signs of seborrhea. However, if the secondary seborrhea is caused by a curable condition (like the presence of parasites), your dog should be fully healed once treatment is complete.
