Folliculitis may be easy for a veterinarian to identify, but treating its symptoms may prove more challenging. Some dogs with bacterial folliculitis require long courses of oral antibiotics.
Pet parents can assist by managing any underlying medical conditions that predispose their dog to itching, such as allergies, hypothyroidism, Cushing’s disease or obesity. Furthermore, adding anti-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acid derived from fish or krill oil to boost skin health and help alleviate itching can also boost health significantly.
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Diagnosis
If a dog exhibits signs of folliculitis, it is imperative that they visit a vet immediately. A veterinarian will conduct a full physical exam of their skin samples in order to test for yeast and bacteria; additionally they will gather an extensive history on symptoms experienced.
A veterinary dermatologist or general veterinarian will diagnose folliculitis based on history and physical examination. A skin scraping may also be performed to check for mites and fungal infections as well as full body examination to check for external parasites such as fleas and ticks.
Folliculitis in dogs is not contagious; however, its cause lies with bacteria entering a dog’s hair follicles and altering their environment. This may occur as a result of Cushing’s disease, thyroid disease, allergies or another underlying health issue such as Cushing’s syndrome or another skin disorder or issue such as Cushing’s. For this reason it is highly recommended that regular visits be scheduled with either a veterinary dermatologist or general veterinarian so any issues can be identified and treated early.
Treatment
Folliculitis can cause your dog extreme discomfort. The condition can arise in any location where there are hair follicles on their body – including arms, legs, groin and abdomen.
Folliculitis can be diagnosed through a thorough physical and skin exam, taking a swab for bacteria culture, testing for parasites using blacklight or Wood’s lamp testing, bloodwork assessment of hormone levels or any potential health concerns as well as an impression smear that shows multiple eosinophils in the area of folliculitis and/or an impression smear showing numerous eosinophils in its area of influence.
Folliculitis treatment will depend on its cause: bacteria require oral antibiotics and medicated shampoos or washes with antibacterial ingredients; fungal issues must be managed through topical and oral antifungals; while allergies could need an allergen exclusion diet from their vet; while those suffering from an endocrine disorder require daily medications to manage and treat the disorder.
Prevention
At any point in time, every dog experiences the itchies; however, excessive scratching or licking could be signs of an underlying condition called Folliculitis. This skin condition causes hair growth to become inflamed, creating pus-filled papules as well as crusty/flaky epidermal collarettes on their body.
Folliculitis treatment depends on its source. Bacterial folliculitis usually requires taking oral antibiotics; while fungal folliculitis typically calls for medicated shampoos or topical sprays containing antifungal medications.
Greenstein suggests using preventative veterinary care to avoid folliculitis for your pet, including annual flea preventatives and bathing them regularly with shampoo that does not overdry their skin and grooming as little as possible to reduce infection risk. She also suggests having your pup checked periodically using blacklight and blood tests to identify which underlying disease might be contributing to his/her folliculitis; some conditions like Cushing’s or hypothyroidism cannot be prevented entirely but instead managed effectively in order to limit recurrences of their symptoms if necessary.
Costs
If your dog has been diagnosed with folliculitis, they will require visits to their veterinarian for treatment and this could prove costly if certain tests or medications need to be conducted or prescribed – this makes pet insurance so vitally important!
Folliculitis affects any area of skin injured by trauma or exposed to excess moisture, altered bacteria or impaired blood flow. While most often caused by Staphylococcus infections (staph), it may also be the result of parasite infestation, yeast infections, genetic conditions and genetic syndromes.
On physical examination, your veterinarian will likely detect a hair follicle tumor and will take samples through biopsy or fine needle aspiration to be sent off to a laboratory for histopathologic analysis to ascertain its benign or malignant nature and guide treatment options; likely these will include surgical removal as well as oral and topical medications.
