German Shorthaired Pointer Skin Disease Treatment

Recognized in the 1800s in Germany, shorthaired pointers are hunting dogs, guard dogs, house pets and champions. Intelligent and trainable, the breed has a short coat with little shedding, making it a welcome pet for families. German shorthaired pointers may, however, experience skin diseases, including lupoid dermatosis, a genetic disease causing lesions or itchy, scaly skin. Genetic tests can help determine German shorthaired pointers carrying the disease.

  1. Shampoos

    • German shorthaired pointers first entered America in the 1920s.

      You can treat German shorthaired pointer skin diseases with antimicrobial shampoos and conditioners specially formulated with sulfur and other itch-fighting ingredients including aloe or hydrocortisone. Treat your dog with keratolytic tar-free antimicrobial shampoo, which can remove scales, crusts and any excessive oils. You can generally combine shampoo therapies with oral antibiotics. Shampoo according to your veterinarian's advice.

    Antibiotics

    • Germany shorthaired pointers received American Kennel Club recognition in 1930.

      Oral antibiotic treatments can often help with lupoid dermatosis in German shorthaired pointers. Veterinarians also often prescribe immunomodulatory agents, including oral tetracycline, prednisone, cyclosporine or azathioprine. Seek your veterinarian's advice about oral treatments in combination with topical antibiotic and antifungal ointments or powders that can treat your dog's skin disease.

    Nutrition

    • German shorthaired pointers with lupoid dermatosis often don't appear ill.

      Make sure your German shorthaired pointer maintains a healthy high-quality diet to help manage lupoid dermatosis. You might need to get it tested to determine if it has any food allergies associated with its skin disease. Diet changes also often trigger skin disorders, such as excessive flaking or itching. Take note of significant changes in your pet's appetite and discuss these with your veterinarian. You may add vitamin supplements or allergy shots to help with the skin disorder symptoms, once the diet is regulated.

    Long-Term Follow-Up

    • Many German shorthaired pointers heal on their own making treatment difficult to assess.

      Biopsies are often necessary to determine if a symptom is, in fact, due to lupoid dermatosis. Even if the parent of a German shorthaired pup seems normal, a pup may be a carrier for the disease. Long-term follow-up care is necessary. If German shorthaired pointers do not respond to other therapies, a veterinarian's advice could help determine the cause. Do not use German shorthaired pointers that are found to be carriers of skin disease for breeding purposes.