Canine Staph Symptoms

Caused by the bacteria staphylococcus, a staph infection is a skin disorder that commonly affects dogs. Other medical problems such as an allergic reaction, an open sore or an infection in the ear can trigger staph infections. When afflicted with this type of infection, your dog will exhibit certain symptoms.

  1. Mild to Moderate Infection

    • If your dog suffers from a mild or moderate staph infection, it will most likely continuously worry the affected area by scratching, biting or rubbing. If you notice this behavior in your dog, give your pet a physical examination. Dogs suffering from staph infections generally form rashes on their heads or feet. You may also find hard, crusty lesions on its belly area. These lesions may also show signs of a secondary infection, pyoderma, if the skin around the lesions is dry and flaky.

    Severe Infections

    • You will see more severe symptoms in your dog if it suffers from a more advanced case of canine staph infection. Perhaps most noticeably, your dog will suffer from severe itching. This increases the irritation of the already infected skin and may result in a secondary infection such as staph dermatitis. Your dog will also exhibit extremely red, sore, scaly or ulcerous skin. Your dog may also be affected by a sudden and rapid hair loss in the infected region.

    Staph Hypersensitivity

    • Severe cases of canine staph infection can result in a rare disease called staph hypersensitivity. Essentially, your dog becomes allergic to the staph bacteria. So when your dog catches a staph infection, it will also exhibit pustules or fluid-filled blisters.

    Complication Symptoms

    • Though serious complications are rare with staph infections, they can occur. If you notice inflamed skin along with fever, chills and swollen lymph nodes, your dog may have developed a secondary infection called cellulitis. When this condition spreads to your dog's legs, it will experience painful sores and a breakdown of skin cells.