Canine pyoderma, a skin infection, can be caused by a number of different organisms. The effects of pyoderma are not fatal, but depend on a dog's physical sensitivity.
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The Facts
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Pyoderma is caused most often by a staph bacteria leading to a skin infection. Like most infections, pyoderma can spread rapidly in warm, moist conditions.
Location
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Canine pyoderma usually strikes a dog's trunk, but may also make its way onto a dog's chin. Pyoderma spots may blare up between a dog's toes or on his elbows.
Symptoms
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The disease includes itchy yellow pustules on a dog's skin. The pustules can become red and ulcerated, and eventually break open and become crusty. Advanced cases of the disease result in hair loss.
Victims
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Canine pyoderma is an infection, and often presents as a secondary disease in dogs that have parasites, allergies, internal disorders or compromised immune systems.
Treatment
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Treatments for pyoderma include shaving the dog, antibacterial washes, antibiotic ointments and oral antibiotics. Extreme cases of pyoderma may necessitate corrective surgery.
Considerations
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The bacteria that causes canine pyoderma is not contagious to humans.
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