Black skin disease, also known as Alopecia X, is a condition in which the skin on a dog's body can become irritated and inflamed, turn black and the hair falls out. While this odd disease can effect dogs of any breed or age, it commonly occurs in pomeranians, especially those who are male. Treatment for the disease depends upon what is causing it.
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Characteristics of Black Skin Disease
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Black skin disease is actually a hyper-pigmentation, or increased pigmentation, of the skin, which can cause the skin to change to a dark color. Typically, the dog will lose its hair in these places and it usually occurs on the trunk and tail of the body. It is rare for a dog to experience black skin disease on its legs or head. While pomeranians are prone to this disease, it also commonly occurs in other breeds, such as poodles, keeshonds, chow chows and samoyeds.
Diagnosing the Causes of Black Skin Disease
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Black skin disease is usually a symptom of another underlying condition. Therefore, it is essential in diagnosing what is causing the Alopecia X before one can effectively treat it. The problem in diagnosing the underlying condition is that there is a wide variety of conditions that can cause darkened pigment and hair loss. This means your dog will need to undergo a good amount of testing, while you will probably need to spend a good amount of money. Your veterinarian will likely test for fungus, parasites, hypothyroidism, Cushing's disease and other hormonal issues, as well as skin infections and allergies. It is possible the doctor may want to check for other abnormalities as well. These conditions are usually identified with blood, skin, urine and stool samples.
Treating Black Skin Disease
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Since there are a number of different reasons why your dog may have black skin disease, there is a whole host of treatments, depending on what the underlying cause is. If the Alopecia X is caused by parasites, your vet can prescribe medication that can eliminate the worms. If fungus is the culprit, topical treatments can usually resolve the problem, while systemic medication may also be prescribed. Hypothyroidism and Cushing's disease can be managed with certain types of medication, while skin infections may need to be cleared up with antibiotics and possibly steroids. If allergies are causing the black skin disease, antihistamines, omega-3 fatty acid supplements and possibly a diet change are usually recommended. If the allergies are severe enough, your dog may need to undergo immunotherapy, that is, receive allergy injections. It is also possible that black skin disease is caused by a sex hormone imbalance, in which case medication can help to alleviate the problem. In addition, there are certain types of cancers that can cause black skin disease. Treatment of the cancers may vary as to which type it is.
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