If your dog spends time around farm animals like horses, cows or sheep, you need to check it regularly for Dermatophilosis. This condition is contract from farm animals and it typically found in warm humid climates. It does not discriminate against age or gender of the animal.
If you scratch off an infected area of the yellow crust, you will notice that there are many hairs underneath due to the follicle being impacted. This condition is very common in dog and cats. It is best to get your pet to the vet for testing to stop the spreading.
These areas can also have pus beneath the infected area. You will also notice that the dog is trying to scratch the infected areas. It is important to take the dog to the vet to get a diagnosis with testing.
The vet will take a sample of the infected area to run tests. Be sure that he knows that you have been around farm animals so he can test for Dermatophilosis. Once the vet has determined that it is Dermatophilosis, treatment will be prescribed.
There are a couple of options for treatment depending on the severity of the condition. The vet could prescribe a topical shampoo to bathe the dog in regularly. Because these skin conditions can be transferred to humans, it is recommended you wear gloves with administering the treatment.
In order for medications to be effective, we must be consistent with administering them. If the Dermatophilosis is severe, the vet may prescribe an antibiotic to be taken orally. Penicillin is the norm but it could be amoxicillin or another type of antibiotic as well.
With conditions like this, the vet will ask for a follow up appointment. Usually he will wait about 2 or 3 weeks for the medications to do their job. Be sure to keep an eye on your dog during this time to make sure there are no more outbreaks.
It is not impossible for a family member or caregiver to contract Dermatophilosis from the infected dog. If you are living with a person with a low immune system, you might want to quarantine your dog until its condition clears. If you just want to be on the safe side, it would be best to keep the dog away from the rest of the family for a time.
As with illness, you want to make sure that you apply all medications while wearing protective gloves. Some skin conditions can be highly contagious and cross contamination is possible. Be sure to wash your hands regularly when dealing with any skin condition on dogs and cats.
