Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook.pdf - Mr. Walnuts

150 •DOG OWNER’S HOME VETERINARY HANDBOOK
The institute for Genetic Disease Control in Animals maintains a registry
for sebaceous adenitis in Standard Poodles (see appendix D). OFA has taken
over much of the sebaceous adenitis data and registry. Dogs with sebaceous
adenitis and those identified as carriers should not be bred.
SEBORRHEA
Seborrhea is a condition in which flakes of dead skin are shed from the epidermis
and hair follicles. These flakes may be dry and dandrufflike, or oily and
greasy. Oily seborrhea is due to excessive production of sebum by the sebaceous
glands. Sebum is responsible for the rancid doggy odor that accompanies
oily seborrhea.
Primary and secondary seborrhea are two different diseases.
Primary Seborrhea
This common disease is seen most often in American Cocker Spaniels,
English Springer Spaniels, West Highland White Terriers, Basset Hounds,
Irish Setters, German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, Chinese Shar-Pei, and
other breeds. Affected dogs may have dry flaky skin, greasy scaly skin, or a
combination of both. The flakes of dry seborrhea are easy to lift off the skin.
The scales of oily seborrhea stick to the hair. In oily seborrhea the hair follicles
can become plugged and infected, resulting in the development of folliculitis
(see page 158).
The elbows, hocks, front of the neck down to the chest, and hair along the
borders of the ears are commonly involved. With oily seborrhea, wax may
accumulate in the ear canals, producing a condition called ceruminous otitis.
Treatment: Primary seborrhea is incurable but treatable. Therapy is
directed toward controlling scale formation using shampoos and rinses. A
number of commercial antiseborrheic products are available. The choice of
shampoos and rinses and frequency of application vary with the specific problem,
and should be determined by your veterinarian.
For mild dry flaking, moisturizing hypoallergenic shampoos and rinses that
contain no dyes, fragrances, or other added ingredients can help rehydrate the
skin. These products can be used frequently without causing harm.
For severe dry flaking, shampoos containing sulfur and salicylic acid are
recommended to remove scales. For oily seborrhea, shampoos containing coal
tar are effective and retard further scale production. Benzoyl peroxide shampoos
have excellent hair-pore flushing activity and aid in removing greasy
scales that adhere to hair shafts.
Therapeutic shampooing may be more effective when preceded by a warm
water shampoo. Rinse thoroughly and follow with the medicated shampoo.
Leave on for 15 minutes or as directed, then rinse thoroughly.