Pyoderma is the name that has been used to describe some bacterial skin infections. These infections can have different origins such as inflammations and neoplasms.
In dogs it is one of the most common dermatological diseases and in summer, following some tips to avoid heat stroke can help you prevent this skin disease.
What are Pyodermas?
Pyodermas are infections of the skin of animals caused by bacterial or yeast organisms that cause an opportunistic infection due to the compromise of the skin mechanisms.
These infections usually appear on the skin of animals due to allergies or parasite infestations, endocrine diseases or some others that alter the immune system. It can come from allergies to food, environments or parasites that cause this disease. In addition, any reason that causes them to itch can cause them to scratch themselves, causing a secondary Pyoderma.
Types of Pyoderma
According to the layer of the skin that this disease affects, we can classify it into three types of Pyoderma:
Superficial pyoderma:
This type of Pyoderma can be due to a hot spot or skin fold. In the first case, the hot spot refers to a localized skin inflammation. It can develop very quickly and requires external treatment to reduce inflammation.
In the case of the skin fold, it refers to an infection that occurs where there is trapped moisture. Some of the breeds that have a tendency to suffer from it are French Bulldogs, Pekingese, Pugs or Shar Peis.
Deep Pyoderma:
Deep pyoderma is the disease that affects the innermost tissues of the skin of animals. Deep pyoderma includes the following infections:
- Abscesses: Skin lesions that go deep. Usually caused by a bite.
- Bacterial pododermatitis: Disease caused in the skin tissues of animals.
- Callus pyoderma: Localized infection in animal calluses.
- Deep fungal infections: Localized infections under the skin caused by fungi. This reason is very dangerous, since, being caused by fungi, it is likely that they spread to other parts of the body such as the lungs or intestinal tract.
- Acral lick granulomas: In this case, it is the animal itself that, after excessive nibbling or licking in a specific area of the body, manages to injure itself and cause Pyoderma.
Pyoderma symptoms
The symptoms of this disease vary depending on the cause of the infection. For example. In the case of superficial pyoderma, we can detect it by observing papules or pustules similar to human pimples. They consist of red bumps that have relief on the body of the animal and that can become filled with pus. They can also become scabs and cause hair loss.
Regarding the symptoms of bacterial pyoderma, the symptoms are more violent. The animal’s skin is flaky, nodules develop within the skin layers, and open sores.
If you observe any of these symptoms in your pet, it is essential to go to the vet so that a specialist can do a thorough study.
Pyoderma Treatments
In this type of infections it is very important to strictly follow the treatment times that the veterinarian diagnoses. Normally they usually extend between a month or a month and a half. In internal pyodermas, it can continue to be administered even two weeks after the symptoms have disappeared.
Specialized shampoos to treat this disease are complementary to medical treatment. These shampoos often contain an antiseptic that helps kill bacteria on the skin.
Pyoderma is not contagious. However, if it were a bacterial infection and there was direct contact with a wound, an entry route for the infection would be created.
If you perceive some of these symptoms in your animal, both canine and feline, you should go to a veterinary center.
