How to Treat Dog Acne?

(December 16, 2011)

How to Treat Dog Acne on Chin and Back?

Dogs can also suffer from acne just like humans. It typically happens in big breeds with short coats like Great Dane, Mastiff, Doberman, Boxer and Rottweiler. Acne on a dog’s chin or back is caused by blocked sebaceous glands or blackheads due to the skin not being cleaned properly. Occasionally a dog can get pimples due to infected flea bites or allergies too. A doctor can help identify the exact cause. Acne on dogs can be very painful and the skin around the infection tends to crusty and sore.

While treating acne in dogs, it is important to gently clean the infected area every day. Use a warm water compress to clean and open the blocked pores. Use an antibacterial soap specially meant for dogs to remove all traces of infection. There are many medicated ointments and creams that your vet can prescribe which can control the infection of the pimples. It is necessary that you do not try and puncture it. This could cause the infection to spread some more. Topical herbs like calendula and aloe vera can also provide relief. These herbs have strong anti inflammatory and anti bacterial properties. Avoid using your acne cream on your dog as some owners are wont to do.

How to get rid of puppy acne on chin and head?

Puppy acne is not so common and often is an allergic reaction to different factors. Puppy acne can appear on the chin, below the mouth and even on the head. Puppies housed in unsanitary conditions can also get infected and get pimples. Pimples in puppies can appear at 3 months and older.

Allergy to the eating bowl is a frequent cause and of course unclean skin and blocked pores can also lead to acne. Change the puppy’s bowl from plastic to steel. The simplest way of getting rid of puppy acne is keeping the puppy clean and not squeezing the pimple to remove the infection. Keeping it clean and dry is the best way to help it heal. Occasionally it might scab and in such cases, you should consult a vet. A vet could prescribe ointments which contain antibiotics which help the acne heal. A doctor could even provide medicated shampoos to be used about twice a week.  You can try herbal remedies or even alternate therapies that could help the puppy but the best bet is to keep the infected area clean and let it heal. Common breeds that face this problem are big breeds with short hair coats like Doberman, Boxer, Golden Retrievers and Bull Dogs.

Dog acne or pimples can cause a dog a lot of discomfort and pain. This condition occurs when the oil glands on the dogs face get blocked which result in pimples and acne. You will notice the formation of blackheads and pimples on parts of the face such as the chin, muzzle and lips. These blackheads and pimples become acne which is makes the skin very itchy, crusty and sore.

This condition is more common in large dogs that have short hair. It is more noticed in breeds such as Great Danes, Boxers, Doberman and Rottweilers. It occurs generally during puberty i.e. between the ages of 5 to 8 months. Very often this condition improves with age and generally disappears after one year of age. Dog acne is not really cured but can be controlled. The first step in dog acne treatment is to rule out any other possibilities that might be causing this problem. You need to rule out problems such as mite infestation, ring worm and allergies.

When treating this problem it is important to ensure that the affected area is cleaned daily. You can do this by using a warm water compress to open up the blocked pores. Place the warm water compress on the affected area till it cools. Then wash the dog face with an anti bacterial soap for dogs. This process will kill bacteria as well as flush out any infection. You can also use herbs such as calendula, aloe vera and nettle which have anti bacterial and astringent properties. They also nourish the skin and alleviate the discomfort caused by skin infections such as acne. Herbs such as burdock root and red clover can also be given to your dog in the form of tonics. These tonics are used to remove the toxins from the body and strengthen the immune system thus prevent infections. There are also a lot of homeopathtic remedies available that help cure canine acne. You need to visit a holistic vet if you would like to use homeopathy

Some of thing that you should avoid in dog pimple treatment are; never squeeze the pimples. This can not only be very painful for the dog but it can also spread the bacteria under the skin causing a deeper infection. Although there are a lot of medicines available in the market that are used to cure human acne never use these on a dog as they are made of harsh chemicals and medicines and can worsen the problem than cure it.