Acne is a well researched problem that affects humans, particularly teenagers. However, it may affect your dog as well. Dog acne can affect many different breeds of dogs such as Dobermans, Great Danes, Bulldogs and Boxers.
Other breeds may also be affected. It can be said that, generally speaking, aggressive breeds of dogs tend to be more susceptible to acne than the more docile breeds.
Acne affects dogs just before they enter adulthood and can continue into young adulthood.
Dog acne can be of two types. Most dogs that develop acne will grow out of the problem as their age advances into adulthood. The other type of acne is the chronic type, which lasts through the lifetime of the dog. Chronic acne can be controlled and will have phases where it appears to have subsided, but it never fully disappears. The formation of acne blackheads is similar to the condition in humans. Dirt or sebum clogs the outlet of the sebaceous glands and blocks hair follicles from growing out. This in turn creates a sac of pus which can become infected if not cleaned or if it bursts and is exposed to bacteria. Acne in dogs tends to occur around the lips, the chin and around the nose.
Acne may cause no discomfort to your dog at all. In such a case, it can be left alone and allowed to naturally subside. Of course, you should clean your dog regularly to ensure that the condition does not get aggravated. In severe cases, acne will develop into a full blown skin infection which can be caused by bacteria that attack a freshly burst sebum pustule. This, then, becomes a different infection which may need to be treated. Diagnosing acne is simple and can be done by your veterinarian by simply looking at the dog’s facial area.
Dog acne treatment is restricted to reducing the effect and the quantity of acne marks. It is not possible to completely cure acne using treatment at the moment. The first step is to ensure a proper diagnosis which is why it is necessary to visit your animal healthcare specialist. Once other skin conditions are ruled out, you can focus on treatments to reduce the severity of the symptoms. You can use some antibacterial creams as recommended by your doctor on the affect skin. Before applying any skin product ensure that you have thoroughly cleaned the skin first.
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