Treating skin ulcers in dogs

 Treatment of skin ulcers in dogs that form from a wound that does not heal. These types of injuries often ooze pus and are more expensive to heal than a superficial wound. How do skin ulcers form in the dog? Very often, sores are due to the fact that the dog has been resting for a long time on a certain area of ​​its body, on a hard surface. It is convenient to prevent them, and when they develop, learn to treat them.

What are canine skin ulcers?

An ulcer is  a wound  that does not heal. Dog sores can be due to various causes. The most common, according to a veterinarian, “occurs when the dog is lying down on a hard surface and always on the same part of his body, as when sleeping.”

Rubbing and pressure on a part of the dog's body helps the sores to appear. For this reason, it is recommended that  the dog sleep on a soft surface, such as a mat, rather than cement or sand.

Sores are not the same as a wound. A wound is formed after a puncture or tear in a part of the body and usually bleeds. But the sores are deeper. It can include inflammation and aspiration of water, but not blood.

Symptoms of skin diseases in dogs

Before we proceed to detailing canine canker sores, we will list the most common symptoms that indicate a skin problem. They are as follows:

• itching or scratching
• Alopecia, i.e. hairless areas.
• Dermatitis.
• redness of the skin
• Sores or open wounds.
• Papules, which are red granular bumps.
• Pustules, lesions with pus in them.
• Crusts which are dried wounds.
• Nodules, lumps, grains or lumps, which we can observe or feel as bumps of different sizes.
• Hyperpigmentation or darkened skin.
• Hyperkeratosis or thick skin.

Causes of skin ulcers in dogs

A dog can have sores for various reasons. In addition to being formed because the dog always rests on the same part of the body, which ends up ulcerating (a deep lesion that exudates), ulcers may have their origin in the fact that the  dog has diabetes .

Very large dogs are more likely to suffer from "contact, rubbing and pressure sores when leaned on," says the vet. Their skin is less elastic and nails form more easily than in the case of a young dog. "Once a callus has formed, if the skin is opened and cracked, sores will develop," he says.

Dogs with leishmaniasis are also more likely to develop ulcers. The reason is that one of the symptoms of this dangerous disease is the poor ability to heal, and in these conditions any wound can become painful.

Injuries from bumps entering the skin is another possible cause for the formation of sores. The duct consists of an external opening that never heals and can ulcerate or become painful.”

Treating skin ulcers in dogs

1.  It is recommended that you go to the vet to determine if your dog will need an antibiotic if the area becomes infected.
2.  At home, owners should clean the area with neutral soap and water, and dry it with gauze.
3.  Apply an antiseptic.
4. Cover the area with healing cream. It is your vet who can prescribe an appropriate cream that has anti-inflammatory properties and promotes healing. Ulcers take at least 15 days to heal, but some take longer to heal, Jimenez explains.
5. Do not cover the infected part with gauze unless the dog licks the area.
6.  Honey is a home remedy to apply to canker sores. It has antiseptic and healing properties. But not only honey can be applied to ulcers. It is recommended that a vet check the area.

How are skin ulcers prevented in the dog?

• Some guidelines help prevent bedsores in your dog, including:
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• Place the dog on a soft, comfortable surface to sleep and rest. It is not recommended to sleep on cement or sand.
• Great care must be taken to avoid bedsores in dogs, it is advisable to ensure that they lie down and sleep on a soft surface.
• Proper hygiene helps prevent sores. If the dog has a wound and does not have the correct health conditions (hygiene, up-to-date vaccination history ), the infected area is likely to become sore.
• Preventing certain diseases, such as diabetes or leishmaniasis, helps avoid sores.