How do you treat skin fold pyoderma in dogs and cats? Skin fold pyoderma is a skin condition that affects dogs and cats that have a lot of wrinkles and facial folds.
What Breeds are Prone to Skin Fold Pyoderma?
Dog breeds that have a tendency to get skin fold pyoderma are Bulldogs, Pugs, Shih Tzus, Shar-Peis, Bloodhounds and dogs with short tails. Cats that have facial folds such as flat-faced Persian breeds are susceptible as well. Pets that are overweight are also at risk. Essentially any pet that has excess skin that can rub together is prone to pyoderma.
How Do You Know if Your Dog has Pyoderma?
Skin fold pyoderma is caused by skin rubbing together and becoming wet and inflamed. This inflamed area becomes moist and forms a great area for bacteria and yeast to grow. Because bacteria and yeast like warm moist areas, we see an increase with skin fold pyoderma issues on warm humid days or during the summer months. Often a foul odor is noticed coming from the infected area.
Types of Skin Fold Pyoderma in Dogs and Cats
There are four main types of pyoderma:
- Face fold pyoderma
- Lip fold pyoderma
- Vulvar fold pyoderma
- Tail fold pyoderma
In all these types, treatment is aimed at controlling the environment where bacteria and yeast grow.
How Do You Get Rid of Pyoderma in Dogs?
- Clean area well by bathing the animal with a broad spectrum medicated shampoo or you can use the shampoo as a scrub for the area. Leave on for 10 minutes and then rinse well.
- Clipping the hair from the areas with skin folds can make cleaning and drying the skin more effective.
- In between baths, use a medicated spray or wipe to make daily treating of these areas easy and effective. Just wipe the area twice a day. Make sure you get in between all the folds. Use the spray on areas away from the face or spray directly on a cloth to wipe in between folds. You may have to use two wipes the first few treatments. Be cautious around the eyes.
- In more severe cases, Zymox® Topical Cream is great for inflammation and itching. Make sure the area is cleaned well before applying.
- For breeds prone to face fold issues, use Micro-Tek Pet Spray for prevention and healing of the skin. It is non-steroidal, and won’t burn or hurt open wounds and is safe for dogs, cats, kittens and puppies.
If your best friend has a lot of loose skin, wrinkles and facial folds, weekly or bi-weekly wiping of the skin fold with medicated wipes will keep your pet comfortable all summer long.
If you need help with how to treat skin folds in dogs and cats, call us at 800.786.4751.
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Written by: Marty Greer, DVM
Director of Veterinary Services
Marty Greer, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, has 40+ years’ experience in veterinary medicine, with special interests in canine reproduction and pediatrics. She received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Iowa State University in 1981. She’s served as Revival’s Director of Veterinary Services since 2019. In 2023, Dr. Greer was named the Westminster Kennel Club Veterinarian of the Year.