Introduction
Labradoodles may suffer from skin diseases and conditions common to all dog breeds, such as allergic reactions to food ingredients, or skin illnesses of infectious nature.
There are also skin conditions of genetic nature, i.e. hereditary skin issues that mainly affect the breed.
Skin Allergy to Food Ingredients
Labradors are ‘famous’ for being too prone to food allergic reactions. There are the following skin symptoms of food allergy in Labradoodles:
- dry skin with flakes of scurf;
- hair loss in the certain areas;
- skin itching;
- skin rash or red/pink skin (especially on the belly and on the elbows);
- paw biting;
- obsessive licking of paws.
Labradoodles may show allergy reactions to the following food ingredients:
- deef;
- lamb;
- fish;
- chicken (poultry);
- soy;
- yeast;
- dairy products.
Skin Problems from the Poodle Side: Sebaceous Adenitis
Sebaceous adenitis (SA), though is a rare condition, sometimes occurs in Labradoodles. As the oil-producing glands in the skin stop working, the result is a rank odor, dry, scaly skin and hair loss. This skin issue appears to be an autosomal recessive genetic disease and affects young dogs, as a rule.
There are the following symptoms of SA:
- alopecia (hair loss);
- unpleasant skin and hair odor;
- matted hair;
- casts forming around the hair shaft;
- dull hairs;
- intense itching and scratching;
- bacterial infections along the hair follicle;
- silver-white skin scales;
- clusters of skin lesions on the head.
Other Skin Problems
Demodecosis – an overgrowth of skin mites that can cause itching, hair loss and inflammation. This disease is highly contagious and should be treated immediately. There are topical and oral medications for treating Demodecosis.
There is another skin problem within Labradoodles – skin tumors. General skin tumors in the breed include apocrine gland tumors, affecting the anal sac. As a rule, malignant skin tumors are fatal, and a surgery can only give your dog some time.
Dry skin – rather frequent condition that may be caused by vitamins and microelement deficiency, poor diet, excessive bathing with ‘aggressive’ shampoos, other internal body diseases, problems with thyroid gland, etc.
Flea Allergy Dermatitis – appears as a result of flea infestation. You can observe pimple-like rash over the head of the tail and inner thighs. The dog continues to itch even after the fleas have been killed.
Сonclusion
We hope, that this article was useful for you and know you will be able to identify possible skin issues in your Labradoodle and get in-time vet aid.
