Pododermatitis
Why should I bring my pet to Willows for Pododermatitis?
Willows is one of Europe’s leading small animal referral centres. Our state-of-the-art hospital is led by internationally renowned Specialists who are committed to providing the highest standards of veterinary care.
The Dermatology service at Willows is led by Dr Richard Harvey BVSc DVD DipECVD PhD FRSB FRCVS, who is very experienced in managing patients with pododermatitis.
Why should I bring my pet to Willows for Pododermatitis?
Willows is one of Europe’s leading small animal referral centres. Our state-of-the-art hospital is led by internationally renowned Specialists who are committed to providing the highest standards of veterinary care.
The Dermatology service at Willows is led by Dr Richard Harvey BVSc DVD DipECVD PhD FRSB FRCVS, who is very experienced in managing patients with pododermatitis.
What is Pododermatitis?
How is Pododermatitis Diagnosed?
Pododermatitis is a term used to describe inflammation affecting the skin of the feet. It often causes dogs to have swollen, red and itchy feet, which can progress to painful sores. In very severe cases, dogs can even become lame. This is a relatively common skin problem in dogs and can be present on its own, or as part of a more widespread skin problem. There are many causes of pododermatitis, and in some patients, more than one cause is present at the same time. It is important to obtain an accurate diagnosis to ensure that the right treatment can be selected.
The diagnosis of pododermatitis can often be achieved following a thorough evaluation of the history and clinical signs. Hair plucks and skin scrapings are often performed to diagnosis Demodex mite infestation, and swab samples are often taken to establish if an infection is present. If the clinical picture is very suggestive of a foreign body, X-rays may be needed along with a surgical procedure to remove the offending item. Conformational pododermatitis is usually diagnosed by examining the feet and assessing the shape (conformation) of the footpads.
What is Pododermatitis?
How is Pododermatitis Diagnosed?
Pododermatitis is a term used to describe inflammation affecting the skin of the feet. It often causes dogs to have swollen, red and itchy feet, which can progress to painful sores. In very severe cases, dogs can even become lame. This is a relatively common skin problem in dogs and can be present on its own, or as part of a more widespread skin problem. There are many causes of pododermatitis, and in some patients, more than one cause is present at the same time. It is important to obtain an accurate diagnosis to ensure that the right treatment can be selected.
The diagnosis of pododermatitis can often be achieved following a thorough evaluation of the history and clinical signs. Hair plucks and skin scrapings are often performed to diagnosis Demodex mite infestation, and swab samples are often taken to establish if an infection is present. If the clinical picture is very suggestive of a foreign body, X-rays may be needed along with a surgical procedure to remove the offending item. Conformational pododermatitis is usually diagnosed by examining the feet and assessing the shape (conformation) of the footpads.
What is Pododermatitis?
Pododermatitis is a term used to describe inflammation affecting the skin of the feet. It often causes dogs to have swollen, red and itchy feet, which can progress to painful sores. In very severe cases, dogs can even become lame. This is a relatively common skin problem in dogs and can be present on its own, or as part of a more widespread skin problem. There are many causes of pododermatitis, and in some patients, more than one cause is present at the same time. It is important to obtain an accurate diagnosis to ensure that the right treatment can be selected.
How is Pododermatitis Diagnosed?
The diagnosis of pododermatitis can often be achieved following a thorough evaluation of the history and clinical signs. Hair plucks and skin scrapings are often performed to diagnosis Demodex mite infestation, and swab samples are often taken to establish if an infection is present. If the clinical picture is very suggestive of a foreign body, X-rays may be needed along with a surgical procedure to remove the offending item. Conformational pododermatitis is usually diagnosed by examining the feet and assessing the shape (conformation) of the footpads.
What Causes Pododermatitis?
Parasites
Foreign bodies
Allergies
Hormonal diseases
Deep infections
Conformation
Parasites
The parasitic mite Demodex can infect the haired skin of the feet and result in pododermatitis. Demodex mites are present in very low numbers in the skin of all dogs, but in some patients, either due to a genetic susceptibility, or due to a process that lowers the immune system, these mites can populate the skin in very large numbers causing disease (Fig 1.).
Figure 1: A case of pododermatitis due to Demodex mites (feet have been clipped for cleaning).
Foreign bodies
Foreign bodies like grass seeds are a very common cause of pododermatitis in dogs. Foreign bodies tend to penetrate the skin of the feet when dogs are out walking/running and then trigger inflammation when they become trapped within the feet.
Allergies
Allergic diseases in dogs and cats are very common, and result in inflammation in the skin. This inflammation is very commonly seen affecting the feet, and results in redness, excessive licking and chewing at the affected sites.
Hormonal diseases
Certain hormonal diseases can also be involved in the development of pododermatitis as the local skin immune system is reduced and the ability to fend off infections is compromised.
Deep infections
A very common feature of pododermatitis, particularly in dogs, is a deep infection of the feet. This is usually due to bacteria, but can be due to rare fungal organisms, and often results in multiple painful, swollen and discharging lumps (Figure 2).
Figure 2: Bleeding lumps between the toes due to deep bacterial infection
Conformation
A frustrating cause of pododermatitis is termed conformational pododermatitis. This usually occurs in heavy set dogs with excessively splayed feet. This results in weight bearing on hairy parts of the feet adjacent to the footpads and triggers inflammation of the hair follicles. Over time, this inflammation damages the hair follicles and results in chronic inflammation within the feet.
What are the Treatments Available?
What Can I Expect if my Pet has been Diagnosed with Pododermatitis?
Treatments for pododermatitis vary depending on the underlying cause. Parasitic infestations are usually treated with tablets or dips/rinses for the feet. Deep infections are often treated with long courses of antibiotics. Foreign bodies are best treated by identifying the foreign body and removing it in a minor surgical procedure. Conformational pododermatitis is perhaps the most difficult to treat, as the defect is due to the shape of the feet. Many of these cases can only be managed, and require modifications such as protective boots, foot washing and avoidance of rough/uneven terrain. In the very worst cases, conformational pododermatitis can be corrected with surgery to fuse the toe webs together.
As there are numerous causes of pododermatitis, and more than one can be present at the same time, a good prognosis depends on identifying all the contributing factors and correcting them if possible. If this can be done, the vast majority of cases will have a good outcome. Cases of conformational pododermatitis are rarely cured and require long term management.
What are the Treatments Available?
What Can I Expect if my Pet has been Diagnosed with Pododermatitis?
Treatments for pododermatitis vary depending on the underlying cause. Parasitic infestations are usually treated with tablets or dips/rinses for the feet. Deep infections are often treated with long courses of antibiotics. Foreign bodies are best treated by identifying the foreign body and removing it in a minor surgical procedure. Conformational pododermatitis is perhaps the most difficult to treat, as the defect is due to the shape of the feet. Many of these cases can only be managed, and require modifications such as protective boots, foot washing and avoidance of rough/uneven terrain. In the very worst cases, conformational pododermatitis can be corrected with surgery to fuse the toe webs together.
As there are numerous causes of pododermatitis, and more than one can be present at the same time, a good prognosis depends on identifying all the contributing factors and correcting them if possible. If this can be done, the vast majority of cases will have a good outcome. Cases of conformational pododermatitis are rarely cured and require long term management.
What are the Treatments Available?
Treatments for pododermatitis vary depending on the underlying cause. Parasitic infestations are usually treated with tablets or dips/rinses for the feet. Deep infections are often treated with long courses of antibiotics. Foreign bodies are best treated by identifying the foreign body and removing it in a minor surgical procedure. Conformational pododermatitis is perhaps the most difficult to treat, as the defect is due to the shape of the feet. Many of these cases can only be managed, and require modifications such as protective boots, foot washing and avoidance of rough/uneven terrain. In the very worst cases, conformational pododermatitis can be corrected with surgery to fuse the toe webs together.
What Can I Expect if my Pet has been Diagnosed with Pododermatitis?
As there are numerous causes of pododermatitis, and more than one can be present at the same time, a good prognosis depends on identifying all the contributing factors and correcting them if possible. If this can be done, the vast majority of cases will have a good outcome. Cases of conformational pododermatitis are rarely cured and require long term management.
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Skin and Ear Clinic – Find Out More
To assist owners whose pets have skin and ear conditions, we have put together a range of information pages to talk you through some of the more common dermatology conditions seen by our Specialist team.
