The owner is usually the first to notice skin problems in their animals, such as itching, redness, dandruff, constant scratching and rubbing, warmth, hair loss, and hard skin. These are typical symptoms of various skin diseases. The cause can be a parasite, allergy, external irritant, trauma, or infection. Infections can be caused by different microbes such as mold, fungi, bacteria, or viruses. A general scientific term for all these conditions is dermatitis.

A veterinarian is the best person to thoroughly analyze the clinical situation and determine the correct treatment.

Animal welfare authorities legislate that it is the owner’s duty and responsibility to care for the animals in their care. If diseases cannot be treated adequately, the most compassionate decision may sometimes be to euthanize the animal.

It is worth noting that the disease mechanisms behind these common skin problems in cats, dogs, horses, and humans are similar, just like their skin structure. Therefore, the treatment of these skin diseases is largely identical. A good rule of thumb is that you should not apply anything to the animals’ skin that you would not be willing to use on your own skin.