Pododermatitis (Interdigital Dermatitis)

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Pododermatitis (Interdigital Dermatitis)

By: Dr. Rosanna Marsalla

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Section: Overview

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The term pododermatitis is not a specific diagnosis. It simply means inflammation of the feet, and numerous diseases include involvement of the feet.

As different diseases require different therapies, it is very important to establish a correct diagnosis. The history, age of onset, progression of the disease, presence of other skin problems in other parts of the body, presence of pruritus (itching) and existence of concurrent systemic disease, are all factors that should be considered to differentiate among diseases and establish a correct diagnosis. Other diseases that may include pododermatitis include:

Allergies can be present with itchy feet. Face and ears are also itchy and the dog tends to relapse with skin infections. Depending on the nature of the allergies, this could occur all year or only during certain times of the year. As a consequence of the itching, the feet tend to become swollen and infected.

A rusty discoloration is present on feet that are chronically licked. This is called "salivary staining" and is caused by a substance present in the saliva of the animal. Allergies tend to worsen with age, so it is important to determine the exact cause in order to make your dog comfortable.

Auto-immune diseases like pemphigus and lupus can also manifest with a pododermatitis. Lesions are more severe than the those seen with allergies. The pads may become cracked, and the animal may be in pain when walking on hard surfaces. In most cases, other parts of the body are also affected, such as yellow crusts on face and ears, and the animal may feel depressed and have a poor appetite.

Internal diseases like pancreatic tumors or liver cirrhosis can also manifest with a pododermatitis. The pads become hard and cracked. Little sores may also be present around the mouth and on pressure points. Skin lesions may be evident months before other signs of systemic disease. This disease is diagnosed with a skin biopsy.

Fungal organisms are present in the soil of some areas, and animals may become infected by walking on contaminated areas. In those cases the nails may grow abnormally and become very friable. This is a mycosis that has the potential of being zoonotic, which means it can also infect humans, so early diagnosis is extremely important.

Mange can also manifest with pododermatitis. Two different types of mange occur. One is contagious to people and other animals (sarcoptic mange) while the second one is not contagious (demodicosis). Demodicosis commonly affects the feet, which may become very itchy and swollen. Secondary bacterial infections are also extremely common with this disease. Skin scrapings and biopsies may be necessary to diagnose the disease and determine the nature of the infection. When several feet are affected, prognosis is guarded. If your dog is less than 2 years of age, it is important that you consider neutering him, as this condition is hereditary. If your dog is older, an underlying disease may be present.

In rare cases, there may be sloughing of the nails, and the feet may become very painful. This could be due to auto-immune disease, drug reactions or a nail dystrophy. A biopsy is crucial to establish diagnosis.

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1 Contact Dermatitis in Dogs
Contact dermatitis is an uncommon skin disease of dogs and cats caused by contact with plants, medications, and various chemicals. It is not as common in animals as in people because the skin is protected...
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2 Demodicosis (Red Mange) in Dogs
Demodicosis (red mange) is a common skin disease of dogs causes by a microscopic mite that are present in small numbers on all dogs. In predisposed individuals the mites increase in number causing disease....
Read More
3 Acute Moist Dermatitis (Hot Spots)
A hot spot starts because something irritates the skin, and the body either itches or becomes inflamed. The itching then causes the dog to lick or chew the area, which further damages the skin, creating...
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4 Pyoderma in Dogs (Bacterial Skin Infection, Pus in the Skin)
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5 Pruritus (Itchiness) in Dogs
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6 Skin Lesion or Sore in Dogs
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1 Acute Moist Dermatitis (Hot Spots)
A hot spot starts because something irritates the skin, and the body either itches or becomes inflamed. The itching then causes the dog to lick or chew the area, which further damages the skin, creating...
Read More
2 Demodicosis (Red Mange) in Dogs
Demodicosis (red mange) is a common skin disease of dogs causes by a microscopic mite that are present in small numbers on all dogs. In predisposed individuals the mites increase in number causing disease....
Read More
3 Pruritus (Itchiness) in Dogs
How pruritus affects your dog’s health depends on the degree of the pruritus. Severe pruritus leads to intense scratching, which may result in painful skin lesions that may become infected.
Read More
4 Skin Lesion or Sore in Dogs
There are many different types of skin lesions that can occur in the skin of dogs, and each lesion or combination of lesions can be caused by multiple diseases and conditions.
Read More
5 Contact Dermatitis in Dogs
Contact dermatitis is an uncommon skin disease of dogs and cats caused by contact with plants, medications, and various chemicals. It is not as common in animals as in people because the skin is protected...
Read More
6 Flea Allergy Dermatitis in Dogs
Flea allergy dermatitis is the most common allergy in dogs and is caused by flea bites, specifically the saliva of the flea. It is a very itchy disease and predisposes to the development of secondary skin...
Read More
7 Pyoderma in Dogs (Bacterial Skin Infection, Pus in the Skin)
Pyoderma is a bacterial infection of the skin. Pyoderma can be divided into surface pyodermas (infection on the skin surface), superficial pyoderma (infection within the skin) or deep pyoderma (infection...
Read More

Pododermatitis (Interdigital Dermatitis)

Pododermatitis (Interdigital Dermatitis)

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