Dog Acne

Can dogs have acne? The answer to this question is simply "yes". Dog acne, or canine acne, does exist even though not all dogs will have it. The breeds of dogs that are most likely to have dog acne are short haired dogs such as rottweilers, bulldogs and boxers. Just like acne in humans, dog acne usually occurs when the dog is in their "teenage" years. It will begin when the dog begins puberty which is generally from the fifth month to the eighth month of life for dogs and will continue until the dog is about a year old. Usually it will improve as the dog gets closer to it's one year birthday.

Now that we have concluded that certain breeds of dogs do indeed have dog acne maybe we should determine what dog acne looks like so you can decide if your dog actually has it. Dog acne even looks similar to human acne. The young dog will have blackhead, scabs and swelling areas on its muzzle, chin or on its lips. Even though dog's can have acne, it is not a serious condition unless it leads to a secondary bacterial infection of the skin. With just acne, the dog will not show signs of it bothering him but with a secondary bacterial skin infection the dog may show signs of pain and itching and may even use the carpet in your house to rub and scratch its face on.

Diagnosis for dog acne is really very easy. The vet will take into consideration the breed of dog, the age of the dog and the appearance of the acne on the dog's face. All of these factors combine to aid the vet's diagnosis of dog acne. If the vet is not sure of the diagnosis then a skin biopsy may be ordered to confirm that it is dog acne. The skin biopsy will be done while the dog is under sedation with either a general or local anesthetic and the sample will be sent to the lab for analysis.

Treatment of dog acne should not be the same as treatment for your teenager. Dogs have skin that is more sensitive than most people's skin so acne treatment for people would not be good for the dog. Actually the gels that are prescribed are very similar but with half the percent of benzoyl peroxide.

Dog acne is something that does occur in some breeds. If your dog has dog acne or if you suspect it has dog acne there is no reason to worry about it unless it changes or becomes itchy or painful. But, like most other health issues, if you are uncertain, take your pet to the vet.