Itchy Chinese Crested Dog – Itch and Scratch Series

The hairless nature of this breed can predispose to exposure to solar radiation and sunburn. Repeated sunburns can cause skin cancers like squamous cell carcinoma, which is like nasty, ulcerated sores that never heal and grow slowly. Squamous cell carcinomas become infected and can bleed and cause discomfort. Actinic dermatitis can also develop from chronic ultraviolet radiation and skin changes that block hair follicles. Large sinuses can develop that exude material that accumulates deep in the skin.

The Chinese Crested Dog breed also suffers from atopic dermatitis. many of these dogs are affected. Atopic dermatitis tends to appear on hairless parts of the body. In a normal fur-covered breed, atopic dermatitis manifests itself on the feet, groin, armpit or armpit, abdomen, and the concave or inner surface of the ears. Until recently, the understanding of canine atopic dermatitis was that the allergens were inhaled. This key fact remains true, but it is only part of the story. A recent breakthrough was the discovery that dogs with canine atopic dermatitis have a defective skin barrier. The skin barrier is deficient in a protein called sphingosine. The absence of sphingosine makes the skin weepy. Moisture escapes from the skin and causes it to dry out. The allergens pass through the skin and trigger an immune reaction that manifests as an itchy rash.

Therefore, the Chinese Hairless Crested Dog has large body parts that are not protected with hair. In Chinese crested dogs with canine atopic dermatitis, the maddeningly itchy rash can engulf almost the entire body.

There are many natural treatments that can really help.