Do Pitbulls have skin problems?

The answer is yes. Unfortunately, most dog owners adopt or buy Pitbulls without knowing about their skin problems.

If your Pit has developed weird symptoms on his skin such as oozing of skin around the mouth, eyes, or he is regularly scratching himself against the wall, it is possible that he has developed skin problem.

Don’t fret.

Skin problems are typical for Pitbull Dogs due to their short and flat coat. Though silky and attractive, it exposes the skin to pests, sunlight, and many other irritants.

Furthermore, Pitbulls are incredibly prone to skin allergies, a phenomenon known as atopy. These allergies mostly affects both ears, mouth, belly, and folds of the skin.

Veterinarians say skin allergies start as early as one to three years of age, and the symptoms may worsen as the dog ages.

Symptoms of a Skin Problems in Pitbulls

A Pitbull suffering from skin problems may have one or several symptoms at once. Here is the rundown of the most common symptoms of skin problems in Pitbulls:

• Skin irritations and scratching (which might easily cause Hematoma)
• Skin rashes around the belly
• Crusting
• Redness of the dog’s skin
• Scaling

Even worse, Pitbulls suffer from sunburns, hot spots, or even painful bumps on their skin. And due to the nature of their coat, this exposes them to skin cancer.

So, before the situation worsens, how about you try the following ways to treat your Pitbull.

Sure Ways to treat Pitbull Skin Problems 

Use unrefined Coconut oil 

Unrefined or virgin coconut oil is best known to help dogs with skin conditions like bites, allergies, sunburns, or even rashes. Below are proven benefits of using coconut oil on your dog’s skin:

• It prevents ticks and other parasites from attacking your dog
• It hastens the healing of wounds
• It clears and softens skin, including eczema

For quick results, apply the coconut oil on the affected part twice or thrice per day.

Be Mindful of Your Dog’s Nutrition

A healthy diet equates to a robust immune system.

Therefore, confirm that your dog’s food contains minerals, vitamins, calcium, etc.

Since Pitbulls are prone to zinc deficiency diseases like zinc-responsive dermatosis, ensure you serve him food rich in zinc. For better results, you can serve him whole grains, vegetables, yoghurt and animal proteins such as beef or chicken.

Supplement your dog’s food with fish oil

Fish oil is one of the best supplements that you can add to your dog’s meal.

Besides the skin, fish oil has an added advantage to the dog’s health. It supports heart health and improves the immune system.

Fish oil mostly comes in capsules, though the regular fish oil is also acceptable. You can order Nutri Vet fish oil supplement online or buy it at your local pet store.

Fish oil can be administered in two ways. First, you can open the capsules and pour the oil in the dog’s food. Alternatively, you can gently smear the oil onto the affected area.

Here are some other notable benefits of fish oil to your canine:

• It promotes a healthy and silky coat
• It heals an itchy and peeling skin
• It reduces the chances of allergies

Regulate the amount of sunlight your dog is taking

Generally, Pitbulls have a short and flat coat, which quickly exposes the skin to the sun rays.

Therefore, the longer he stays in the sun, the more you are putting him at the risk of getting sunburns and irritations. Even worse, excess exposure to UV rays will undoubtedly cause skin cancer.

So, plan the appropriate time to take him for a walk. This will help regulate the amount of sunlight he gets and consequently reduce excessive sunlight exposure.

Use a hypoallergenic shampoo and oil

By now, you know that Pitbull’s skin are super sensitive and highly allergic.

That means you should avoid using your regular hair shampoos and conditioner for bathing your Pitbull. These products contain chemicals that will cause dog-skin irritations and itching. Instead, buy this dog shampoo for Pitbulls. 

Unlike other dogs that don’t shed like Tibetan terriers, Pitbulls require less washing and cleaning since their short fur holds low levels of dirt. And due to their skin sensitivity, Pitbulls are highly selective when it comes to shampoos and oils.

Therefore, before buying any shampoo or oil, you should consider the following;

• Check for natural ingredients like aloe vera to help with skin’s sensitivity)
• Confirm the shampoo has hypoallergenic labeling
• Ensure its moisturizing

What If the Symptoms Persist?

Sometimes, the skin problems may persist even after trying the various methods of treating Pitbull skin problems. If the situation worsens, take your dog for a checkup at your vet’s clinic.

Regular checkups are essential to help in the early detection of any disease, in this case, skin problems. Still, your local veterinarian stands a better chance to give you the right prescription on the best solution to your Pits problem.

A word of advice though. If your vet recommends drugs like flea treatment in a particular format of prescription, be a great pet parent and stick to it. It will prevent future incidents of the recurrence of similar skin diseases.

Conclusion

We all want our pets playful and healthy. But sometimes, we tend to ignore small signs like rashes or mild signs of skin irritations. While it may appear normal for your Pit to scratch himself or look restless in a quizzical manner, such signs may point to a bigger problem.

So, why let the situation worsen, whereas you can take a few steps to fix the menace? Take caution of the things that can harm your Pitbull like excessive sunlight, low dieting, or using human shampoos.

Just don’t be ignorant. With the recommended methods on how to treat Pitbull skin problems, you are in a better position to find a solution to the problem. If the problem persists, visit your vet clinic for checkup.