Dog Skin Problem - Could the Problem Be Neurogenic?

By Debra Proctor

There are six main causes for dog skin problems: Environmental, Parasitic, Bacterial, Allergies, Nutritional and Neurogenic. Of these six, Neurogenic is often the most troublesome disorder and the hardest to treat. Lets take a look at the symptoms, causes and treatment of these Neurogenic problems.

The symptoms for this problem includes obsessive, persistent licking of one particular spot. The dog will pick one part of his body and seems intent on destroying it, chewing it relentlessly until a sore has developed or he has, in extreme cases, actually maimed a part of his body.



This disorder is considered to be a nerve or a "mental" problem of the dog. Some of the different causes could be boredom, loneliness, separation anxiety, being confined and not enough exercise. This is seen happening a lot in cases where the owners of the pet become too busy to give the dog the proper attention that he needs. Dogs are meant to be dogs and all have different personalities and traits that are common to their breed. High energy dogs just cannot tolerate being confined to small apartments or even to houses with small backyards. They need plenty of exercise. The same is true for working dogs, collies, herd dogs, shepards, and hunting dogs. Confine these dogs without proper exercise and you could have a neurogenic problem develop.



Before you try to treat your dog for a neurogenic dog skin problem, take your pet to a veterinarian to rule out the possibility of any other causes. The first treatment you should try is to identify what is causing your dog emotional distress - boredom or loneliness? Not enough attention and exercise? Confinement or separation anxiety. Address these problems and give your dog what he needs. This will usually take care of the problem. In more severe cases, you may need to take your dog to a Behaviorist to train him out of the problem.



Whatever the cause of your dog skin problem, once you discover the cause, it is easy to treat. Love your dog and give him the care he needs and he will pay you back many times over.

For more information about dog skin problems, go to http://www.DogSkinProblem.info - We have articles on many different types of dog health issues.