The Belgian Malinois is an extremely lively and energetic breed, so during daily walks and training it can easily be exposed to different infectious agents. Among all common health issues, skin disease is one of the most frequent. Once a Belgian Malinois develops a skin problem, the owner should seek veterinary care promptly, use the prescribed medicine on time, and often combine oral treatment with topical care. In many cases, this can resolve the condition fairly quickly.
What Are the Signs of Skin Disease in a Belgian Malinois?
There are many possible causes of skin disease in a Belgian Malinois, and different causes produce different features. Flea-related skin disease can often be seen on the body surface, the inner thighs, the underarms, under the neck, and deep within the coat. Fleas themselves may even be visible to the naked eye. Mites often live beneath the skin and commonly cause small red bumps on the belly, inner thighs, or other body skin. The area around the lips may become red and hairless. If the dog has ear mites, the ears may contain coffee-colored discharge, and the dog may scratch its ear flaps until they break because of itching. Fungal infection usually causes local hair loss, broken hair, and patchy areas of red skin. Eczema, blisters, and other purulent skin inflammations often show up as blisters or pustules on the belly or inner thighs. Allergy-related skin disease often appears suddenly, affects a large area, and causes widespread redness.
How Is Skin Disease in a Belgian Malinois Treated?
When a skin disease is discovered, the first step is to clip the hair around the affected area and rinse the skin with saline solution. Then, depending on the cause, the owner or veterinarian applies the appropriate topical medication. Oral antibiotics may also be used. For some severe skin problems, external medicine alone is not enough, and oral antibiotics are needed as support.
Another important part of treatment is preventing the dog from licking or scratching the area. Once the skin problem is noticed, it is not enough just to apply medicine. If the area can be bandaged, it is best to wrap it with breathable gauze. At the same time, the Belgian Malinois should ideally wear an Elizabethan collar or even a muzzle if necessary.
Because the Belgian Malinois is a short-haired breed, its risk of skin disease is not especially high compared with some other dogs. The main reason it still gets infected is that it is so active and playful outdoors, which increases the chance of contact with pathogens. During treatment, besides using medication on time and maintaining cleanliness, owners should also reduce outdoor activity as much as possible so the dog does not come into contact with the infection source again.