Monsoon skin problems in dogs, and what to do early

Humidity does two things to dog skin: it keeps the coat damp for longer, and it lets yeast and bacteria that normally live there harmlessly multiply past the point of balance. Dogs with heavy coats, skin folds, or floppy ears have the hardest time.

What you'll see first

• Persistent scratching or licking at one spot
• A warm, red, moist patch that seems to appear overnight — a hot spot
• A musty smell, particularly from ears or paws
• Red-brown staining on light fur between the toes
• Head shaking or one ear held lower

The first forty-eight hours

A hot spot can go from a coin-sized patch to a palm-sized wound in a day, because the dog licks it and licking keeps it wet.

1. 1Clip the hair around it if you can do so safely. Air is the enemy of the infection.
2. 2Clean gently with a vet-advised antiseptic. Not Dettol, not spirit.
3. 3Stop the licking. A cone is not cruelty; letting a wound triple in size is.
4. 4Keep the area dry.

Routine that prevents most of it

• Dry thoroughly after every walk in the rain — especially between toes, under the collar and in skin folds. A towel is fine; a cool blow-dryer is better for thick coats.
• Clean ears weekly in floppy-eared breeds, with a proper ear cleaner.
• Brush more often during monsoon. Matted fur traps moisture against the skin.
• Keep parasite control current. Flea-allergy dermatitis looks exactly like this and resolves only when the fleas do.

When it needs a vet, not a shampoo

Spreading redness, pus, a bad smell, bleeding, pain on touch, or a dog who is off their food — these need prescription treatment. So does any skin problem that keeps returning in the same place, because recurrence usually means there is an underlying allergy that medicated baths alone will not fix.