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Encyclopedia of Canine
Veterinary Medical Information
Acne
Dogs can get acne, too. Typically it shows up as bumps on a dog's chin that resemble those seen with acne in people. In some cases, this can be the result of allergic reactions. Plastic food bowels may be a source of these reactions in some dogs. Demodectic mange, immunosuppressive disease, drug reactions and trauma are other possible underlying causes.
Canine acne usually occurs on the chin of affected dogs. It resembles acne in humans and it tends to occur in a similar pattern, showing up in adolescence and continuing into adulthood in a small percentage of dogs. Short coated dogs, such as boxers, bulldog and Doberman pinschers are most commonly affected. Usually this is a minor problem but some dogs can develop significant infections.
It is necessary to appropriately treat any underlying disease in order to succeed in eliminating the acne long term. Most cases of canine acne can be controlled.
Mild forms of acne may just appear as reddened bumps on the skin. More severe cases may have larger hard lumps, sometimes associated with a draining tract.
It is not always necessary to treat acne. When it becomes a problem, it will often respond to treatment with a shampoo containing benzoyl peroxide. Dogs may be sensitive to gels or shampoos containing greater than 2.5% benzoyl peroxide. In really severe cases, antibiotic treatment lasting several weeks or even short term treatment with corticosteroids may be necessary.
Last edited 01/13/08
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