Treatment and management
of hyperkeratosis As you might imagine, the management of your dog's hyperkeratosis depends on the specific cause; so the diagnosis is an important step.
Without overt evidence of other illnesses, though, most cases
of hyperkeratosis require skin biopsies that are then evaluated along with your dog's breed information, history and physical findings.
For example, arsenic is an inflammatory heavy metal you need to avoid, and when you do so you will also tackle the problem
of hyperkeratosis.
Not exact matches
A deficiency
of vitamin A can lead to rough, scaly skin,
hyperkeratosis pillaris (raised bumps usually on the back
of the arms) and acne.
Thickened keratin or calluses, which is medically referred to as
hyperkeratosis, peels off
of feet when this product is applied within four to six days.
However, in August 2008 Professor Tosso Lieb and a team
of geneticists at the University
of Berne, in conjunction with ANTAGENE, started a research project to analyse the genomes
of a number
of breeds
of dog (including the Irish terrier, but not the Bedlington terrier) in which footpad
hyperkeratosis was a problem.
The end result
of the research was that there was a common gene mutation that was responsible for footpad
hyperkeratosis in all the breeds involved in the research project.
The Health Group felt that the statement in relation to «feet» used in Breed Watch documentation was too general and did not reflect the nature
of the problem (Footpad
Hyperkeratosis) in Bedlington terriers and, incidentally, in Irish terriers.
References DVM 360: Localized Keratinization Syndromes (Proceedings) Animal Dermatology Clinic
of British Columbia: Paw and Nail Disorders McKeever Dermatology Clinics: Nasal and Digital
Hyperkeratosis petMD: Inflammatory Skin Disease in Dogs Vetstream: Skin — Keratinization disorders University
of Prince Edward Island: What is Seborrhea?
Hereditary footpad
hyperkeratosis is an autosomal recessive skin condition found in certain breeds
of dogs in which the foot pads become hardened, losing their normal elasticity, developing painful cracks that are prone to infections that can lead to lameness.
Digital
hyperkeratosis: a condition
of Irish terrier puppies that causes marked thickening
of the foot pads.
Even puppies that recover may suffer from longer term effects
of the disease, such as tooth decay (enamel hypoplasia) and hardening
of the foot pads and nose (canine
hyperkeratosis).
Signs
of a vitamin A deficiency in cats are similar to those in other species, except that classic xerophthalmia, follicular
hyperkeratosis, and retinal degeneration are rarely seen and usually are associated with concomitant protein deficiency.
Nasodigital
hyperkeratosis is a disorder characterized by excessive growth
of the epithelium
of the nose and footpads.
In
hyperkeratosis, keratin - the tough, fibrous outer covering
of foot pads - grows excessively.
In some cases,
hyperkeratosis of the nose and footpads may be seen (the nose and footpads become very thickened and cracked — see photo).
Typical signs
of canine distemper seen in the domestic dog include respiratory and intestinal problems such as coughing, diarrhoea, vomiting, nasal and ocular discharge, anorexia, and
hyperkeratosis of the nasal planum and foot pads.
Cutaneous lesions include
hyperkeratosis, follicular keratosis, hyperpigmentation, adnexal atrophy, loss
of elastin fibers, and a loose network
of collagen fibers in the dermis.
Hyperkeratosis of foot pads and nasal surfaces can also be associated with other medical conditions.
Testing for
hyperkeratosis Typically dogs with underlying infectious and immune mediated diseases will have other lesions and / or illness that will lead your veterinarian to suspect these conditions as the cause
of your dog's
hyperkeratosis.