PODODERMATITIS

Pododermatitis is a multifactorial disease that often affects the feet of our bulldogs. The causes that determine this disease are various:

1) small thorns, awns of grasses, trauma due to the soil

2) it can be caused by parasites (a demodicosis or infestation with ticks and hookworms)

3) it can be secondary to contact, inhalation or food allergies

4) it can be secondary to excessive licking by stressed animals or to disorders of zinc metabolism

5) interdigital cysts (initially the feet appear swollen and erythematous)

The lesions can consist of pustules, nodules and fistulas. There is often a hemorrhagic exudate. There may be pain and itching, but this depends on which of the aforementioned causes generates the disease. Therapy always depends on the cause: it is necessary to do scrapings, smears for cytological examination, cultures for fungi, bacteria and antibiograms. In all cases, bacterial infection must be fought with systemic antibiotics, chosen on the basis of the results of the antibiogram and for at least 6/8 weeks. The feet must also be clean and subjected to chlorhexidine compresses. Also very useful are daily foot baths or whirlpools with this solution.