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Relation of weight to skin problems.

Species: Dog
Breed:
Age: Less than 3 mon
I understand that you are a very busy person but i am currently inrolled in the Veterinary Office and Animal Care programme. I'm doing a project on dermatology and I was wondeing if a pet;s weight has any effect on the dermatological health of the animal?

Thank you for your time

Lauren Hastie


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Hi Lauren and thanks for an interesting question.

I can think of a few situations where a pet's weight could influence their dermatological health.

I will often see extremely overweight cats that will have difficulty cleaning their hind end. They can get severe infections around the anus from urine and fecal scalding.

Fat cats will often have a lot of dandruff on their back because they can't get to this area to groom it.

In overweight dogs we will often see skin fold infections in places like around the vulva.

Some animals are overweight because of hypothryoidism. Hypothyroid dogs will often have hair loss and be prone to skin infections as well.

I hope that helps!

Dr. Marie.

---This question was asked in our Ask A Vet For Free section.---


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Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

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Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.