Diagnosis and management of Canine Pyoderma

Canine pyoderma is a very common bacterial infection of the skin and can mimic almost any dermatological disease. Several syndromes are described by a classification system based on the depth of infection and some dogs can present with more than one syndrome. Staphylococcus pseudintermedius is the most common cause but other staphylococci and Gram-negative organisms can be involved in the pathogenesis. In light of increasing antibiotic resistance it is important to make an accurate diagnosis before implementing antibiotic therapy. This paper describes the clinical signs, diagnosis and treatment of the condition.