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A “cyst” is a capsule that usually has fluid in it, although it can have air as well. “Tumor” is a general term, basically a generic swelling or mass.

When itching starts, consider what might have caused that reaction. Home remedies for itchy dogs might help, but only if they address the cause of itching.

Dogs can have many different skin conditions. Some skin problems are minor and easily fixed, while others are trickier to diagnose. Some may be controllable but not curable, while others can be cured. It makes sense with any skin condition to begin with basic treatment options, like parasite control if you see fleas.

You can get sarcoptic mange from your dog. but the canine variant of the sarcoptic mange mite can’t fully reproduce in people, so symptoms will fade in 4 or 5 days.

Hives, wheals, and welts are a moderate reaction to stings. Just like their human counterparts, dogs who have been stung can break out in unsightly hives. These are usually very itchy and uncomfortable. The first sign often noticed is the dog rubbing along furniture or scratching at the face and eyes. The hives may manifest as bright red streaks or lumps all over the body or be confined to a single place.

There may be no other canine malady that seems to inspire as much misinformation as canine mange." Internet searches often return pages that blame it on lice (wrong) as often as mites (right). Ask an older person about it and he may tell you to use a dangerous and ineffective treatment such as dousing the poor dog in used motor oil (a great way to sicken or even kill the dog). But the condition isn't a mystery

If you suspect your dog has a food allergy, follow these steps:

Corns and plantar warts may be common on human feet, but they’re rare in dogs – unless the dog is a Greyhound. This breed is prone to corns. Corns are keratin calluses on the front center paw pads, such as under the second toe bone, which lacks subcutaneous tissue or padding. A common treatment for corns is their removal with a small curette or scalpel, followed by smoothing with a pumice stone and the application of salicylic acid pads or ointments. Roberta Mikkelsen of Pearl River, New York, hoped that hulling (surgical removal) would help her Greyhound, Chip, recover from his painful corns. “This is such a common problem in the breed,” she says, “that there is an online forum where people list the things that did or didn’t help. So far there isn’t a cure.” After Chip’s corn was removed, it grew back.

An Allergen is defined as a substance that causes an allergic reaction. Anything can be an allergen to a hypersensitive individual, even water. The term has meaning only in relation to an individual who is hypersensitive to that substance.

Next month, on May 6, the first day of National Herb Week, lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) becomes Herb of the Year for 2007. A dog-friendly plant with a distinctive lemon-mint fragrance and flavor, lemon balm is best known as a nervine, a calming herb that soothes and relaxes. It's also a digestive aid that neutralizes gas in the stomach and intestines.

The world of herbal medicine offers hundreds of choices to consider when treating your dog. Some are rather obscure; almost inaccessible to anyone but those who are connected to an exclusive, exotic source. Yet others are within such easy reach that they are often overlooked, considered mundane and useless simply by their abundance. After all, who would think first of the dandelions growing along the back fence when looking for an herbal approach to a rare and inoperable cancer?