Bacterial skin infections are among the most common reasons dogs visit veterinarians, causing discomfort, itching, and when recurrent, significant impact on quality of life.
Dogs with pyoderma experience itching, pain, and self-trauma as they scratch and chew at affected areas. Deep infections cause significant pain and may develop into abscesses requiring surgical drainage. The condition disrupts sleep, play, and normal social behavior. Recurrent infections are particularly welfare-significant as they indicate an underlying unmanaged condition causing chronic discomfort. Antibiotic resistance is making some cases harder to resolve, prolonging suffering.