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Sebaceous Adenitis and the Standard PoodleSebaceous Adenitis is a hereditary disorder of the skin that affects Standard Poodles as well as several other breeds. First described in veterinary circles in 1987, it has been traced back to the 1960s. The disease causes the sebaceous glands of the skin to become inflamed, causing hair loss. Eventually the glands can be destroyed, leading to a progressive loss of hair all over the body. Most veterinarians have not seen Sebaceous Adenitis (SA) very often if at all. Therefore, they may spend a lot of time doing various tests to find out what is wrong with a dog, never thinking of SA. Diagnosing SA is invasive, requiring a biopsy. SA most frequently affects a dog between the ages of 18 months and 9 years old. You may notice a thickening of the skin, scales, excessive dandruff (hyperkeratosis) and hair loss in patches. Secondary infections may take hold, and your dog may smell musty. Poodles may exhibit silver scaling. Since Poodles are often at the groomer’s, they may be who first notice signs of SA. Your groomer may inform you that your Poodle’s feet are more sensitive than usual, they may have trouble clipping around the face, they may have an unusual amount of dandruff, or secondary skin infections. If you suspect SA, ask your veterinarian to do a microscopic biopsy. Frequently, hair loss is seen as a symptom of thyroid problems, so a dog may automatically be put on thyroid medications. This will have no results on the real cause and delay treatment. While the disease looks differently in various breeds, in the Standard Poodle, you may notice silvery scales that adhere tightly to tufts of hair. Because there is a subclinical version of the disease with no visible symptoms, it is important to get a test done for SA even on normal looking Poodles, especially if you are planning on breeding your dog. Since SA is hereditary, breeding only Poodles that have tested SA-free may help eradicate the disease as time passes. The Institute for Genetic Disease Control in Animals (GDC) is keeping an open registry for Standard Poodles with SA. Once your dog has been diagnosed with Sebaceous Adenitis, the vet may prescribe antibiotics to clear up any secondary infections that have taken advantage of the dog’s weakened state. Now it is time for the oil baths. You’ll want to use baby oil… either alone or mixed in a sprayer with water. Cover the dog with the solution, working it all the way through the fur to the skin. Once the skin is saturated, the dog needs to soak for an hour. The theory behind the baby oil soak is that the oil will expand and loosen the scales… kind of like cradle cap on babies. When the hour is up, shampoo the dog with Palmolive dish detergent. It may take several washes to get all the oil out. Be careful not to get any of the detergent in the dog’s eyes. You’ll notice that the rinse water will appear gray… this is from all the scales. Once all the oil has been removed, wash the dog once more in a good dog shampoo to remove any traces of detergent. The majority of affected dogs will show some improvement immediately. Many owners have said that an oil soak every 3 to 4 weeks will improve the dog’s appearance a great deal and keep it under control. Some owners have also reported that spraying their dogs every few days with propylene glycol will keep the skin soft. Long term treatment will be necessary. Supplements of fatty acids and baths with anti-seborrheic shampoos may be useful. Sebaceous Adenitis is what is known as a cosmetic disease. While Poodles affected with SA may require a little more care, they are still wonderful pets and remain affectionate and happy.
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