How to Recognize a Dog Breed With Saggy Skin

How to Recognize a Dog Breed With Saggy Skin

Many dog breeds are recognizable by their distinctive wrinkled appearance. Dog breed with saggy skin may be the result of genetic predisposition or changes in their body weight.

What breed of dog has a saggy face?

While sagging skin can be a sign of aging, it may also be a symptom of other health issues such as obesity or hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing’s disease). A veterinarian will evaluate your pet’s condition to determine the cause and recommend treatment.

Dogs with loose and wrinkly skin have a very distinctive and endearing look that can be extremely attractive. Some dogs such as shar-peis, basset hounds, Neapolitan mastiffs, and bulldogs are renowned for their crinkly folds of skin. However, these creases can lead to problems such as chronic skin, eye, and ear infections.

Besides being an identifier of certain breeds, loose and wrinkly skin may have helped these dogs in their past working history by allowing them to better trap scents, maneuver through tight spaces, and avoid injury. If your dog has sagging or loose skin, you will need to be especially vigilant in cleaning and drying their skin folds.

In some cases, loose and sagging skin can be the result of a genetic condition called mucinosis. This condition causes the dog to produce excess hyaluronic acid. This affects the skin’s natural tightness and leads to sagging of the head, neck, and shoulders. This is not common in most dogs, and it typically occurs in the older adult breeds.