Is your dog scratching constantly, rubbing their face on the carpet, biting and licking their paws, or have skin irritation, despite the fact that you have checked for fleas, and find no apparent reason for you dogs discomfort? You may be dealing with Atopic Dermatitis in dogs.

DOES DOGS HAVE ALLERGIES?

A dog, like humans can get allergies. The dog allergies caused by the allergens found in pollen, dust, mite, insects, plants and animal dander, dogs might also be allergic to food as well as medication.

Symptoms like sneezing, itching, rashes, watery eyes and inflammation of the skin may be caused by these allergies. In many cases, dogs may have a condition like atopic dermatitis, which is caused by allergic reaction.

ATOPIC DERMATITIS IN DOGS

Atopic dermatitis in dogs or Atopy is a condition in which dogs are predisposed inheritably to allergic skin disease. This is because of genetics, over-sensitive and overrated immune systems to some allergy causing substances such as house dust, mites, plant pollens and food proteins in the diet.

Atopy is a common allergic condition that affects dogs’ skin and other pets. Atopy is genetically linked in which some breeds are more susceptible like Labrador, Retrievers, German shepherds, Bulldogs, Boxers and many other breeds, to include hound dog breeds and even crossbreeds may be affected.

The immune cells involved in allergies will release compounds like histamine into the body, which in turn cause itching in dogs called pruritus when exposed to some allergens. Atopy is similar to hay fever in humans, except that the systems in dogs are itchiness and inflamed skin compare to runny eyes and sneezing in humans.

Atopy is common in young dogs between the age of 6 months and 3 years and not common in dogs above the age of 7. Atopy is a complex condition in which treatment is a matter of control rather than cure.

SYMPTOMS OF ATOPIC DERMATITIS

On many occasions symptoms that are associated with atopic dermatitis worsen with time and during certain seasons may become more apparent. Dogs with atopy itch their body, scratch continuously, bite themselves and excessively rub their faces. If a dog affected with atopic dermatitis spends the night with you in your bedroom, the dog will keep you up with continuous scratching and itching.

The itching and scratching causes discomfort in a dog. These symptoms may take up to 48hours to appear after the contact with the allergen or irritant systems such as bumps, rashes, swelling and other skin conditions will generally appear on the parts of the body when is in contact with the ground whenever a dog is walking or sitting down.

The part of the body that is affected depends on the skin that made contact with the allergen and these areas include ankles, muzzle, chin, underarms, neck, chest, abdomen, groin and in between the toes. Categorically, dogs are so itchy that they bite the skin and destroy it and this will lead to hair loss and secondary infections.

The itchiest part of the body are face, paws, belly, and legs. You may have seen some white dogs which their paws stained brown, this may be as a result of excessive licking that leads to saliva staining. This shows that the dog has skin irritation because of atopic dermatitis.

In some dogs, their ears mainly become sore and inflamed due to a bizarre reaction. The indicative of the atopy infection that results in red or crusts in the skin may be as a result of complicated secondary skin infection called pyoderma.

CAUSES Of ATOPIC DERMATITIS

Atopic dermatitis or atopy may be caused by a situation where the immune system is overactive. The allergens absorbed by dogs through their skin or taken in by food. By the time the allergens come in contact with the skin it primes the immune system, the antibodies thereby release to fight and control the irritant and there will be inflammation and itchiness due to the release of chemicals.

DIAGNOSIS OF ATOPIC DERMATITIS

In the first consult, the diagnosis of atopic dermatitis may not be made. Diagnosis of the atopic dermatitis is not easy and this process involves the commitment of both the owner of the dog and the vet to reach an accurate diagnosis.

It is essential that other causes of allergic skin disease be discarded before diagnosing atopic dermatitis. By the time, your dog is suspicious of atopic dermatitis by your vet, other causes of allergic skin disease must be ruled out by performing a series of tests.

What you need to do first is to treat your dog with continuous flea treatment to strike out an allergy to fleas as most allergic skin disease is caused by this.  There must be continuous control of fleas as there will be exacerbated atopy with flea infestations. The pruritus can be worse; thereby, any secondary infections need to be treated. This is mostly done by combining a course of oral antibiotics and shampoos that last for at least 3 weeks.

The next step is to take samples of areas of the skin been affected and coat brushing, tape strips, hair plucks, and skin scrapes. These will be tested for yeast, bacteria, mites, and fungi. We can test for the bacteria responsible for the infection by taking swabs from the infected area of the skin. Sometimes, we can also take the blood sample to look for the presence of the mites, which causes pruritic manages. Through the above test, the parasite or diseases should be treated well as they may be the inciting cause of skin disease.

The next step is to carry out a food trial to see how your dog reacts to an ingredient in the food. Food allergies are scarce but are crucial to rule them out before the treatment for atopic dermatitis started. From the latest diet like Hills z/d used to feed dogs on food trial for a minimum of 6 weeks.

During the food trial, the dog must not feed with anything else No titbits or treats but by special diets only. If there is an improvement in skin disease during the food trial, then their original food could be used to challenge the dog. If there is reoccurring issues of the skin disease then, it can be very verified as a food allergy.

Diagnosis of atopic dermatitis can be made if the skin disease does not improve while on Hills z/d. The skin test has to be done on the dog to determine what allergies are causing the reactions at this point.

TREATMENT OF ATOPIC DERMATITIS

The treatment of atopic dermatitis depends on the cause of your pet’s allergic reaction. The categories of the treatment are:

• Avoidance treatment: this is a treatment by which allergens are removed by the environment or by changing environments. This treatment is done after a list of allergies is identified through intradermal or blood testing.
• Immunotherapy: this is a treatment whereby a pet is being desensitized to the proteins using specific allergies. As soon as allergens are identifying through intradermal or blood testing, a particular serum that contains little of these allergens can be formulated particularly for your pets. Many pets will experience a reduced response to the allergy via injecting a small amount of the allergy serum for sometimes. With immunotherapy, the pets’ owner can administer the allergies serum injection at home. The first injection is diluted more, while the subsequent ones have a slightly higher concentration of the allergens. There are specific guidelines to be followed by your veterinarian, it must be frequent in the beginning and later reduced to 1 injection every few weeks. Some dogs respond to this program, while others may not.
• Symptomatic therapy: this is a treatment whereby medicated shampoos, fatty acid supplements, and anti-microbial are used for common secondary bacterial infections. This is the most common approach recommended to treat pets with mild clinical signs.
• Antihistamines: drugs that contain antihistamines have little side effects when compared with some other therapies. Most pets do not respond to antihistamines only. Human drugs should not be giving to your dogs unless the veterinarian directs you to do so.
• Topical treatments: pets itching or secondary conditions such as bacterial infections and fungi infections can be relieved by the use of medicated shampoos and ointments. For the best results, there should be a frequent repetition of the treatment. Human products on pets should be avoided unless being recommended by your veteran.
• Immunosuppressive therapy: it is a pity that some atopic disease of the pets cannot be controlled by any of the approaches mentioned above and unless a more intensive drug is commenced, the quality of their life may drastically suffer.
• Steroids: some corticosteroid drugs like dexamethasone or prednisone used continuously because they are safe and effective for the use of the short period. The medication can be administered by oral, injection and by topical ointment.Corticosteroids may give immediate relief but the side effects may be undesirable. This may include taste, urination and increase appetites. There may be an increased risk of medical problems like diabetes & liver problem in a case of continuous use of steroids.
• Ciclosporin: Atopic dermatitis in dogs can be controlled by the use of ciclosporin. This medication is administered once a day for about four weeks. Aftermath, the dose can be reduced to twice in a week or every other day for effective maintenance. It has estimated by research that over 70% of dogs respond to this treatment. Moreover, ciclosporin may be costly. Stomach upset and diarrhea may be some of its side effects. Moreover, there is a need to ask your veterinarian if ciclosporin is a good choice for your pet.

A MORE NATURAL APPROACH

NATURAL REMEDIES FOR DOGS WITH ATOPIC DERMATITIS:  As many owners of dogs turn to antihistamine and steroids to treat their dogs with skin allergies, the occurrence of the allergic responses can be reduced by supporting your pet immune system. Allergy response cells like histamine are being cleared out by a strong immune system. The amount and effect of histamines that are released during an allergic response have been shown to be reduced by omega- 3-fatty acid. They reduce inflammation and enhance your pet coat quality, thereby blocking out irritants and infections by creating a protective barrier in the skin.

DIETARY RECOMMENDATIONS: The wide range of health issues causes mostly by commercial pet foods. In other to promote the health and wellness of your pet, feed a high-quality diet, diet with high protein, low carbohydrate, and moderate fat.

• The orthomolecular therapy uses vitamin dosing such as vitamin A, C, E and the mineral Selenium, but your veterinarian should guide you to avoid overdose.
• Essential oils and herbs Aloe, alfalfa, nettle, red clover, yarrow, and feverfew dandelion leaves are recommended for the treatment of the symptom of allergic dermatitis. These should be used under the guidance of professional to avoid negative immune response or risk of drug interaction.
• Use of calcium montmorillonite. The level of toxins in the body can be controlled via absorption and adsorption of clay to prevent the reaction by neutralizing allergens. The daily recommendation is a pinch in the water bowl or mixed into the wet food.
• CBD Oil can really benefit your dog due to the omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, along with creating healthy cell growth. Studies have shown that CBD Oil promotes health and strengthens the immune system in dogs.

EXTERNAL TREATMENT

Frequent bathing of dogs with colloidal oatmeal shampoo and natural aloe are the most popular treatment of atopic dermatitis. Calcium montmorillonite clay offers anti-microbial properties by relieving itching and detoxifies the skin.

Another treatment you may consider is the use of CBD Oil directly on the irritates are, either alone or mixed with coconut oil applied directly to the skin.

MY THOUGHTS ON

ATOPIC DERMATITIS IN DOGS

Atopic Dermatitis in dogs is very irritating for you dogs and may deteriorate the quality of life that you furry friend is entitled to. Many of the treatments listed above will definitely help with your dogs health, happiness and well-being. I normally try to take the more natural approach whenever possible as many drugs and treatments have other side affects that may cause other health issues. With any treatment for your dog make sure you are consulting with your veterinarian as many remedies may interact differently with other medications causing more harm than good.

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