Photo courtesy of A Dog’s Life Photo
Spring is officially here, and it brings with it a world of beauty and a bout of sneezing and congestion for a lot of us. Allergies affect our pets as well, particularly skin allergies.
Skin allergy, also know as atopy or allergic inhalant dermatitis, is a common skin condition that can lead to a lifetime of frustration. It is caused by an exposure to an allergen that causes a reaction under the skin that releases a chemical called histamine. Histamine causes the skin to become itchy, which leads to continual scratching and associated secondary conditions such as skin infections.
There are many different treatments for this condition. Here is a summary of some approaches to mitigate it. Since we live in an area with year-round fleas, always start with flea control as your first line of defense.
Avoidance
- Minimize exposure to grasses, trees, and shrubs, if possible. Use water to wipe off muzzle and paws before returning to the house.
- Use a high-quality room purifier to filter pollen particles
Topicals
- Cool water baths soothe skin and rinse away allergens
- Use colloidal oatmeal and antihistamine shampoo, rinse or spray
Dietary
- Low-allergen food like Hills Z/D or novel protein like venison and potato along with essential fatty acids can help decrease the pruritic threshold in some allergies.
Apoquel
- A new veterinary medication that is highly effective, does not affect the immune system, and can be used with other medications
- Antihistamine/cortisone combination (Temaril-P)
° The low dose of each is synergistic and has negligible side effects
Atopica (Cyclosporine)
- Inhibits the immune system from starting the itch cycle.
Antibiotics
- Used to control the skin infection pyoderma and decrease itching; often is needed to be used on a long-term basis.
Glucocorticoids (cortisone or steroids)
- Strong anti-itching properties for severe problems such as hot spots; safe and effective long-term when used at low doses intermittently
Immunotherapy
- Allergy testing and allergy injections; works well 60 percent of the time
An allergic reaction was suspected in the lesions on this dog’s muzzle. In this case, it was caused by a fungal infection called dermatomycosis, confirmed by the fluorescent green hairs when the lamp was directed at it. Photos courtesy of LBAH.
For more information on atopy, please visit the Canine Allergies page of our website.