If your dog is scratching excessively it’s uncomfortable for them and frustrating for you. Here, vet, Julie Lawrence, offers some sound advice to help identify skin problems and considers the treatment and management options available.
More than a quarter of all small animals presenting to their veterinary surgeon have a skin condition, which could be caused by a range of problems, including parasite infestation, bacteria or yeast infection, hormone imbalances, or food or environmental allergies.
If a pet is affected by itchy skin, it’s important they are presented to their vet as soon as possible because skin conditions can be very uncomfortable and painful. Allergic skin disease, in particular, can be very frustrating for both pet and owner, as sadly it can typically appear in animals as young as six months and it becomes a lifelong condition that needs ongoing support.
Nearly a third of all dogs are affected and breeds that seem particularly predisposed include Golden and Labrador Retrievers and West Highland White and Scottish Terriers. It is less common in cats but, none the less, they are still susceptible. It’s caused by a reaction of the animal’s immune system to allergens in the environment. Animals can be exposed to these allergens by inhaling, eating or coming into physical contact with them.
Common allergens include fleas, pollens, grasses, house dust mites, or certain foods. Symptoms can be mild through to very severe and will vary from individual to individual. They include scratching, licking, biting or rubbing the affected areas, typically around the feet, ears and muzzle.
Outwardly you might see red, inflamed skin (dermatitis) particularly in the groin, armpits, feet and ears, as well as the development of bald patches (alopecia), dry and flaky skin, or repeated episodes of smelly wet infected skin (pyoderma) or ear infection (otitis).
Where animals lick their coats, you may notice a brown tint to the fur caused by their saliva staining the coat. Unfortunately, because there are many different causes of allergic skin disease there is no single test. Often it requires ruling out potential causes, such as treating for parasites or carrying out food trials. Other checks include running blood tests to look for underlying illness, such as hormone disorders or liver problems.
Your vet may take various types of hair or skin samples to rule out infection and parasites, or even autoimmune diseases or cancers. Your vet can even run blood tests that look to identify which allergens in the environment your pet might be allergic to. It is a multi-step process and can be quite lengthy. Managing allergic skin disease will be unique to each individual and will often take time to try different treatments to find the best combination for your pet.
Although it is a condition that cannot be cured, it can be managed successfully. Your vet will recommend making sure optimal skin health is maintained longterm, and this might be through the use of medicated shampoos or antimicrobial wipes and supplementing their diet with anti-inflammatory essential fatty acids.
Keeping up to date with regular parasite control is very important, particularly for those animals who spend a lot of time outdoors and may have regular contact with wildlife. Avoiding certain environmental allergens can be almost impossible, so those individuals usually need support from anti-itch medication too, which can come in the form of tablets or injections.
Your pet might be able to start a tailored course of injections called allergen-specific immunotherapy that may help your pet’s immune system tolerate the environmental allergens they are allergic to.
If a diet trial shows your pet has a type of food hypersensitivity, they may need a long-term hydrolysed diet which will alter the immune system’s reaction to the food.
It is important the whole family are on board with this and are not sneaking extra, potentially itch-inducing treats to them! Don’t feel too downhearted, though, as flare-up periods are common and your vet can help your pet through these periods with additional support. Continued, proactive treatment is the best way for you to successfully help your pet live a more comfortable life with minimal itch!
This article originally appeared in The Country Smallholder magazine. To receive regular copies featuring more articles like this, subscribe here.
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