It is that time of year again when everyone is itchy! Allergies are very common in dogs and can be one of the most frustrating medical problems. Typically dogs have a primary allergy problem and the infections are secondary to the allergies. Allergy skin is not “normal” skin. It is inflamed and therefore does not provide the typical protective barrier. This makes pets with allergies predisposed to skin infections with bacteria or yeast. The skin can appear red and itchy or can develop crusted, circular lesions. This is not typically contagious to people or other pets. It is simply a bacteria or yeast that lives on the skin normally, but because his skin is inflamed from the allergies it is susceptible to infection.
Allergies come in 3 main types:
1. Environment
2. Food
3. Parasites
We can only control food and parasites to some degree. Food allergies can be controlled with special novel protein or hypoallergenic diets such as the Hills d/d venison and potato diet or z/d. These diets need to be exclusive and no other foods should be fed. This means no biscuits, bones, tablefood or even the chewable heartgard. This should be done for a minimum of 12 weeks and if they are responding it should be continued for life. The food comes in dry and canned. The canned food can be frozen and used as a bones or baked in the oven to use as a biscuit.
Parasites can be controlled by using frontline every 3-4 weeks. This needs to be done all year round. This is because many pets have severe flea allergies. One flea bite can cause a severe allergic reaction and secondary infection
Environmental allergens cannot be cured, only controlled or managed. Ways to control environmental allergens are with oral anti-histamines such as chlorphenirimine, hydroxyzine, diphenhydramine (Benadryl) and bathing with anti-bacterial or anti-itch shampoos. This helps to reduce the allergic reaction, wash allergens from the skin and reduce the number of bacteria on the skin. Some pets require lifelong low doses of steroids or atopica because nothing else helps.
Essential fatty acids such as derm caps or EFA caps can help to reduce itchiness and make the antihistamines more effective. We recommend a product called derm caps or EFA caps.
On top of this pets can still have allergic “flare ups” with secondary skin infections. When this happens antibiotics and steroids are often necessary.
The goal is to cure the infection, then manage the itchiness.
The alternative to all of this is to go to a veterinary dermatologist. The dermatologist will recommend all of the above plus skin testing to determine environmental allergens. Once the allergens are determined desensitization injections can be started which will help to develop immunity and hopefully decrease the allergic reactions. This usually takes 6 months to become effective and is usually 70% effective. Some pets do not respond at all. The cost can be somewhere around $800 for testing and start of treatment.
The last thing that could cause skin disease is an underlying systemic illness such as hypothyroidism, cushings disease or even cancer. It is important to rule these out with bloodwork and a complete exam.
Once the skin treatment begins it is so important that your pet is rechecked 10 days later to be sure that the infection resolves 100%. Many pets are on antibiotics for 4 weeks or longer. The skin infection needs to be treated 1 week past resolution of signs. Then the aim is more towards reducing itchiness and keeping the skin clean to prevent future infections.
If you notice your pet itching its body, licking its feet or has dry or red lesions on the skin or in the ears please call an make an appointment.
