Itchy dog guide
Have you noticed your dog is itching more?
Do they chew their paws, shake their head flapping those ears?
Have you noticed red itchy skin patches?
Then this blog is for you! Im going to share a cheat sheet with steps to determine the cause of your dogs itch
Skin problems can be very irritating and sore for your pet and it can be distressing for the owner too.
There are many reasons why your pet may be itchy it can feel overwhelming not knowing where to start, some dogs are itchy all year round and some only itch at certain times of the year.
The good news is that innovative and effective therapies are available to ensure that neither the dog or family need suffer as a result.
Symptoms
A rash or spots
Red inflamed skin or sore skin
Itchy skin
Smelly, weepy skin
Discoloured skin
Hair loss
Causes
Fleas - fleas are tiny insects that can live on dogs, cats and rabbits they cause itchy skin, spread disease and can bite humans. I recently shared some information on fleas and gave treatment advise you will find it on my social media. Some dogs have an allergy to flea bites and suffer severe irritation every time they are bitten.
Sarcoptes mites (mange) causes intensely itchy, crusty skin, and hair loss. They tend to cause most problems around the ears, elbows, legs and belly but can spread elsewhere in more severe cases. The image below is a sarcoptes mite.
Demodex mites are tiny skin parasites that cause hair loss and red itchy skin. Demodex mites tend to cause most problems around the eyes and feet and are especially common in puppies, and dogs with other illnesses. Below you can see what the mite looks like under a microscope.
Bacterial infection
Mallassezia (yeast infection)
An allergic reaction to something (eg medicine/cleaning products/washing powder
Dogs just like people can show symptoms when their immune system recognises certain everyday substances as foreign.
Here are some common allergens that dogs can be allergic to:
Pollen
Fungal spores
Flea bites
Tree bark
Allergens in food
House dust mites
Grasses
Hot spots this is a moist infected patch of skin, usually start off due to something minor like an insect bite or graze that becomes inflammed and infected.
Wounds
Ringworm is a fungal infection that is spread to humans.
3 stages of treatment
Stage 1
Itchy dog investigation
Your vet will rule out any potential infectious causes, testing for ectoparasites, such as fleas and mites, as well as secondary bacterial and fungal infection.
POSSIBLE TREATMENTS
Parasiticides
Antibiotics
Antifungals
If itching has not resolved, allergic dermatitis could be suspected.
Move to stage 2
Stage 2
Allergic dermatitis
Itch relief and further investigations
Your vet will prescribe a treatment to relieve the immediate itch and advise how often to use it.
Your vet will investigate further to determine the possible cause of the itch (allergic dermatitis), such as flea allergic dermatitis or a food allergy(dietary exclusion trial)
POSSIBLE TREATMENTS
Anti-itch medications
Dermatology diet
Medicated shampoo/topical skin treatments
If the itch remains once the possibility of flea allergic dermatitis or a food allergy has been excluded, your vet may diagnose ATOPIC DERMATITIS and move to stage 3 .
Stage 3
ATOPIC DERMATITIS IS DIAGNOSED
Condition management
Your vet will develop a treatment plan for managing your dog's atopic dermatitis long-term, including one or more of the following:
Itch relief
Flea and parasitic treatment
Environment management
Skin barrier therapy
Diet
Plan for flare-up
You will be asked to visit the practice at regular intervals to monitor your dog's condition
POSSIBLE TREATMENTS
Anti-itch and/or anti-inflammatory medications
Parasiticides
Allergen specific immunotherapy
Medicated shampoo/topical skin treatments
I hope this blog has helped with those skin irritations.
Cheryl RVN
