What to do when your dog starts itching.
Make an appointment with your vet for a proper examination so that the cause of the itching or scratching problem can be identified. It is important to take time with the initial examination, to sit down with your vet and give a detailed history1. It is very important to make a proper diagnosis as some of the causes of itch e.g. flea allergy dermatitis or mites and food allergies are treatable1.
Canine itch can be caused by several factors, including infections (bacterial, yeast); external parasites (fleas, mites, lice, ticks); and allergies (fleas, food, contact or environmental allergens such as pollens, moulds or house-dust mites)1
The 4 most common allergies
- Fleas and flea allergy dermatitis
- Contact allergy dermatitis
- Food allergy
- Atopic dermatitis (allergic skin disease associated with environmental allergens)
Understanding your commitment as a pet owner
The diagnosis of the cause of a skin condition may often be far from straight forward. Therefore, consultations may often require more time than a normal consultation and, in most cases more than one consultation2 may be required.
It is important to remember the following as the owner of an itchy pet diagnosed with an allergic skin condition:
- There is no cure for an environmental allergy – environmental allergies are genetic2
- However, you can often manage the condition quite successfully2
- Allergic skin disease requires a long-term investment – may require more than one intervention2
- Medication
- Shampoos
- Diet etc.
- Take your discharge instructions with treatments and management recommendations from your vet seriously
- Compliance is very important – don’t skip treatments
References
- Canine Atopic Dermatitis – A practical approach Dr Heidi Schroeder, Willow Park Small Animal Medicine Specialist Hospital, Willow Glen, Pretoria.
- Looking for Success in Dermatology Consultations. Diagnostic protocol for skin disorders. Copyright 2020 Grupo Asis Biomedia, SL.
