Content
- Dog allergy or canine dermatitis
- Dog Dermatitis: Symptoms
- Causes of dog allergy
- Fungi and Bacteria
- Fleas, ticks, scabs and lice
- food
- Chemicals
- genetic trend
- autoimmune diseases
- hormonal changes
- Dog allergy: how to treat
- Dog allergy medicine
- THEdog allergy
- Antibiotics and antifungals
- Dog allergy: home remedy
Dogs can have different types of allergies, but the canine dermatitis is one of the main skin problems that affect these animals. Dermatitis in dogs can be caused by several reasons and its diagnosis and treatment depend on what may be causing this disease in the animal. In addition, there are some breeds of dogs that are more willing to contract dermatitis.
If you have a dog with dermatitis at home, we at Animal Expert bring you this article with useful and detailed information about dermatitis in dogs and we will introduce you to options. dog allergy medicine.
Dog allergy or canine dermatitis
Canine dermatitis is a skin infection or inflammation that usually affects dogs. There are some breeds of dogs that are more willing to have this skin problem, especially animals with long, thick coats and those with folds in the skin, as well as:
- Boxer;
- Poodle;
- Pug;
- Lhasa Apso;
- Golden retriever;
- Schnauzers;
- Bulldog;
- Shar Pei;
- Dalmatian;
- Beagle;
- Belgian Shepherd;
- German Shepherd;
- Shi-Tzu;
- Labrador;
- Terrier variations such as: Scotch Terrier, Boston Terrier, West Highland White Terrier.
This greater willingness to suffer from allergy occurs because the thick and abundant coat and the folds of skin form a favorable environment for the proliferation of fungi and bacteria, which are one of the causes of dermatitis in dogs.
Dog Dermatitis: Symptoms
Dermatitis in dogs presents some symptoms in the animal. If the dog is itchy and has hair loss, it is one of the signs that your dog may be suffering from this disease. But besides that, there are other symptoms like:
- Dry, flaky skin;
- Swelling;
- Down the drain and failing;
- Redness of the skin;
- Constantly biting a part of the skin.
Dermatitis acts mainly on the skin of dogs, but it could have been caused by another disease. Several diseases can present symptoms that affect the animal's skin and should not be confused with canine dermatitis. For example, in cases of distemper, the animal has some balls of pus in regions of its body. In these cases, it is important that the disease that may be causing the dermatitis on the animal's skin be treated before treating the dermatitis.
The skin on the dog's body acts as an organ of protection. As in the human body, the skin of dogs has its own flora of microorganisms, which act as a form of body defense of the dog. Once this flora is out of balance, or when the animal's immune system is weakened, dermatitis can appear. Symptoms of canine dermatitis usually appear between the 3 months of life at 6 years of age of the dog.
Causes of dog allergy
There are many causes of dermatitis in dogs and their diagnosis and treatment will depend on how the dog got the disease. Even so, an animal with a balanced immune system, with a healthy diet and well-being, is less likely to get canine dermatitis, as well as other underlying diseases that can result in dermatitis on the dog's skin.
The most common causes of canine dermatitis are:
Fungi and Bacteria
One of the main causes of canine dermatitis is the proliferation of these microorganisms on the skin of dogs. This type of contagion mainly affects dogs with changes in their immune system or affected with some underlying disease. In addition, the animal can acquire these fungi or bacteria through contact with infected animals, shared use of objects with infected animals and incorrect bathing or drying.
Fleas, ticks, scabs and lice
In these types of infections, external parasites can cause dermatitis in dogs, or cause a wound on the skin, which allows the infection of fungi and/or bacteria that can cause dermatitis in the animal's body. The animal can also develop dermatitis due to an allergy to the bite of these small parasites, for example, flea bite allergy is the main cause of dermatitis in dogs.
food
Foods present in the dog's diet can be the cause of dermatitis in the dog. In these cases, the dermatitis is not transmissible, that is, a healthy animal will not be infected if it comes into contact with animals with dermatitis due to food. Generally, when dermatitis is caused by dietary issues, it is more difficult to make a diagnosis.
Chemicals
Shampoos, conditioners, perfumes and other products that tutors apply on the animal's skin can be the cause of dermatitis. It is always important that you pay attention to the signs that the animal may show after applying these products.
genetic trend
Animals with a genetic tendency to acquire canine dermatitis must be extra careful. Generally, their immune system is weaker and any substances that appear to be harmless can cause an allergic reaction in the animal.
autoimmune diseases
In these cases, the animal's immune system reacts with some agent or substance from the dog's own body. The animal's body can react in the form of an allergy, causing blisters and itching in the dog's body, which can lead to wounds prone to infestation by microorganisms that cause dermatitis.
hormonal changes
Hormonal changes such as hypothyroidism and hyperadrenocorticism can result in dermatitis in the animal's skin, as they can cause changes in the dog's body such as hair loss, thick skin and pigmentation in the epidermis.
In addition to these main causes, there are some products that can normally be found in the homes where dogs live. In these cases, you need to pay extra attention, due to the ease of the animal to come into contact with these objects. the main products that can cause dermatitis in dogs and can be found at home are:
- Acids;
- Cigarette;
- Rubber;
- Preservatives;
- Dyes;
- Synthetic fibers;
- Detergents;
- Insecticides;
- Soap;
- Petroleum-based products;
- Plastic;
- Cleaning products;
- Pollen;
- Perfume.
Dog allergy: how to treat
Once there are several ways the animal can acquire dermatitisThere are also various forms of treatment to cure the disease. Before starting the forms of treatment, the veterinarian must carry out some tests to discover the cause of dermatitis in the dog. Skin scrapings, skin biopsy, hormonal tests, and microbiological culture can be performed. When the diagnosis is made, it will be simpler for the veterinarian to explain how to cure the itchiness in the dog due to dermatitis.
The main forms of treatments for dermatitis in dogs are:
- Medication: It is possible to use a remedy for canine dermatitis, such as dog allergy and anti-inflammatory for dogs. In addition, there are shampoos that have compounds that soothe skin irritation and end up reducing inflammation in the animal's body. The act of bathing your pet can already help a lot, as bathing can eliminate the causative agents of dermatitis, such as fleas. The veterinarian may also recommend antimicrobial, antifungal and immunotherapy treatments.
- Dietary restrictions: As your pet's diet may be causing the dermatitis, it is a good option to carry out some food restrictions in the dog's routine. It is important to understand that the allergy could be to some food that the animal was used to eating before, but over time it developed an allergy. Talk to your veterinarian to get your dog on a diet free of foods that can cause allergies.
- Flea and Tick Control: As these parasites can end up causing dermatitis in your pet, it is important that you prevent their contact with your dog. There are several products such as shampoos, lotions and even home remedies that you can use to eliminate these parasites from your dog's body, and from the environment he usually frequents.
There are cases where the dog may have atopic dermatitis. In these situations, dermatitis has no cure, but the symptoms can still be treated with frequent care with lotions and medications for your pet, allowing it to continue with health and quality of life.
Dog allergy medicine
the main dog allergy remedies are:
THEdog allergy
Clinically called antihistamines, these drugs have the function of decreasing the redness and irritation of the skin of the animal with dermatitis. Antihistamines usually have different compositions, so if only one doesn't work in the dog, it's advisable that you try at least three different medications to see if these medications can help or not. The most used antihistamines or antiallergics for dogs are:
- Hydroxyzine
- diphenhydramine
- Clemastine
- Chlorpheniramine
- Prednisolone
Antibiotics and antifungals
Medicines such as antibiotics for canine dermatitis and antifungals have components that can be useful for the treatment of dogs with dermatitis, since fungal and bacterial infection is one of the main causes of the disease. Medicines with the following substances and their composition are indicated:
- Chlorhexidine
- Tetraethylthiuram monosulfide
- Thiabendazole
- Neominique
You can also count on the help of some home remedies to treat your dog with dermatitis, for example:
Dog allergy: home remedy
Oatmeal can be used as a home remedy for dog allergies as it has calming and anti-inflammatory properties. Taking an oat bath can help relieve the animal, relieving the itching and redness of the skin. You can mix this oatmeal bath with baking soda, as it helps in disinfecting the skin, exfoliating and moisturizing. To make this home remedy, you need:
- 1 cup of baking soda
- 2 cups of oats
- 3 cups of water
Method of preparation:
- Bathe your dog with warm water and mild veterinary soap
- Mix all the ingredients of the home remedy
- Apply the mixture on the affected regions of the dog's skin
- Let it act for approximately 15 minutes
- Rinse well with warm water.
This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.