Skin Allergies in Dogs

Many dogs  are susceptible to skin allergies, called Dermatitis, and there are different kinds of dermatitis within this group. 

Lets look at the first type called Infectious Dermatitis.

You might think these scabby lesions are hot spots but they are in fact a more stubborn type of skin dermatitis.  They present with moist, scabby areas that the dog will not stop licking, chewing or biting.  Sometimes it is just a yeast infection that does well with a drug called Panalog (a topical antibiotic).Dog skin allergies make your dog itch and can drive you crazy with their scratching Dog skin allergies may not always be an allergy - I found out what I thought was an allergy was in fact a bacteria that can be spread.

If your dog has skin allergies read detailed information about them

Sometimes though, this condition is so serious that it just won’t go away and although you are treating each spot, another one soon appears on the dogs body.  Usually found on the underside of the dog, it likes moist dark areas.  The yeast loves this environment and is hard to or even impossible to control.

When my dog did not respond to this treatment I took her to the vet.  He said that the Dermatitis was so serious that I could not treat it with Panalog cream alone and he prescribed an antibiotic.   The drug took effect almost immediately.  No new outbreaks were seen and the infected areas were drying up and getting smaller.

Along with this treatment the vet also told me to bath her in a medicated shampoo called Malaseb.

Malaseb is a shampoo available from your veterinarian or online. This product was recommended to me by both my Vet and Groomer.   It will help the skin heal and get back to normal faster. It is very effective for yeast, but will not treat bacterial infection, or underlying allergies. It also has the benefit of making your dog feel a lot better and that’s what we want for out pets.

Things that may help you are:

• Medicated Shampoos such as Malaseb
• Wiping the dog down with Malaseb wipes
• Healthy food with no wheat (poisoned) or corn (genetically modified)
• Wash bedding at least every other day in dye free/ perfume free detergent
• Adding a good source of omega fatty acids like fish oils
• Use of prozyme or other similar product
• Immune boosting supplements
• Fatty acid supplements to your dog diet.

Scratching is a certain indicator of skin allergies in dogs.

Many dogs are itchy and scratch because they are allergic to fleas. The flea bites your dog and injects histamines at the bite site.  This will cause the dog  to scratch for many days afterwards.

Fleas or food can cause skin allergies in dogs which causes your dog to scratch constantly.

How many times have you asked yourself, Why is my dog scratching?  What is making my dog itch? I bet you have treated him with the favorite flea medications on the market but even though the fleas are gone, your dog continues to scratch.

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Fleas and Flea eggs need to be eliminated.

My vet told me that a flea egg is very slippery.  It slides into cracks and between the carpet fibers and bedding for your dog making them  almost impossible to get to and kill.  I tried steam cleaning and that did nothing.  Finally I got a spray for the floor and powder for the bedding.  I had to wash my dog at least twice a week once with flea shampoo and once with a anti-itch shampoo.  I had to keep this up until my dog stopped scratching. 

Alleviate that itchy dog skin

One thing to alleviate this irritation and to make your dog more comfortable is to bathe him in a soothing shampoo especially made to calm the itch.  These dog shampoos have ingredients that calm the areas where the histamines are still at work.

Other skin allergies in dogs

Other skin irritations that will cause itchy skin and a dog to scratch are “Hot Spots”.  These red and scabby areas are caused by bacteria growing in a warm moist area, usually the dogs underbelly, ears and under the tail.  To treat these hot spots and ear infections, vets often prescribe “Derma Vet” or “Panalog”.  To treat hot spots, bathe your pet and make sure he is nice and dry, then apply the Panalog or Derma Vet onto the hot spot.  It should clear up in a couple of days.. 

Both my Westies have a tendency to get ear infections so I keep a tube of Panalog or Derma Vet around the house to fight off these infections with my Vets approval. 

Be sure to take your dog to the vet if you suspect the above symptoms.  Making sure what is making your dog itch is most important.  There are other serious conditions that can make a dog itch and you wouldn’t want to ignore that possibility.  Once your vet has made a determination you can treat your pet with the medication whenever the irritation occurs.

 

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Any information contained on this site relating to various medical, health, and fitness conditions of dogs and their treatment is for informational purposes only and is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own veterinarian. You should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing a dog’s health - you should always consult your own veterinarian.