Irritated, itchy skin may prompt dogs to scratch, lick, and chew themselves to the point of skin injury. These symptoms are often caused by parasites, infections, or allergies that have the potential to make your dog miserable and leave you wondering what’s going on and how you can help. Unfortunately, such skin irritations are common in dogs, but the good news is, they can be effectively treated or managed with a combination of home care, preventive measures, and veterinary intervention.
Learn more about the underlying causes of irritated skin, how a diagnosis is made, and how this condition may be treated.
There are many potential reasons for your dog's itchy skin. In some cases, the cause is obvious, such as when a dog has a severe flea infestation. In others, pinning down the problem may take some time and sleuthing. Once you and your vet get to the root of the problem, you can develop a treatment plan so your dog will be comfortable again.
It's relatively common for dogs to be affected by one or more external parasites. These tiny critters live on or in your dog's skin and can cause a lot of irritation and itching.
The most common skin parasites are:
Skin infections show up relatively frequently in dogs too. An infection may be caused by microscopic bacteria or fungi that infect the skin.
Canine atopic dermatitis is precipitated by environmental allergens, like pollen, mold and dust mites. Reactions to these triggers can cause itchy skin, inflamed ears, and sometimes goopy eyes in your dog. There are medications available to help ease these allergic reactions. For severe skin problems, your vet may recommend allergy testing followed by desensitization therapy.
It is less common for dogs to develop allergies to certain foods. Most dogs with food allergies are allergic to the protein source in their food, such as chicken or beef. Some dogs are allergic to carbohydrate ingredients like corn or wheat.
Many dogs with food allergies do well on diets with novel (something your dog has not been exposed to) ingredients. Generally, this type of food contains one main protein (e.g., duck or fish) and one main carbohydrate (e.g., sweet potato). Another option is a hydrolyzed food made with proteins that have been broken down into tiny pieces that don't stimulate the immune system. The best hypoallergenic dog foods require veterinary approval before they can be purchased.
Since you likely will not be able to diagnose yourself if your dog has a parasite, skin infection, food allergy, or dermatitis, it's best to contact your veterinarian so they can do any necessary tests and start a treatment plan to get your pup more comfortable.
Many options are available to help soothe your dog's skin. Your veterinarian will be able to help you start a treatment program that should offer relief for your pooch fairly quickly.
Recommendations may include allergy medications, prescription flea treatments, drugs to treat mange or infections, medicated shampoos, or a change in food. However, it's important to understand that some skin problems in dogs, like allergies, are ongoing issues that cannot be cured and instead need to be managed over time.
It's important to be proactive about skin issues in your dog so they don't get out of hand, and you can do a number of things on a regular basis to prevent the irritation from flaring up again.
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