What is atopy in dogs and how is it treated? Treatment of atopic dermatitis in dogs Atopic dermatitis in dogs treatment than to feed

One of the most common diseases in dog breeding is atopic dermatitis. According to statistics, compared to previous years, the number of dogs affected by this pathology is rapidly increasing. According to experts, the blame for everything is modern environmental conditions that provoke the susceptibility of the animal body to allergens.

Causes of the disease

Many factors contribute to the development of atopic dermatitis in dogs. These can be adverse climatic conditions, and chronic diseases, and heredity, and all kinds of allergens (pollen, dust mites, flea waste products, etc.) and, of course, the microclimatic habitat of a pet.

Atopic dermatitis affects young dogs between 1 and 5 years of age, but may be diagnosed earlier. The first symptoms of dermatitis appear at the age of six months, when the allergen enters the body and causes the immune system to produce neutralizing antibodies, then the pathology recurs throughout life.

Representatives of breeds such as bulldogs (French, American), boxers, cocker spaniels, pugs, sharpeis, beagles, poodles, golden retrievers, Labradors, German shepherds, chow chows, setters (English, Irish) are at risk.

However, this does not mean that other breeds are not susceptible to this disease.

Main symptoms

Atopic dermatitis has a pronounced clinical picture. In this case, the symptomatology includes the main and additional signs. The main symptoms include:

1. Severe skin itching, which causes great discomfort to the animal.
2. Damage to the skin, scratching, abrasions (especially in the area of ​​​​the muzzle and paws), which appear due to the fact that the dog constantly itches and tears the skin with its claws. An infection that has got into the wounds provokes the appearance of boils, hyperpigmentation, abscesses.
3. Hair loss, alopecia.
4. A characteristic smell from the ears, reminiscent of fermented yeast dough.
5. Focal lichenification is a structural change in the skin.

Additional symptoms of atopic dermatitis include:

• excessive dryness of the skin;
• immediate reaction to the allergen;
• external form of allergic otitis media;
• superficial manifestations of staphylococcal infection.

The severity of the disease is determined by such factors as the area of ​​skin lesions, the duration of exacerbations and remissions.

Exacerbation duration:

• mild course - the disease manifests itself 1-2 times a year and lasts no more than 3 weeks;
• moderate severity - symptoms make themselves felt 3-4 times a year, the duration of the disease is from 1 to 2 months;
• severe stage - the disease is diagnosed more often 4 times a year, the duration of exacerbation is more than 2 months.

Remission duration:

• mild degree - 6-8 months;
• medium - less than 6 months;
• severe - no more than 1 month.

Damage area:

• mild degree - single limited spots;
• moderate - numerous skin lesions;
• severe stage - numerous lesions of the skin, which merge into one large area and turn into erythroderma.

Treatment is prescribed based on the severity of atopic dermatitis, as well as the age and individual characteristics of the animal.

Diagnostics in the veterinary clinic

The diagnosis is preceded by appropriate diagnostic measures that are carried out in the veterinary clinic.

First, the veterinarian collects an anamnesis that will help him get the most accurate picture of the disease and allow him to find out the nature of the allergen. The specialist should find out from the owner the age when the dermatitis was first noted, the frequency of relapses, the severity of the symptoms, the dependence on the seasons, as well as information about the parents and other puppies from the litter.

Despite the rather bright symptoms, atopic dermatitis is often confused with other skin diseases, so it must be identified from contact dermatitis, urticaria, food allergies, reactions to flea bites.

To be able to make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe adequate therapy, the veterinarian will need to examine the skin scraping, determine the level of fungal microflora, and the level of hormones in the blood. Also, the necessary diagnostic methods include studies of general and biochemical blood tests, urine and feces tests.

If necessary, diagnostics are carried out with a UV lamp (with), a skin biopsy (if oncology is suspected), etc.

To exclude food allergies, the dog is put on a strict diet lasting at least 6 weeks.

Method of treatment and prognosis

Symptomatic treatment is carried out at the initial stage of immunotherapy, but can also be prescribed after: in the event that the effect is short-lived or not fully manifested. Medications of different groups for the treatment of atopic dermatitis, as well as special shampoos for skin care, are prescribed by a veterinarian, self-medication is dangerous for the dog's health and can only aggravate the situation.

You can’t experiment with the dosage either, since the dose is calculated based on the body weight of the animal.

Corticosteroids are required. They have a powerful and fast effect, reduce the activity of a number of inflammatory factors. These drugs are hormonal, their action is aimed at eliminating itching, allergic swelling, redness. The most popular form of medication is tablets.

Most often, Prednisolone, Methylprednisolone, Dexamethasone, etc. are prescribed. Corticosteroids do their job well, but they have side effects: drowsiness, shortness of breath, polyuria, calcification of the skin. During pregnancy, corticosteroids are contraindicated.

Also, the doctor prescribes antihistamines, which block the receptors of cells associated with histamines. As a result of exposure to drugs, allergic reactions do not develop, since histamine is deprived of the ability to have a specific effect.

The most popular antihistamines include second-generation antihistamines: Lominal, Zyrtec, Claritin. Their advantage is that they are not addictive and act for a long time. The list of side effects is not as extensive as that of the first generation drugs (Diphenhydramine, Tavegil, Suprastin), but they still exist, for example, heart complications.

For old dogs, it is advisable to prescribe Telfast, Gismanal, Trexil - drugs of the third and fourth generation.

Sometimes prescribed tricyclic antidepressants - Amitriptyline, Pyrazidol, Trimipramine.

Cyclosporine, Oxpentifylline, Misoprostol or Fluoxetine can help with itching.

Treatment of interdigital dermatitis is carried out by the use of polyunsaturated fatty acids. They are used once a day, the dosage is set by the veterinarian. Linseed, safflower and sunflower oils, linoleic and eicosapentaenoic acids have proven themselves well.

If oils are used, cold-pressed varieties should be chosen. The dosage is set by the veterinarian based on body weight. An overdose of the dog may cause diarrhea.

Atopy is not a deadly disease and responds well to treatment. You need to understand that when interacting with the allergen, the pathology will again make itself felt. With treatment-resistant pruritus, which is quite rare in veterinary practice, the animal has to be euthanized. Cases of spontaneous recovery can be called isolated.

What to do at home

Treatment of a dog with atopic dermatitis is carried out at home. Recovery is impossible without eliminating the provoking factor - the allergen. This requires a complete adjustment of the food system, regime, living conditions.

The owner is required to strictly comply with the recommendations of the veterinarian. Exceeding the dosage of medications, prescribing medication to the dog on your own is unacceptable.

You can speed up the healing process with the help of cold herbal teas. Compresses with raw potatoes, echinacea infusion are used as an anesthetic and itching remedy. Decoctions of chamomile accelerate the process of skin regeneration, eliminate inflammation.

Herbal infusions of comfrey roots and leaves will speed up wound healing. If atopic dermatitis is accompanied by a fungal infection, marigold flowers are used.

Very good for all types of dermatitis, a compress of chamomile, calendula, echinacea and aloe juice helps. The gauze used for the compress is abundantly moistened with a healing solution, applied to the affected area and fixed for 1 hour.

It must be understood that alternative methods of treating atopic dermatitis, despite their effectiveness, cannot replace conservative therapy and are used in combination with medications.

Possible Complications

In the absence of competent treatment, the symptoms will increase, and the duration of exacerbations will increase. In advanced cases of atopic dermatitis, a chronic form occurs with a mass of secondary manifestations and an increase in body intoxication.

Prevention measures

Any disease is easier to prevent than to treat. This also applies to atopic dermatitis. Preventive measures aimed at preventing this pathology include:

A dog with atopic dermatitis must be periodically shown to the veterinarian - at least 1 time in 2 months.

One of the most common causes of chronic itching is atopy in dogs. Atopic dermatitis is caused by (hypersensitivity) to one or more substances in the environment. It is various substances, called allergens, that can cause atopic dermatitis. They are often the same pathogens that are associated with human allergic conditions such as hay fever and asthma. At risk are breeds such as bulldog, cocker spaniel,.

Dogs with atopic dermatitis are usually always itchy. The muzzle and paws may look especially irritated. The skin on some areas of the body may be reddened, wet, or damaged due to scratches or from the fact that the dog bites itself. The ears can also become inflamed, and recurrent ear infections are quite common in these cases. Skin infections may occur.

With atopic dermatitis, scratches and sores appear on the dog's skin.

Less commonly, dogs with atopic dermatitis have other "allergy" signs, including watery eyes or. Symptoms usually begin when the dog is between 1 and 5 years old.

Attention! Unlike humans, dogs don't "outgrow" their allergies, so treatment is almost always given.

Why does the disease develop?

Skin atopy in dogs results from a combination of many factors. Both their genetic makeup and environment may interact to develop the disease. This is due to an inadequate immune response, not the allergens themselves.

How dogs are exposed to allergens

Many allergens are in the air and are found almost everywhere. Some are present all year round (eg house dust, dust mites and some molds) while others are only at high levels for some time during the year (eg pollen).

Important! The skin is an important barrier to allergens. When the skin's barrier function is compromised due to genetics or trauma, allergens can enter the skin and cause allergies.

How the disease is diagnosed

How to test your dog for allergies

Allergy testing is used by most veterinary dermatologists for the purpose of developing an allergy vaccine, not for diagnosis.

There are several ways to conduct the test:

How is atopic dermatitis treated?

Atopic dermatitis can be treated in many ways. Limiting your pet's exposure to allergens is the most effective method, but usually not practical - it could mean moving to a different climate! Owners of dogs with atopy are puzzled over how to treat their beloved pet. But this unfortunate phenomenon, alas, is treated for a long time, and sometimes for years.

We highlight the following treatment methods:

It is also very important that any dog ​​with atopic dermatitis is on a year-round comprehensive flea control program. Atopic dogs tend to be more sensitive to flea bites, so it is desirable that even accidental bites be prevented.

Dealing with this long-term condition requires some patience. By using different combinations of therapy and changing the treatment when needed, you can help your dog feel better and look healthy.

In the video, the owner of the dog talks about the disease atopic dermatitis.

Allergic dermatitis is an inflammatory chronic skin disease associated with allergies that can cause a lot of discomfort to your pet. Usually, signs of the disease appear in dogs between the ages of 3 months and 6 years. Proceed to step 1 to learn how to treat allergic dermatitis in dogs.

Steps

Part 1

Schedule your pet for a blood test. Standard blood tests are divided into two types: RAST (radioallergosorbent test) and ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). They are very similar, but many clinicians believe that ELISA is more accurate than RAST.

Talk to your veterinarian about giving your dog a skin test. In this test, a small amount of antigen is injected into the animal's skin and the area around the injection site is examined after a short period of time to determine if the animal is allergic to the substance.

You must understand that despite the high cost, allergy tests can improve your pet's life. Dogs, like their owners, can have a variety of allergies. Allergens in food and the environment cause over 30% of dog skin irritations. Allergy tests can be expensive and require some dedication from the owner. However, by doing these tests, you can greatly improve your pet's life and well-being by identifying and treating allergies.

If you can, remove allergens from your home. If you know what your dog is allergic to, the best way to control it is to avoid allergens. Even if you're giving your dog allergy shots to desensitise, it's best to avoid allergens in addition to treatment.

Part 2

Treatment of allergic dermatitis with medicines

1. Wash your dog's coat with medicated shampoos. Many of them contain ingredients designed to soothe damaged skin and reduce inflammation. In addition, frequent bathing (every week or two) can flush allergens out of the coat, which can reduce allergy flare-ups.

   • Veterinarians recommend using shampoos that contain antimicrobial and antifungal agents and ingredients that allow you to bathe your dog more often without drying out his skin. Rinsing the shampoo out well with water will also help prevent your dog's skin and coat from drying out.

2. Give your pet antihistamines. They are safe for dogs and have various effects. In some cases, antihistamines are excellent at controlling the symptoms of allergic skin diseases, and sometimes they have little effect. Therefore, you should try at least three different types of antihistamines before abandoning this type of treatment. Commonly used for dogs are:

   • Hydroxyzine 2.2 mg/kg orally given 8 hours apart.
   • Diphenhydramine 2.0 mg/kg orally 8 hours apart.
   • Clemastine 0.05-0.1 mg/kg orally at intervals of 12 hours.
   • Chlorpheniramine 0.4-0.8 mg/kg orally every 8 hours (maximum dose 8 mg).
   • Prednisolone and methyl prednisolone can be used for severe skin lesions 0.5 mg/kg once or twice a day until complete recovery.
   • In most cases, antihistamines are worth a try, as they have few side effects and are usually inexpensive.

3. Talk to your veterinarian about giving your dog systemic antimicrobials. Secondary staph infections are common in allergic dogs. Oral drugs such as cephalexin, cefpodoxime, amoxicillin, clavulanate, sulfadimethoxine, and sulfadimethoxine are often effective as primary treatments.

   For long-term treatment of a dog, you can use immunotherapy. Allergy shots are very safe and often give excellent results, but they work very slowly. You can notice improvement after 6-12 months.

Part 3

How to treat allergic dermatitis with diet

Dogs can become allergic to certain foods over time, even if they have been eating them for years. Many owners are unaware that a food allergy may be the cause of a dog's itching, as it has been fed the same food all its life, and symptoms have only recently begun to appear. However, dogs can develop allergies to certain substances over time, so food allergies could very well be the cause of itching.

Give your dog new types of protein. Allergies develop as a result of exposure to allergens, so most hypoallergenic diets include proteins and carbohydrates that your dog has never eaten. As stated before, the fastest and best way to determine what food a dog might be allergic to is to do allergen tests.

Try giving your dog hydrated protein. In such diets, the protein source is synthetically reduced to small particles. The idea behind the hydrated protein diet is that the dog should be given protein in such small amounts that the allergic animal's immune system does not recognize the protein particles and react to it as an allergy.

You can cook dog food at home. Most pets respond well when their regular food is changed to a hypoallergenic one, but sometimes the only way out is to feed a pet with food prepared by oneself. In this case, it is necessary that the veterinarian help you choose a diet for the dog.

Part 4

How to control fleas during treatment

Vacuum your home to remove flea eggs. Vacuum thoroughly, especially under curtains, furniture, and where the dog sleeps. It has been estimated that if vacuumed regularly, up to 50% of flea eggs can be eliminated. In places where there is a lot of movement, vacuum every day, in other places - every week. Place the disposable trash bag in the slider bag each time, seal it, and throw it away immediately. Do not put mothballs or flea collars into the vacuum cleaner, otherwise poisonous gases may be generated.

In order to get rid of the remaining flea eggs, use an anti-adult flea and anti-egg and larval product. You will need a product that contains both an insecticide that kills adult insects and an insect growth regulator (PPH), such as pyriproxyfen or methoprene. These agents may be in the form of carpet powders, foggers or sprays.

Wash your dog's blanket every week with a product that contains an insecticide against adult insects and a pest growth regulator.

Clean all the places where your dog spends time. Don't forget to clean your car seats, pet basket, garage, basement, and other places your dog spends time.

Prevent your dog from getting infected outdoors. To do this, it is usually necessary to keep the dog away from where there is the greatest likelihood of fleas. They like to be where it's humid, warm, shaded and organic. Also, fleas are usually found where pets spend most of their time when walking outside. So be sure to pay attention to places like patio, porch, dog house, etc.

Remove fleas from your dog's coat as soon as you have removed them from their habitat. Now that you've taken care of the hot spots in your home and outdoors, it's time to get rid of fleas on your pet.

sources

• Marsella R, Nicklin C, Lopez J. Studies on the role of routes of allergen exposure in high IgE-producing beagle dogs sensitized to house dust mites. Vet Dermatol (R. Marcella, C. Nicklin, J. Lopez. Study of the role of allergenic stimulation pathways in large immunoglobin E-producing beagle dogs that are susceptible to house dust mites. Veterinary Dermatology) 2006;17:306-312.
• Swinnen C, Vroom M. The clinical effect of environmental control of house dust mites in 60 house dust mite-sensitive dogs. Vet Dermatol (K. Svinnen, M. Vroom. Clinical effect of house dust mite control in 60 house dust mite sensitive dogs. Veterinary Dermatology) 2004;15:31-36.
• Watson T. Diet and skin disease in dogs and cats. J Nutrition (T. Watson. Diet and skin diseases in dogs and cats) 1998;128:2783S-2789S.
• Veterinary & Aquatic Services Department, Drs. Foster & Smith (Department of Veterinary and Aquatic Plant and Animal Care, Dr. Foster & Smith)
• Carlotti, D. N., & Jacobs, D. E. (2000). Therapy, control and prevention of flea allergy dermatitis in dogs and cats. Veterinary Dermatology (D. N. Carlotti, D. E. Jacobs (2000). Therapy, control and prevention of flea allergy dermatitis in dogs and cats), 11(2), 83-98.
• Griffin, C. E., & Hillier, A. (2001). The ACVD task force on canine atopic dermatitis (XXIV): allergen-specific immunotherapy. Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology (K. E. Griffin, A. Hillier (2001). American College of Veterinary Dermatology Task Force (XXIV): Allergen-Specific Immunotherapy. Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology), 81(3), 363-383.
• Olivry, T., DeBoer, D. J., Favrot, C., Jackson, H. A., Mueller, R. S., Nuttall, T., & *Prélaud, P. (2010). Treatment of canine atopic dermatitis: 2010 clinical practice guidelines from the International Task Force on Canine Atopic Dermatitis. Veterinary dermatology (T.Olivry, D.J.DeBoer, K.Favrot, H.A.Jackson, R.S.Muller, R.S.Nutol, P.Prelod (2010). Treatment of atopic dermatitis in dogs: 2010 practical International Working Group Guidelines for Canine Atopic Dermatitis Veterinary Dermatology, 21(3), 233-248.
• Olivry, T., Steffan, J., Fisch, R. D., Prélaud, P., Guaguère, E., Fontaine, J., & Carlotti, D. N. (2002). Randomized controlled trial of the efficacy of cyclosporine in the treatment of atopic dermatitis in dogs. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (T. Olivry, J. Steffan, R. D. Fish, P. Prelod, E. Gager, J. Fontaine, D. N. Carlotti (2002). Randomized controlled trial of the effectiveness of the treatment of atopic dermatitis in dogs with cyclosporine, Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 221(3), 370-377.
• Plumb, D. C. (2005). Plumb's veterinary drug handbook (pp. 187-189). PharmaVet (D.K. Plumb (2005). Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, pp. 187-189. PharmaVet).

One of the most difficult problems that veterinarians have to deal with is dermatitis. It has a huge number of varieties. Remarkably, this disease can develop even under good conditions for keeping animals. Dalmatians and Shar-Peis are most often affected by this disease. But this does not mean that representatives of other breeds cannot suffer from this disease.

Allergic is a consequence of a reaction to certain proteins recognized by the body as foreign. In this case, the clinical manifestations may be different depending on the reasons by which the disease was caused.

Features of manifestations

Even an experienced doctor sometimes can not quickly make a diagnosis. In the case of autoimmune diseases, not everything is so simple, and allergic atopic dermatitis in dogs can also have a different nature. Therefore, before starting treatment, you will have to take tests and conduct various tests and samples. To date, three reasons have been identified that lead to such consequences. Now we will analyze each of them in more detail.

Flea dermatitis in dogs

Treatment of flea allergic dermatitis in dogs is symptomatic. After the source of the negative reaction is eliminated, the symptoms will persist for several weeks. To level them, antihistamines and soothing ointments are used. If fleas continue to live on the dog, their use is useless. Once the source of the allergy persists, there will be no improvement.

Feed allergy

It occurs more and more frequently today. Most likely, this is due to the fact that the quality of feed is deteriorating noticeably. Meat products are saturated with hormones and antibiotics, vegetables contain traces of pesticides. And ready-made feeds are made using preservatives and flavorings.

When identifying the cause of allergic dermatitis in a dog, it is customary to put the likelihood of a food allergy in second place in terms of prevalence. It is important to distinguish between food intolerance and actual allergy. These are different things. A food intolerance is a reaction to a particular food.

A food allergy is a reaction to the proteins in the food. In this case, the size of the protein molecule matters. As a rule, beef, milk and wheat come first. This does not mean that in all animals these products will cause a negative reaction. Usually, in one individual, only one component has to be excluded from the diet.

atopy

Allergic dermatitis in a dog can develop for another reason. In particular, this condition is a reaction to exposure to an allergen. The latter in this case penetrates through the respiratory tract.

When it enters the body for the first time, the substance leads to the launch of certain processes, which at first do not manifest themselves outwardly. But with repeated exposure to a provocateur, a skin disease occurs. The most common microparticles that cause allergic dermatitis in dogs are pollen, feathers and down.

Quite often, the symptoms of the atopic variety are accompanied by manifestations of a reaction to any food. This greatly complicates the diagnosis and choice of treatment. If there is a suspicion that the pet has an autoimmune disease, then it is best to contact a good, proven clinic with experienced dermatologists on staff and the presence of its own laboratory. Then the chance to help your pet will be quite high.

How the disease manifests itself

Let's look at the symptoms of allergic dermatitis in dogs. Usually this is a skin lesion and severe itching. For scratching, animals use limbs and teeth, various sharp objects, the surface of a rug or rug. Biting and licking are also used.

Veterinarians are well aware of where dermatitis in dogs most often manifests itself. Photos of such animals do not leave anyone indifferent and encourage owners to think about the timely treatment of their pets. Most often, the muzzle, limbs and armpits are affected. But not necessarily, other parts of the body may well be damaged. Itching is also possible over the entire surface of the skin.

Additional symptoms

Itching is the most debilitating of these, but not the only one. In general, the condition of the animal is highly dependent on the severity of the symptoms. In some cases, anaphylactic shock is possible. Usually the cause is the intake of a toxin in large quantities. In any case, the treatment of dermatitis in dogs should be timely and comprehensive.

In addition to itching, the following symptoms can be noted:

• Slight redness of the skin, which is called erythema. It is very noticeable if the coat of the dogs is short and light. Redness can also be seen in pets with dark hair, if you push it apart with your hands and carefully examine the skin.
• In places of constant licking, the hairline changes color towards darker shades. This is due to a reaction to chronic exposure to saliva.
• Areas of baldness. The lack of hair on them can be explained by licking.

Secondary Symptoms

It is not uncommon for the owner to miss the initial symptoms of the disease and pay attention to it only when the condition worsens significantly. Allergy often causes the development of a bouquet of concomitant ailments. Here is their list:

The principle of treatment of allergic dermatitis

You can't ask a dog how much he's worried about his current condition. We just have to carefully observe it and draw the appropriate conclusions. As you can already understand, the symptoms of the disease are similar to the signs of a huge number of diseases. Even an experienced doctor will not be able to make a diagnosis at home without passing laboratory tests.

Thus, treatment begins with the exclusion of diseases that have similar symptoms. After that, you can go directly to trying to determine the type of allergy. Treatment regimens are complex and should take into account three main areas:

• Elimination of the cause that causes an allergy in a pet.
• Symptomatic treatment aimed at stopping itching.
• Elimination of consequences and complications of therapy.

The sooner you seek help, the more likely it will be effective. Allergy is characterized by a gradual increase in symptoms, so the owners do not notice them for a long time. The animals are admitted to the hospital in critical condition. But even in this case, the treatment of dermatitis in dogs can be effective. The main thing is that it was led by a veterinarian. With self-treatment, it is impossible to take into account all the nuances. In addition, without laboratory tests it is impossible to assess whether the right direction has been chosen. As a result, you lose precious time, and the condition of the animal will deteriorate.

First steps

It is much more difficult to treat allergic dermatitis in dogs if the cause is a negative reaction to food and all kinds of additives. Its symptoms are often non-specific, and treatment requires selectivity in medicines and foods. The most difficult thing is with those animals that are kept on ready-made feed. Active advertising, promotion of popular brands by veterinarians, and ease of use lead to the fact that many owners consider this food to be the best option for their pets. It is understood that it contains everything a dog needs for a fulfilling life. Unfortunately, ready-made food is most often the culprit in the condition of your pet. While they were not in such quantities on sale, there were much fewer health problems in animals.

Effective Therapy

For food allergies, one of the following steps can be used:

• Check with your doctor for a homemade diet for dogs prone to food reactions.
• You can switch to another protein. In some cases, this implies a brand change.
• Introduction to feed hydrolyzed proteins.

Regardless of which scheme is used, smoothing and complete disappearance of symptoms can be observed no earlier than two months after the change of food. Since it takes a long time to treat allergic dermatitis in dogs, you need to keep a food diary and write down all changes in it.

The best option is to transfer animals to natural food. Here you can quite accurately regulate the intake of various nutrients, including protein. But in this case, the owner is faced with a problem, namely, indigestion. The disease is most often manifested by diarrhea and flatulence. But gradually these symptoms disappear and the condition improves. When switching to a new protein, you need to be sure that the other food does not contain the old proteins, to which there was a reaction.

Switching to a diet of hydrolyzed ingredients can be a good solution. But the cost of such feed is often too high. In this case, the protein molecule has already undergone the process of partial hydrolysis. And the smaller it is, the more reduced the risk of allergies.

Treatment of atopy

A complex and lengthy process, which concerns not only the elimination of the allergen, but also the treatment of existing skin problems. Anti-inflammatory drugs are the basis in the treatment of many pathologies that are associated with the activity of the immune system. Allergy is no exception. Therefore, treatment is based on corticosteroid and antihistamine therapy.

• Cortisone is a steroid, but it has nothing to do with the anabolics used by bodybuilders. In most cases, the animal feels better after the first application. Usually it is prescribed as a course, for one to two weeks. During this time, most often the itching completely disappears. But prolonged use of cortisone leads to disruption of the adrenal glands, or Cushing's syndrome.
• Antihistamines. They are used on a long-term basis.

Quite often, desperate owners of a sick pet begin to consider visible signs of illness in other animals in the photo for comparison. Allergic dermatitis in a dog would not be so acute if they immediately turned to a specialist. But instead, the owners, at best, try to treat the animal on their own, with folk remedies. As a result, unbearable itching leads to the fact that the dog scratches the skin strongly, up to the erasure of the teeth. And at the site of the wounds, severe dermatitis with focal infectious lesions is formed.

Treatment of secondary infection

As a rule, its appearance leads to blurring of the clinical picture. At first glance, you can’t make out what kind of ailment it is, and the owners do not know where to start treatment. In addition to the injectable antibiotic, it is necessary to use topical agents. They are an auxiliary, but very important part of the course of treatment.

• The first step is to clean the surface of wool, soaked crust and suppuration. To do this, it is best to use a swab moistened with any antiseptic solution.
• In addition, "Levomekol" and wet lotions of the affected areas with "Chlorhexidine" can be used externally.
• Widely used antibacterial drugs such as streptomycin ointment and its analogues.
• Often, in addition to a bacterial infection, fungal infections also develop in animals. The most common is a complicated course of pyodermatitis of the paw pads. Clotrimazole-based products have proven themselves well. When treating, make sure that the animal will not lick off the product.

There are no special ointments for allergic dermatitis for dogs. Veterinarians analyze the condition of the animal, make the necessary tests and, based on this, select the most effective treatment.

Animal care

In any case, you need to tune in to the fact that the treatment will be long and rather complicated. It will be necessary to provide the animal with high-quality and appropriate nutrition for a special diet. In addition, be sure to change its bedding and choose a high-quality coating made from natural materials for a new one. Be sure to bathe a sick animal in cool water twice a week. If it is hot, it will increase the itching, and more frequent washing will lead to thinning and drying of the skin. Together with the veterinarian, you can choose special shampoos that are not therapeutic in themselves, but will promote recovery.

Skin diseases in dogs are not uncommon. There are a lot of dermatitis in nature, and all of them lead to serious disturbances in the general well-being of the pet. Learn to identify the first signs of a skin inflammatory process in order to have time to seek help from a veterinarian and help your pet in time.

Dermatitis in a dog: symptoms and main causes

Under normal conditions, the skin performs a protective function of the body from bacteria and external influences of environmental factors (mainly traumatic). When something starts to go wrong, the skin undergoes painful changes. One such change is dermatitis. This term combines any inflammatory processes of the skin, covering all its layers. The main feature of this pathology is the absence of an obvious rash.

The main symptoms of dermatitis:

• itching and soreness;
• signs of irritation (redness, peeling);
• an increase in local temperature;
• small bleeding from the capillaries when they are damaged (sometimes in the form of small hemorrhages);
• swelling and puffiness, passing from traumatic to inflammatory (preconditions for ulceration);
• release of exudate (inflammatory effusion of fluid on the surface of the skin - from serous - transparent - to purulent).

With a protracted course or improper and prolonged treatment, the skin in the affected areas becomes rougher, thickens, flakes, and hair begins to fall out. In the presence of wounds, they become deeper and more extensive, turning into weeping ulcers.

Classification and specific features

Dermatitis is classified according to the causes that caused it. There are a lot of varieties of skin inflammations, but there are several main types that are most common. Each has its own specific features, according to which differentiation occurs.

Then there are places of redness, peeling, hair loss, scratching and scratches due to constant itching. Usually the places with the most delicate skin are affected: muzzle, lower abdomen and groin, armpits.

The source of irritation is not only the saliva of animals, but also their bites, and the fruits of life in the form of subcutaneous passages. The most common is flea dermatitis.

Burn (or thermal) dermatitis

When receiving a burn of any degree, the dog will develop this type of inflammation with a 100% probability. It is often complicated by the fact that the animal licks the burns, introduces an infection into the wound, which quickly spreads over the entire burn surface.

Of particular danger in this case are the products of skin decay, which can lead to local poisoning of the body with involvement of the liver and kidneys. It is important that this type of dermatitis means not only exposure to high temperatures, but also low ones, i.e. frostbite.

With burns, the clinic is classic with the formation of blisters, open wounds and weeping ulcers. With frostbite against the background of inflammation, foci of necrosis and decay of dead skin may occur.

contact dermatitis

The name speaks for itself - it occurs during prolonged contact with irritating substances: chemicals, sunlight, metal on the collar, synthetic litter fabric, exposure to a hot battery in winter, etc.

Often manifested as interdigital dermatitis in dogs, when the dog's paws come into contact with salt, which is sprinkled on icy roads in winter. There is swelling, redness, the formation of small bubbles with liquid, dry skin.

Often imperceptibly flows into a chronic form, which can turn into a purulent one due to the contamination of cracks formed on the skin with bacteria.

Allergic dermatitis

It occurs under the influence of allergens and can often be confused with other diseases. One of the few manifestations of the disease, which is accompanied by urticaria, local reddening of certain parts of the body (most often on the face, abdomen, in the interdigital space).

A variation of an allergic skin reaction is juvenile dermatitis (or juvenile cellulitis), in which the muzzle of young dogs swells in places, ulcerates and begins to literally rot. Recently referred to as autoimmune diseases, tk. The true cause is not known to veterinarians.

Peri-wound dermatitis

This type of skin damage occurs only around necrotic or purulent wounds. The resulting purulent and decomposing exudate (fluid released from the wound) irritates adjacent healthy areas of the skin. Inflammation occurs, to which bacteria join. Due to this, the wound surface increases its area. Features of the clinical manifestation are redness and swelling around the wounds, glued hair and the formation of further areas of baldness. Perhaps the temporary formation of crusts, which, falling off, form new areas of open wounds.

Drug irritation

This type of lesion is very often combined with the previous type. With improper and inept treatment with contact agents (ointments, antiseptic liquids), irritation occurs, which can quickly turn into dermatitis. Incorrect injections of drugs can also lead to this pathology, as well as in violation of the instructions regarding the injection sites (for example, when irritants are injected subcutaneously, which should only be administered intramuscularly and vice versa).

Infectious and fungal dermatitis

These names are the second most frequent after allergic ones. There is only one reason - the weakening of immunity and the activation of opportunistic microflora and fungi (normally always present on the skin, and multiply when the body's defenses are weakened). They are treated for a very long time, because. The correct diagnosis is not always immediately made. Bacterial dermatitis is caused most often by staphylococci, fungal - by the fungus Malassezia. Staphylococcal dermatitis has classic inflammatory signs, fungal dermatitis often affects the skin, redness and an increase in local temperature are not always present.

Diagnosis of dermatitis

To diagnose a particular type of skin inflammation, a veterinarian performs:

• collection of anamnesis and a detailed survey of the owner of the animal;
• clinical examination;
• scrapings from the surface of the skin and bacteriological or mycological cultures from the affected areas;
• blood tests (biochemical, clinical, for hormones), feces and urine.

First aid for dermatitis in a dog at home

Treatment at home does not always give the expected result, because. before starting treatment procedures, you need to know the exact cause of the disease. Without accurate information, which factor provoked the development of inflammation of the skin, the treatment will be ineffective.

Having applied all pre-medical measures, in the near future it is worth contacting a veterinarian. Further self-treatment is inappropriate, because. the situation can be aggravated by a chronic course or a putrefactive-purulent process of the skin and general intoxication of the body. Treatment will be difficult and complemented by a long recovery period.

Veterinary care

Medical treatment will include:

• determining the exact cause of the skin lesion through history taking, clinical examination and laboratory tests;
• relieving itching and local anesthesia;
• local treatment of affected areas of the skin;
• systemic antibiotic therapy (if necessary);
• general strengthening and detoxification therapy (if necessary).

Dermatitis in dogs is treated depending on its type and the general condition of the animal. The veterinarian usually prescribes the following drugs:

The main rule for local treatment: wet dry, dry wet. Those. dry, scaly skin lesions are smeared with ointments and creams, weeping ulcers and open wounds, including purulent dermatitis, are treated with drying agents (antimicrobial powders, drying solutions).

General procedures for the treatment of dermatitis in dogs:

1. At the time of the acute course, the affected areas of the skin are cleaned of excess hair (if this was not done by the owner of the house).
2. The surface of the diseased skin is treated with antiseptic agents - best of all in the form of applications (streptocid emulsion, synthomycin ointment, Vishnevsky ointment, a mixture of dexamethasone cream with vitamin PP and B6, Levomekol). A drug is applied to a gauze napkin with a thin layer, applied to the affected area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe skin and fixed with a bandage. It is enough to change 1-2 times a day.
3. During the purulent process, hair is cut out of the wounds, the wound surface is abundantly washed with hydrogen peroxide or a 0.05% chlorhexidine solution, blotted with a gauze cloth and well covered with antimicrobial powders (norsulfazol, streptocide, streptocide with antibiotics, iodoform with boric acid).
4. For weeping wounds, it is effective to use alcohol-drying compresses and lotions with camphor or ichthyol alcohol (moisten and apply bandages 3-4 times a day with an alcohol concentration of not more than 30%).
5. To relieve and prevent inflammation around diseased skin areas, you can lubricate the skin with 3% boric acid or iodine solution (not abundantly).
6. To relieve pain, infiltration novocaine blockades are carried out (around wounds) or intravenous administration of novocaine 0.25% at a dose of 5-20 ml per animal, depending on its size.
7. With prolonged purulent dermatitis, antibiotic therapy is used (cephalexin - 15-30 mg / kg twice a day for a week; baytril - 0.2 ml / kg once a course of 3 to 10 days, depending on the severity of the inflammatory process; enrofloxacin - 5-10 mg /kg once a day for a course of at least 5 days).
8. With vitamin therapy, vitamins of groups B, E, A, PP are prescribed.
9. To accelerate the elimination of toxic substances during general intoxication, furosemide (diuretic) tablets are introduced into the treatment regimen at a dose of 8-10 mg / kg of weight - in the morning once a day before meals.
10. To improve the general condition of the dog, it is possible to use autohemotherapy (blood is taken from the prebrachial saphenous vein, observing all the rules of asepsis, and injected subcutaneously into the affected area or intramuscularly, starting from 5 ml (maximum up to 25 ml) - a total of 4 injections with an interval of 2-4 days ).
11. Immunity is boosted by immunofan (1 ml per day), cycloferon (daily on days 1-2-4-6-8 0.8-0.12 ml / kg in inverse proportion to weight), gamavit (0.3-0. 5 ml/kg once).
12. To eliminate itching, antihistamines are used:
    1. suprastin - 0.5-2 ml intramuscularly 1 time per day;
    2. allervet - 0.2-0.4 ml / kg three to four times a day for up to 5 days, intramuscularly or subcutaneously;
    3. tavegil - 0.5-2 ml, depending on the size of the dog, up to 2 times a day; diazolin in tablets or dragees - up to 0.1 mg per animal 1-2 times a day)
    4. or glucocorticosteroids (hydrocortisone, dexamethasone, prednisolone, betamethasone).

Glucocorticoids are usually used in average therapeutic doses for no more than 3 days, reducing the dosage in the next 4 days - strictly under the supervision of a veterinarian. This group of drugs, along with good antipruritic and anti-inflammatory properties, has a lot of side effects in case of overdose or incorrect treatment regimen.

Prevention of dermatitis

Timely prevention of skin diseases in a dog greatly facilitates its condition during illness and accelerates its recovery in the treatment of inflammation that has already occurred.