Help stop the itch
There’s no cure for atopic dermatitis in dogs. But if you’re committed to your dog, it can be successfully managed.
Probably the most important thing that will help stop the itch is to follow your vet's advice closely and make sure any treatment is kept up and given on time. Don't stop treatments unless you are advised to do so by your vet. Without treatment signs will almost certainly come back, and that will mean the return of misery for you and your dog. It is also important to have regular check ups so that your vet can check for other factors like infections which could make your dog more itchy.
Long-term, your vet may also ask you to make allergen avoidance a major part of caring for your pet. See prevention tips for advice on how to do this. Our allergen locator may also be useful in finding out where most allergens are found around the home.
Help stop the itch>>
Prevention tips
Your vet may ask you to make allergen avoidance a major part of caring for your pet. This depends on whether it has been possible to identify the allergen(s) causing your dog’s problem and whether it is possible to eliminate these allergens. Pollens, for example, get everywhere and can be very difficult if not impossible to avoid. However, as one of the most common allergens is the house dust mite, you could
• Wash your dog's bedding regularly
• Wash soft furnishings regularly
• Prevent your dog from spending time in the bedroom (a favourite place for house dust mites)
• Vacuum frequently with a high efficiency particle air (HEPA) filter vacuum cleaner
• Use air dehydration and purification systems
• Use insecticides effective against house dust mites
In addition, it’s a good idea to ensure careful flea control at all times, as flea bites could cause a flare to occur, particularly if your dog is allergic to flea bites.
In some cases, these measures may be sufficient to reduce your pet's exposure to allergens enough to prevent itching.
If a food allergy is a possible cause of your dog’s atopic dermatitis, your vet may carry out a food elimination trial to find out which foods your dog is allergic to. Once identified, you can prevent flare-ups of atopic dermatitis by eliminating these foods from your dog’s diet .
Prevention Tips>>
Allergen locator
Find out where most allergens are found around the home so you can reduce the impact they have on your dog.
Allergen Locator>>
Effects on the family
Obviously, if you’ve got an itchy dog, you and your family will be feeling the effects too. No-one likes to see their pet suffering, so finding out what could be the cause of your dog’s itchiness is a great place to start. Use our quick quiz Atopic dermatitis test to see if the itching could be due to atopic dermatitis, the most common cause of skin disease.
It’s also an unpleasant fact that if your dog is itching, you and your family may find you’re itching too. Parasites such as fleas, mange and fungal infections such as ringworm all cause itchiness in dogs and can affect humans too, so it’s wise to get any itchy dog seen by a vet as quickly as possible.
Effects on the family>>
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