Should you bathe a dog with dermatitis

Dermatitis in Dogs: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

What is dog dermatitis?

The term canine dermatitis simply means inflammation (redness and often itchiness) of the skin. This is a general term that may be used to describe skin irritation caused by any disease. There are many causes of skin inflammation in dogs. Some of the more common diseases that lead to dermatitis are atopy, flea allergy dermatitis, and food intolerance or allergy.

Causes of Canine Dermatitis

There are many causes for dermatitis in dogs, but the more common ones are as follows:

1. Canine atopic dermatitis(also called canine atopy or allergic dermatitis)

This is a complicated disease process where affected dogs may be genetically predisposed to developing atopy. It is estimated that roughly 10% of dogs have atopic dermatitis. Dogs with atopic dermatitis have a defect with their skins natural protective barrier. Most of the allergens that cause itching in these dogs enter through contact with their skin and its defective barrier.

Animals with atopic dermatitis have a history of pruritus (i.e. licking, chewing, scratching) that may or may not be accompanied by recurrent skin and/or ear infections. Signs can be seasonalor non-seasonal. They may also start seasonally and then progress to non-seasonal (e.g. year-round).

Dogs with atopic dermatitis often have areas of reddened skin, raised bumps, scratches, crusts, and may have thickened skin from a long history of having dermatitis. The itchy areas in these dogs often include the armpits, lower abdomen, pawsand in-between toes, and the area around the dogs eyes, ears, mouth and lip folds, and bottom.

Most of these dogs start to show signs between 2-6 years of age. As this disease tends to be inherited, multiple breeds are predisposed.

• Commonly affected breeds include:
• Labrador Retriever
• Golden Retriever
• Boxer
• Cocker Spaniel
• Bulldogs
• Terriers (most, including Pitbulls)
• German Shepherds

However, many dogs including mixed breeds can have atopic dermatitis.

Early skin signsinclude reddened circular areas, patches, and small bumps. Self-trauma from licking, chewing and scratching can lead to signs of fur loss, wounds, thickened and darker colored areas of skin.

Treatment / Management of Atopic Dermatitis:

• Identification and avoidance of the allergen and infection with bacteria or yeast (often considered secondary bacterial dermatitis or yeast dermatitis)
• Improvement in skin and coat hygiene and care (e.g. bathing)
• Reduction of itching and skin wounds with medications (e.g. topical and/or systemic)
• Targeted therapy of the allergy with intradermal allergy testing and desensitization

Canine atopic dermatitis is a life-long condition that can severely affect both patient and pet owner quality of life. Preventing or minimizing the frequency of skin flare-ups improves patient quality of life and owner satisfaction, as well as lessens adverse effects from prolonged administration of systemic medications. Flare-ups can be lessened by identifying and desensitizing the animal to offending environmental allergens when your veterinary dermatologist performs an intradermal skin test and then formulates an injectable to desensitize your dog to their allergens over time. This immune modification may take upwards of a year to determine its full benefit.

2. Flea Allergy Dermatitis (flea bite hypersensitivity)

Dogs with flea allergies have an allergy to a protein in flea saliva.

Skin issues in dogs with flea allergy dermatitis often appear as small raised bumps and crusts seen over the lower back, above the tail, and inner thigh area. These dogs may scratch their sides, thighs, belly, lower back, neck, and ears. Often these dogs are quite restless and are almost constantly scratching, chewing, and/or licking at their skin. Dogs with long-term flea exposure can have thickened skin that may become a dark grey color and the fur loss may cover most of their body.

The most common signs of flea allergy dermatitis are fur loss and the presence of fleas along with marked itchiness. This type of dermatitis is diagnosed by the skin changes seen and ruling out other possible causes for the skin issues. Signs of itchiness may develop minutes to days after the flea bites, depending upon if the dog has a more immediate or delayed immune reaction to the flea saliva.

Flea allergy dermatitis does not usually occur before 1 year of age. Any breed of dog can be affected. Dogs with severe flea allergies are often found to be nearly flea-free due to excessive self-grooming as they are so itchy.

To treat and prevent flea allergy dermatitis, appropriate flea treatment and prevention of flea infestations is a must. Also, proper treatment of any secondary skin infection, resulting in bacterial dermatitis or Malassezia dermatitis, must occur to resolve the dogs itching.

3. Food Allergy Dermatitis

Dogs who have food allergies typically develop a hypersensitivity reaction to either a protein or carbohydrate in the food or treats that they eat.

The most common sign in food-allergic dogs is itchiness/scratching which may be focused on one or multiple areas of the dogs body. The more common areas where dogs with food allergies lick, chew or scratch, are their ears, feet, underneath their chest or abdomen, and less often around their hind-end.

Although we wont discuss this further here, food-allergic dogs may also show GI signs such as vomiting, diarrhea, a marked increase in stools/feces produced, soft to loose stools, straining to pass stool, gassiness, and possible weight loss. These signs are usually noticed year-round unless the food or treat causing the issue is not constantly fed.

Although dogs with food allergies typically develop clinical signs of disease in young adulthood (14 years old), the age of onset in dogs has been reported to range from <6 months to 13 years. Thus, a food allergy may be a particularly likely cause for dermatitis in dogs when first seen at either a very young or very advanced age.

Breeds that more often have food allergy issues are:

• German Shepherds
• Labrador Retrievers
• French Bulldogs
• West Highland White Terriers

This does not mean that other dog breeds cannot have food allergies.

For dogs presenting to a vet for dermatitis or itchiness, food allergies may be determined to be the cause for up to 24-40% of cases.

The only reliable way to diagnose food allergies is by performing an elimination diet trial. There are a couple of tests that may help when selecting which foods to avoid when choosing a diet. However, these tests (western blot blood test and skin/patch testing) cannot diagnose a food allergy. The most common sources of food allergies in dogs are beef, dairy products, chicken, wheat, and lamb.

For more information on performing a diet trial please see: How to Perform a Food Trial for Your Pet's Allergies

Other Diseases That May Causes Changes to Your Dogs Skin

Clinical Signs of Dermatitis in Dogs

Dermatitis in dogs can be seen as any combination of the following symptoms:

• Abnormal redness of the skin
• Thickening of the skin
• Itching
• Scaling
• Dark color (grey/black)
• Fur loss (alopecia)
• Unusual odor
• Excessive oil production of the skin

How will the vet test my dog for dermatitis?

Initially, your dogs vet may recommend any combination of the following tests to help determine the cause of your dogs skin issues:

• Medication Trial (antihistamine, Cytopoint, Apoquel or Corticosteroid (steroid))
• Diet Trial (offering a food containing protein and carbohydrate source that your dog has not had before)
• Skin Scrape (checking for mites)
• Skin Biopsy
• Intradermal Skin Testing
• Bloodworkto check for specific allergies, hypothyroidism, or Cushings Disease

Veterinary Treatment Options for Canine Dermatitis

The treatment that your vet recommends will depend upon your dogs diagnosis - either general such as seasonal or environmental allergies, or specific (i.e. flea allergy dermatitis or allergy to soy).

Some of the treatment options that your vet may recommend are as follows:

• Medicated baths with a shampoo made specifically for dogs with dermatitis
• Flea Prevention/Control
• Supplements
• Cytopoint
• Apoquel
• Hypoallergenic diets
• Antihistamines
• Antibiotics and Antifungals (to treat secondary skin infections if found)
• Immunotherapy(when exact allergens causing the issue have been identified)
• Corticosteroids

What about giving my dog over-the-counter medication for their itchy or red skin?

Do not give over-the-counter (OTC) medications to your dog without talking to your vet first. If not given appropriately or in the right case, OTC medications can be dangerous.

Home Treatment for Dermatitis in Dogs

There are several things you can do at home to keep your dog as comfortable as possible while waiting for your vet appointment and allergy consult. A few safe treatments include:

• If your dog is licking or chewing excessively at themselves, an Elizabethan collar (cone) may be helpful to lessen further damage to their skin.
• If your dog is itchy everywhere, you may bathe your dog with a mild shampoo (i.e. oatmeal-based) daily to every other day. Make sure to use lukewarm water and thoroughly rinse the shampoo away.
• Any individual wounds may be cleaned with a mild soap or dilute betadine solution twice daily and then blotted dry.

Can dog dermatitis be prevented?

It all depends upon the underlying cause of your dogs itchy, red skin. As dermatitis is often due to an underlying allergy to something in your pets environment, flea saliva protein, or food allergy, avoiding the triggers can help, but this is not always possible.

By keeping in close contact with your dogs vet and following their recommendations you will likely be able to minimize the frequency and severity of your dogs skin flare-ups. With seasonal or environmental allergies in dogs, much as for people with seasonal allergies, there is no cure. The goal is to keep dogs as comfortable as possible and avoid secondary skin infections as much as we can.

My dogs skin isnt getting better. When should I schedule a vet visit?

If your dog is experiencing any of the following symptoms, its time to schedule a vet visit:

• Scratching more than usual and seems uncomfortable.
• Licking, chewing, or scratching to a point where they are developing sores.
• Fur loss
• Head shaking
• Scratching at ears
• Lethargy
• Lack of appetite

Read more:

Hot Spots (Moist Dermatitis) in Dogs

Common Myths About Allergies in Dogs

Common Skin Diseases in Dogs

Need to speak with a veterinarian regarding your dogs dermatitis or another condition?

Click here to schedule a video consult to speak to one of our vets. You can also download the FirstVet app from the Apple App Store and Google Play Stores.

How to Bathe a Dog the Right Way, According to a Veterinarian

Giving your dog regular baths is an essential part of ongoing grooming and good hygiene. Of course, baths help remove visible dirt your dog earned through happy walks and romps through natural environments. But in addition to keeping your dogs coat clean, bathing also helps keep it healthy and free from parasites. While bathing is important for all dogs, not all require bathing at the same frequency with factors like their breed, fur, and environment all affecting the appropriate interval between baths. Once you determine how many scrub downs your pet needs, make those baths as pleasant and stress free as possible using these expert tips for how to bathe a dog, backed by a veterinarian.

How to prepare to bathe your dog:

Before you even turn on the water, take the time to set up an environment where your dog will be as comfortable as possible, and will associate the experience positively. One way to do that is to prepare your dogs coat so the process doesnt trigger discomfort.

Its recommended that you take the time to brush your dogs coat, especially if theyre longer-haired pups that get frequent tangles, says Jennifer Freeman, PetSmart resident veterinarian and pet care expert. Tangled hair can mat once you start bathing your dog, making it an unpleasant experience for your pet.

Where to bathe your dog:

First, youre going to need to determine the right place to bathe your dog. As a starting point, Consider the size and breed of your dog to ensure you have space and to best determine whether to bathe your dog indoors or outside, Freeman says.

For particularly small dogs, a sink might work best. More likely, its a bath tub, which can accommodate a range of breed sizes.

Bathing your dog outside instead of indoors might be a solid choice for certain breeds in some seasons.

Ideal water conditions for bathing a dog:

Especially if youre bathing your dog outside where hoses might run cold or hot be mindful of water temperature and pressure.

Whether its a hose or shower head, make sure water pressure is low and the water is lukewarm, Freeman says.

Water should be warm enough for your dog to be comfortable, and also to get the job done; colder water doesnt clean as well. (If you wouldnt love a cold bath, consider that your pet probably wouldnt either.)

Supplies youll need to bath your dog:

Get ready to bathe your dog by dressing in comfortable, casual clothes you dont mind getting dirty and soaked. Then gather all the supplies youll need and keeping them handy. (Much better to do it now than to try to find missing items when your dog is shaking water all over you!)

Youre going to need absorbent towels, including an extra one for your pet to stand on when hes still wet after the bath. Youll need shampoo meant for dogs (you can ask your vet for the best brand for your pup). Get yourself a set of combs and brushes right for your dogs breed and coat type.

Bathing your dog:

Now youre ready to go. Test the water first to make sure its lukewarm. Then, make sure to fully saturate your dogs coat; this may be challenging for especially thick or water-resistant coats.

Next, shampoo your pet, taking care to avoid sensitive areas including his eyes and face. Work the shampoo into a lather, adding water as necessary. Massage your dog as you rub in the shampoo, in just the same way youd have your own head massaged at the shampoo bowl in a salon: it should be perfectly pleasant! Let the shampoo sit on your dogs coat for several minutes before thoroughly rinsing with water.

Drying your dog after the bath:

No matter where you bathe your dog, dont forget drying an essential part of the bathing process to keep your pup comfortable and healthy.

Regardless of where you bathe your dog indoors or out its important to dry him with a towel, Freeman says. Dogs with heavier coats should be dried thoroughly to prevent damp spots in the undercoat which can lead to hot spots. This is a common dog skin disorder also known as acute moist dermatitis; it causes sores and pain.

Safety tips for bathing a dog:

Whether your dog regularly enjoys baths or is always skittish about the whole prospect, youre going to want to line up some safety measures to keep bath time safe and secure.

Unless your dog can sit still during a bath or youre able to restrain them with your hand, its important to make sure you have somewhere to tether them if need be to avoid them escaping mid-bath, Freeman notes. Never leave your dog unattended.

She also warns pet bathers to make sure to thoroughly wash off any leftover shampoo. Not doing so can lead to contact dermatitis or hot spots, moist and infected lesions that itch, Freeman says.

With these tips in mind, youll be ready for a safe, successful, and stress-free dog-bathing process.