What should I do if my dog has itchy skin

Why Is My Dog Itching So Much?

Itchy skin on a dog, also called pruritus, is a symptom of many different conditions. If your dog is itchy, they may scratch, bite, or lick an area repeatedly, or it may seem like their whole body is itchy.

Not only is this nonstop itching uncomfortable for your dog, but it can cause infections if your dog keeps scratching and licking. Heres what you need to know.

What to Check for if Your Dog Is Itching Constantly

If your dog has hives, a swollen face, lips, or eye, or is panting excessively, see your vet immediately. These could be signs of a severe allergic reaction.

Other than scratching, you may see these signs of itchy skin in dogs:

• Licking

• Biting

• Rubbing

• Hair loss

• Oozing, inflamed skin

• Stench

If your dogs skin is oozing or inflamed, or if you smell a strong stench, you also need to see the vet, because these are signs of infection.

Causes of Dog Itching

There are several possible reasons why your dog is excessively itching. Common reasons may include:

• Bacterial or fungal infections: Bacterial or fungal infections are a common cause of pruritus, with other symptoms including oozing, inflamed skin, a strong stench, and hair loss.

• Atopic dermatitis: Also called allergic dermatitis, this is often caused by an allergen from the environment, such as from pollen, dander, and plants, so it can be seasonal.

• Flea allergy dermatitis: This is a type of allergic dermatitis that occurs when fleas inject saliva into a dogs body. The proteins within the saliva trigger the immune system, causing itching that typically lasts several days. Even one flea bite can cause a reaction.

• Food allergies: Food allergies are often seen in dogs with year-round itching, and allergic reactions can be tested through a diet trial.

Diagnosing Itchy Skin in Dogs

Your vet will likely recommend a range of testing options, including skin scrapings and blood tests, to determine the underlying cause for itching in your dog.

• Skin cytology (scrapings): This test involves analyzing a tissue sample under a microscope. The vet will look for mites or infections from bacteria or fungus, such asringworm.

• Intradermal testing: In this test, a veterinarian pricks the skin with a small amount of allergen. If the area swells after a half-hour, it means your pet is allergic to that substance.

• Radioallergosorbent test (RAST): A blood test used to identify environmental allergens such as pollen.

• Food trial: If food is a suspected allergen, then a vet may suggest a prescription diet (or food cooked at home) without any additional treats. If itchiness subsides, then food may be the culprit.

Treatment of Dog Itching

If you leave itchy skin in dogs untreated, it may lead to new problems, such as hot spots, which are areas of inflamed skin caused by excessive licking and biting. Your pet will also be uncomfortable, and the only way to stop the itching is to see a vet to find and treat the cause.

Over-the-counter treatments should only be given under the guidance of a veterinarian. Depending on the underlying condition, your vet may recommend one of the following options to help get the itching under control:

• Antibiotics: In the case of bacterial and fungal infections, antibiotics may be prescribed, often taking 21 to 30 days to fully clear skin infections.

• Insect control: Removing or limiting a dogs exposure to insects can help in cases of allergic reactions to insect bites.

• Prescribed diet: If food allergies are suspected, your veterinarian may recommend a special diet. This may mean trial and error to find the right food.

• Steroid medications: Medications such as glucocorticoids are highly effective but can have side effects such as increased hunger and thirst; these medications are usually prescribed for short periods.

• Anti-itch medication: Cyclosporine, oclacitinib, and essential fatty acids are common medications prescribed to dogs for symptom management.

• Antihistamines: While using antihistamines for treating itchiness is common, studies have not established it as a reliably effective treatment for dogs.

• Dog shampoos: Your vet may recommend over-the-counter dog shampoos to help with itching in the short-term.

Dog Itching FAQs

Can stress cause itching in dogs?

Yes, stress can cause short-term itching in dogs. Taking your dog for a walk or playing with them may help relieve symptoms.

How can I relieve my dogs itching?

In addition to following your veterinarians recommendation for treatment, bathing your dog can help, particularly if your dog has atopic dermatitis.

Why is my dog so itchy but has no fleas?

Itchiness can be caused by infection or allergies in the air, such as pollen, dander, or plants. You may not be able to see the fleas, or a single flea bite could have caused the reaction. Taking your dog to the veterinarian will help rule out causes and provide the necessary care.

References

Moriello, K. Itching (pruritus) in dogs. Merck Veterinary Manual. April 2022.

Pruritus diagnostics in dogs and cats. Veterinary Information Network. February 2020.

Featured Image: iStock.com/Oksana Restenko

Types of Dog Allergies and How to Treat Them

Have you heard someone tell you that their dog has allergies? Has your veterinarian suggested that allergies could be a problem for your dog? Do you suspect that your dog has allergies? If so, then youve probably realized that allergies in dogs are not quite as simple as we might wish. For starters, there are several different types of allergies that could be causing your dogs symptoms.

Allergies are a misguided reaction to foreign substances by the bodys immune system, which, of course, people and pets can suffer from. There are quite a few different types of allergies in dogs. Skin allergies, food allergies, and environmental allergens all pose challenges for dogs and their owners, and to make things more complicated, the symptoms of all these different types of allergies can overlap.

Symptoms of Allergies in Dogs

The symptoms of allergies in dogs may vary depending on the cause. A dog that goes into anaphylactic shock, for instance, will have a drop in blood pressure followed by shock, which is very different from a skin condition.

In general, however, the following symptoms could be a sign of an allergic reaction.

• Itchiness
• Hives
• Swelling of the face, ears, lips, eyelids, or earflaps
• Red, inflamed skin
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Sneezing
• Itchy ears
• Chronic ear infections
• Itchy, runny eyes
• Constant licking

Some of these symptoms could also be a sign of another condition. Make an appointment with your veterinarian if you notice changes in their behavior to get an accurate diagnosis.

Types of Allergic Reactions in Dogs

Allergic Dermatitis in Dogs

Skin allergies in dogs, known as allergic dermatitis, is the most common type of allergic reaction in dogs. Skin allergies in dogs are mainly caused by one of three things: fleas, food allergies, and atopicor environmentalallergies.Flea allergy dermatitis is an allergic reaction to fleabites, and some dogs are allergic to flea saliva, which can cause their skin to become red, inflamed, or scabbed because their skin will feel extremely itchy. Its the easiest type of allergic dermatitis to treat, since you can apply flea medication for dogs to help heal their skin.

Another cause of skin allergy in dogs is from food allergies and sensitivities. Just like humans can be allergic to certain foods or ingredients, dogs can be allergic, which can cause itchy skin. Dogs with food allergies usually have itchy ears or paws, sometimes along with gastrointestinal symptoms. Dr. Klein, Chief Veterinary Officer for the AKC, says that food allergies are not as common as you might think. True food allergies result in an immune response, which can range in symptoms from hives, facial swelling, and itchiness to gastrointestinal signs like vomiting and diarrhea or a combination of both.

Environmental allergens can also affect the skin and be the cause of allergic dermatitis. Things like dust, pollen, fungus, and mold can cause these reactions, but in most cases, these allergies are seasonal. As with food allergies that affect the skin, the most commonly affected areas are the paws and ears (but also include the wrists, ankles, muzzle, underarms, groin, around the eyes, and in between the toes).

All skin allergies pose the risk of secondary infection. As your dog scratches, bites, and licks at his skin, he risks opening up his skin to yeast and bacterial infections that may require treatment.

Urticaria, or Hives, in Dogs

Also known as urticaria, hives on dogs are very itchy but are not life-threatening. Hives appear as a reaction anywhere from 6 to 24 hours after exposure to allergens. This consists of itchy, swelled skin, that usually looks like a red rash. Its easiest to spot hives on dogs that are hairless or have short coats. Dogs with longer hair can get them too, but its more likely that youd be able to fee the hives rather than see them. Your vet will prescribe an antihistamine in order to treat urticaria in dogs.

Edema of Face or Throat

Swelling of the throat or face looks severe, but its actually almost never fatal. This area of swelling, which can also include swelling of the eyelids or ear flaps, is known as angioneurotic edema. Its actually pretty easily treated, and despite how it looks, its a good sign in terms of allergic reactions.

If your dog has edema of any of these areas, the time for a fatal allergic reaction has most likely passed, and they arent in as much danger. Angioneurotic edema occurs anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours after exposure to an allergen, and can also come with hives.A veterinarian will often give dogs with this reaction an antihistamine injection. Untreated, it may take a day or two for the swelling to subside.

Anaphylactic Shock

Perhaps the most alarming of all the types of allergic reactions in dogs is anaphylactic shock. Like people, dogs can go into anaphylactic shock if they have a severe reaction to an allergen. This happens when antibodies produced by the host react negatively to the allergen, dropping your dogs blood pressure rapidly and sending them into shock. This can be fatal if not treated, but luckily, anaphylactic reactions are rare in dogs.

This can be a response to any allergen, most commonly bee or wasp stings, or vaccine reactions. Because of this, your vet will always recommend keeping a close eye on your dog after theyve been given any new vaccine, drug, or food item, as they might be allergic.

If a dog has had a past incident and survived, the owner may carry an epipen, but sometimes the first occurrence can lead to death. Fortunately these reactions are very rare in dogs.

In some rare cases, a severe food allergy reaction resulting in anaphylaxis can occur, similar to severe peanut allergies in humans. The best way to diagnose and treat a food allergy is to work with your veterinarian to manage your dogs symptoms and discover the ingredient causing the reaction.

Diagnosing Allergies in Dogs

Flea allergy dermatitis is typically the easiest allergy to diagnose. It is usually diagnosed by identifying fleas on your dogs body and applying a product that kills fleas before they can bite to see if that solves the issues.

The first thing your veterinarian will do in allergy testing is rule out any other condition that could be causing your dogs symptoms. If your veterinarian feels that an allergy is a likely cause, they may propose allergy testing to try and determine the cause of the allergen that is causing the reaction. However, keep in mind it may not always be possible to determine the cause of an allergy with testing.

If you have ever undergone allergy testing, then you know that diagnosing allergies is often complicated. Its the same for dogs, but its worth it to understand what to stay away from when it comes to your dog.Food allergies are often diagnosed using an elimination diet. A food trial consists of feeding a dog one source of protein and carbohydrate for 12 weeks.

Treating Allergies in Dogs

The best way to treat an allergy is avoidance of the cause and allergen, which may not always be possible. They type of treatment depends on the type of allergy your dog has. For example, the best way to treat flea allergy dermatitis is to kill the fleas, whereas the best way to treat a food allergy or food intolerance is a change in diet.

Depending on the cause and severity of your dogs allergic reaction, your veterinarian will prescribe different things. For hives, they might suggest antihistamines, cortisones, medicated shampoos, whereas with food allergies they might suggest fish oil or other Omega-3 fatty acid supplements. For skin allergies, they might prescribe dog-safe anti-inflammatory wipes or shampoo on skin to provide irritation relief.

In addition to any lifestyle changes that might be necessary, your veterinarian may also prescribe an allergy relief medication for your dog that will help control the signs associated with the allergic reaction, such as itching and any secondary skin infections that might have developed as a result of the irritant.

If your dog has a severe allergic reaction, your best course of action is to get them to an emergency veterinary hospital as quickly as possible.