Sometimes our dog may have some skin irritation, which we can see as a reddened and/or itchy area. This irritation, which can cause great discomfort, can have several causes that our veterinarian will have to determine in order to prescribe the most appropriate treatment.
In this article on our site we will see what to do if our dog has irritated skin, what reasons can cause irritation, what we can to solve it and, also, how we can prevent this problem that, although it is not usually serious, it does cause considerable discomfort and will require veterinary help.
Why does my dog have irritated skin?
To know what to do if your dog has irritated skin, the first thing to do is to know the causes that can cause this irritation. In general, we will be dealing with dermatitis, that is, the inflammation of the skin that can cause allergies, contact with irritating substances or parasites, especially fleas. All these disorders can affect dogs of any age to a greater or lesser degree and it must be our veterinarian who, after reviewing the dog and the relevant tests, determines the diagnosis. To help you in this task we can observe aspects such as the following, which will provide very important information for diagnosis:
- Data about our dog's lifestyle, that is, in what environment he lives or walks, when, how long, what is his relationship with other animals, etc.
- Feeding.
- Antiparasitic you use and its schedule of use, as well as if you have been taking or take any medication. If our dog has been treated for skin irritation before, we should also notify the vet.
- How the irritation started and if it is the first time it occurs or is it a relapse.
- Take into account if it occurs only at a certain time of the year or at any time.
- Observe if there is presence of pruritus and if it is mild, moderate or intense.
- Check the dog to see if the irritation is localized to some area or, on the contrary, it isgeneralized . In the latter case, you have to know what the speed of the extension has been.
- It is also important to write down the characteristics of the lesions, such as their shape, their color, the formation or not of wounds, etc.
- Finally, we must observe if our dog has other symptoms.
In addition to considering all these data, the veterinarian will examine our dog and may carry out tests such as observing samples of hair and skin, scrapings, cultures, examination with Wood's lamp (discriminates the presence of fungi), biopsies or allergy tests. Below we will see the most common causes of skin irritation in dogs.
Atopic dermatitis, the main cause of skin irritation in dogs
This condition presupposes a predisposition of the dog to develop hypersensitivity reactions to different allergens that are going to be located in the environment. The skin will appear irritated, inflamed and itchy as a reaction to mites, pollens, spores, etc. This dermatitis usually occurs in young dogs, aged between 6 months and 3 years. The lesions can be seasonal or last throughout the year and they can appear in a generalized way or focus on certain areas such as the face or feet. Since the dog is going to scratch, it is easy for wounds, alopecia and other complications secondary to scratching to appear. The picture can also be complicated by the development of otitis or conjunctivitis.
To establish what to do if our dog has irritated skin for this reason, we must bear in mind that it is a treatable but not curable disease, which means that the treatment will be for life. Thus, contact with allergens should be avoided as much as possible. In general, atopic dermatitis is treated with baths, hypoallergenic diet and with fatty acids, scrupulous flea control (we will see that these parasites can be a source of dermatitis) and immunotherapy in recommended cases, that is, administration of vaccines. During crises, medication can also be prescribed to control itching or drugs against potential associated infections. This is a relatively common disorder.
Dog skin irritation due to food allergy
Sometimes, skin irritation is caused by a hypersensitivity reaction to allergens present in food, such as meat, dairy products, cereals, soy, eggs, fish or some additives. It is another of the frequent dermatitis in dogs and its basic characteristic is itching in different parts of the body, which, as we have seen, can be responsible for secondary lesions from scratching (self-trauma). It can also be complicated by otitis and, to a lesser extent, gastrointestinal signs.
In this case, what can we do if our dog has irritated skin? Offer you a elimination dietThis consists of feeding it for a minimum of 6 weeks with food that it has not tried before, for which it can resort to a homemade diet or one of those that are on the market specially formulated for these cases, hypoallergenic or hydrolyzed. If with the new diet the symptoms subside and return if we provide the original diet, the diagnosis will be confirmed. Treatment will consist of avoiding the food or foods that trigger the allergy. To identify them, we can repeat the elimination diet, this time, based on a single source of protein to identify if it is a type of meat or fish. However, the most effective is usually to go to the veterinarian to subject the animal to allergy tests. It should be noted that this type of allergy can appear at any age.
Flea bite allergy dermatitis irritation
In this dermatitis the dog reacts to antigens found in the flea's saliva. Thus, a single bite is enough for the irritation to be triggered. This problem can affect dogs of different ages and at any time of the year, since the conditions of most houses allow fleas to survive in any month.
The irritation will appear in the lumbosacral area, that is, approximately on the tail and the last part of the loin, although it can also extend to the sides or abdomen. As in the previous dermatitis, we will see that the dog has irritated skin and scratches a lot, which will cause lesions such as wounds or alopecia. Diagnosis is relatively simple by finding fleas on the animal or their remains in the form of black balls that are their droppings. If we wet them, we will see that they are made up of blood. Sometimes it is not possible to identify the parasitic presence but the correct diagnosis will be considered if the dog responds favorably to antiparasitic treatment.
In these cases, what to do if the dog has irritated skin is to establish, in agreement with our veterinarian, a strict deworming schedule, in addition to environmental control to eliminate all phases of the parasite. It is important that all measures are extended to all the animals that live together. You must use products that eliminate adult fleas and inhibit immature forms.
My dog has irritated skin and scratches a lot - Sarcoptic mange
This is a dermatitis caused by the Sarcoptes scabiei mite in which we will see that the dog's skin is irritated and it scratches a lot, as this condition produces a very pruritus intense where the dog literally can't stop scratching. In addition, it is a very contagious disease, and can affect dogs, cats and humans, especially the smallest, elderly or previously ill. It greatly affects the area of the elbows and ears and, as in the rest of pruritic dermatitis, we will see alopecia and self-trauma from scratching, as well as scabs.
The diagnosis can be reached by direct visualization of the mite under a microscope after taking a scraping sample. It must be taken into account that this observation is not always possible, so in these cases the diagnosis is confirmed when the animal responds to treatment. Due to the risk of contagion, it is recommended to treat the environment, vacuum frequently and wash your hands well after handling the animal.
Recommendations to relieve a dog's irritated skin
In addition to the above indications depending on the underlying cause, if we are still wondering what to do if our dog has irritated skin or how to calm a dog's irritated skin, we can follow a series of recommendations such as are as follows:
- Go to the vet as soon as possible, as this will prevent the dog from injuring itself and, consequently, worsening the condition.
- We must not apply any drug on irritated skin, as it could be counterproductive, in addition to making diagnosis difficult.
- Nor should we bathe the dog before having a diagnosis that allows us to use the most suitable shampoo. It must be remembered that it is not good to wash dogs very frequently, unless these baths are part of the treatment. However, if for whatever reason we cannot go to the specialist immediately, our dog has irritated skin and scratches a lot, an emergency or first aid measure may be to carry out an oatmeal bath.
- We can apply as a first aid cold compresses (but not ice packs) if the animal's skin is very hot to the touch.
- Vegetable oils with moisturizing properties such as olive oil can also help relieve irritation on our dog's skin.
- We have to scrupulously follow the treatment prescribed by our veterinarian.
- Supplements or foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids help relieve itching and improve skin he alth.
- The prevention of irritations will depend on their cause. In general terms, it will include measures such as periodic deworming, hypoallergenic diets, avoiding walks during times when pollen is highest in the environment, hygiene and, above all, prompt veterinary assistance so that the problem does not worsen.
