Allergic skin disease

What is allergic skin disease and how can it affect your pet ?

Allergic skin disease is one of the most common skin complaints that we at Dundas Veterinary Group are presented with. Allergic skin disease is an umbrella term covering a variety of causes which can only be summarised here but the main ones include flea bite hypersensitivity, adverse food reaction and atopy. Often these three syndromes will coexist. Here we will concentrate mainly on atopy.
Atopy is a hypersensitivity to environmental allergens such as tree pollens or grasses or indoor allergens such as house dust mites. It results in intense pruritus (itchiness) which becomes a source of distress for both pet and owner. 

Symptoms and diagnosis of allergic skin disease 

Clinical signs of allergic skin disease include pruritus with hair loss or sometimes just saliva staining around the paws. Depending on secondary factors there may also be evidence of bacterial infection or yeast overgrowth hence the clinical appearance can vary markedly from animal to animal. 
Diagnosis is based on seasonal history if outdoor allergens are involved,(though this may become less obvious as the disease progresses), clinical examination of affected areas and pattern of affected areas as it is usually around the head and paws that symptoms are displayed. It is often a diagnosis based on exclusion of other causes of skin disease and this may require general health screening blood tests, skin scraping and biopsy and for a more definitive answer, intradermal testing or immunoglobulin blood testing for specific allergens.
Good protection against fleas and other parasites is very important and is easily achieved through application of topical spot on oral preparations.. Sometimes we will also look at dietary trials as many animals with atopy will also have food intolerances. This may be in the form of prescription diets or home made diets with a novel source of protein and carbohydrate.
For indoor allergies frequent vacuuming, especially those with filters, washing of pets beds and having wooden flooring rather than carpets will all help to reduce the number of house dust mites and alleviate some of the symptoms. For outdoor allergies walking may have to be limited to certain areas to avoid allergens. Bathing after a walk can also often help reduce the pruritis.
This is only an overview and more information regarding allergic skin disease can be discussed with one of our vets. Get in touch with Dundas Veterinary Group today
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