While all dogs scratch from time to time, there can be deeper issues at play. Skin allergies are among the most common conditions in dogs, according to pet insurance data. While not “curable,” dog skin allergies treatments are available and can be highly effective at relieving your dog’s itchy and irritated skin.
Let’s take a look at the signs your dog may have allergies, the reasons behind them, the treatment options available, and how diet can help or hurt.
Symptoms and causes of dog skin allergies
While we covered the symptoms and causes of skin allergies in our previous post, The Best Dog Food for Skin Allergies: What Pet Parents Need to Know, here’s a quick recap.
The most common dog skin allergy symptoms
Since allergies cause a lot of itching, you’re likely to see these behaviors in an allergic dog:
- chewing or biting their skin
- scratching excessively
- scooting on the floor
- rubbing against furniture or other surfaces
All of that scratching and biting can lead to visible damage to the skin, including:
- sores, that can also become infected
- foot infections
- ear infections
- hair loss
- red and inflamed skin
The main causes of dog skin allergies
The culprits behind dog skin allergies fall into three main categories:
- fleas
- environmental allergens (including dust, pollen, mold, and chemicals in the dog’s environment)
- food
It may be surprising to see allergens like dust and pollen listed here, since in humans they usually cause respiratory issues. However, dogs are different and react to these allergens on their skin.
Testing your dog for allergies
If you notice any of the symptoms mentioned above, the first step is to make an appointment with your veterinarian.
If your veterinarian suspects that your dog’s symptoms are caused by allergies, they will most likely recommend allergy testing to determine the allergen culprit.
The main tests involve:
- checking for fleas and other parasites
- eliminating certain foods
- testing the skin
- testing the blood
“A systematic approach to treating allergies is often the most effective way to contend with them,” Dr. Dody, one of our resident veterinarians said. “This involves starting with the simple tests first to rule out the simplest and most common issues. If these simple tests don’t find the cause, you can discuss the more expensive testing options.”
Finding the cause is important since treating allergies with a shotgun approach is not as effective as treating for tested and confirmed allergies. Thankfully, most causes of dog skin allergies are found using simple methods that don’t cost several hundred dollars.
Let’s look at how testing often goes.
Checking for fleas and other parasites
Fleas are the most common cause of dog skin allergies, so they’re what we look for first. Fleas are more often found in the environment than on your dog, so you may not see these insects on your dog’s skin. You are, however, likely to see “flea dirt” or little dark specks that look like black pepper which are made of digested blood.
Mange is another itchy skin condition caused by parasites (mites, to be specific). If your vet suspects your dog has mange, they will do a skin scraping to confirm it.
Eliminating the parasites will eliminate your dog’s itchy skin if they are the cause. For fleas, there are many non-toxic flea repellant treatments available. For the mites that cause mange, your vet will develop a treatment plan to eliminate them.
Eliminating certain foods
If your vet suspects a food allergy, they will probably recommend a special diet that does not contain any common allergens (also called an elimination diet, a limited ingredient diet, or a food allergy elimination trial).
Your dog will have to follow this diet for several weeks at least. If their symptoms improve, that’s seen as a confirmation that food allergies are present.
Your vet will then guide you through slowly reintroducing the possibly problematic foods to determine which specific food is to blame.
Elimination diets are very cost effective and a great way to identify food allergies, but they cannot determine the allergen if it turns out to be environmental.
Testing your dog’s skin and blood
If parasites and food are not the cause, skin tests are usually the next step.
Skin cytology is a noninvasive and inexpensive procedure where a small sample of your dog’s skin is taken (like with a swab of a piece of tape) and examined under a microscope to look for the cause of your dog’s itchy skin. It’s very effective in finding issues caused by bacterial or fungal infections.
If the cause of your dog’s skin allergy still can’t be determined, your vet may recommend one of the following two blood and skin tests. Always discuss the pros and cons of these tests with your vet first, as they can cost hundreds of dollars.
A blood test called RAST, or “radioallergosorbent test,” looks for antibodies in your dog’s blood that are for specific allergens. It usually involves drawing the blood and then sending it to a laboratory for testing.
IDAT, which stands for “intradermal allergy testing,” involves injecting small amounts of different allergens into your dog’s skin and then monitoring the skin for any signs of a reaction like redness or swelling.
RAST is less expensive than IDAT and less invasive. However, it’s not as accurate and has a much higher rate of false positives. IDAT is considered the most accurate way to determine environmental allergens in dogs, but it does involve sedation, which may not be advisable for some dogs. It also is the most expensive of all the allergy tests.
Dog skin allergy treatments your vet may recommend
The treatment method your vet recommends will depend on several factors, including the type of allergen responsible and whether you’ll be doing short term treatment for flare ups or long term allergy management.
Treatments can come with side effects (especially when used long-term) so be sure to discuss those with your vet when settling on the plan that’s right for your dog.
For skin allergies caused by fleas, your vet will discuss various ways to eliminate the fleas from your dog’s body and environment as well as ways to soothe their itchy skin while it heals.
Common treatment options for environmental allergens include:
- Antihistamines: These are usually not the most effective option for dog skin allergies, but they can help in some cases. They are usually given as a tablet.
- Steroids: Steroids may be prescribed to lower inflammation as well as the activity of the immune system. They may be injected or applied topically in an ointment.
- Immune modulators: These medications do not cure the allergy but instead stop the itch and provide relief that way. They are given in tablet form and are effective against environmental allergens but not food allergies.
- Monoclonal antibodies: Given by injection every 1-2 months, this treatment works by neutralizing one of the main proteins that causes itching in allergic dogs. This provides symptom relief but doesn’t cure the underlying allergy.
- Medicated shampoos: Cleaning your dog’s skin and coat with an appropriate medicated shampoo not only removes what’s causing the itch but soothes the skin. It also can provide treatment for infections that can be caused by excessive scratching.
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Immunotherapy: This consists of allergy shots or oral drops that are made for your dog’s specific allergies based on skin testing.
For food allergies or intolerances, the treatment plan will depend on whether or not the specific food trigger can be identified. If the special diet plan uncovered the trigger, you may be able to simply remove that trigger from your dog’s diet.
Other cases can be more complex, requiring a limited-ingredient or hydrolyzed-protein diet along with one or more of the treatments listed above for environmental allergens. Your vet will know the best way to proceed for your dog.
How diet aligns with your dog’s skin allergies treatment
While treatment for your dog’s allergies should always start with your vet’s expertise, diet plays an important role in supporting dogs with skin allergies (especially when food sensitivities are part of the picture).
Dr. Dody explained, “Nutrition isn’t just about feeding your dog. It’s about controlling what goes into their body on a daily basis. For dogs with environmentally-caused allergies, poor nutrition can make treatment more difficult.
“And when a dog is reacting to something in their food, even the most effective medications may only provide temporary relief unless that trigger is identified and removed.”
Why food matters more than you might think
Your dog needs good food to heal and recover. To be specific, a properly balanced and nutritious diet has many benefits for dogs struggling with skin allergies, including:
- helping to calm the immune response
- reducing inflammation in the skin
- supporting healing of the skin barrier
This is even more critical when dealing with food allergies and sensitivities.
Benefits of a fresh, homemade approach
If you’ve been able to identify your pet’s food allergy trigger, that’s a great start. However, it still can be difficult to find a food that works for your dog.
That’s because even dog foods marked for sensitive skin often use multiple protein sources along with fillers or additives that can complicate things.
For some pet parents, preparing a homemade diet offers the control they need to provide safe and healthy food for their dog. By choosing each ingredient yourself, you can:
- avoid known allergens completely
- select novel proteins your dog hasn’t eaten before
- eliminate unnecessary additives and fillers
This can be especially helpful for dogs with complex or persistent allergy symptoms.
That said, homemade feeding must be done carefully. Dogs require a complete and balanced diet, and removing ingredients without a proper replacement for them can lead to nutritional deficiencies over time.
Making homemade feeding safe and balanced
Whole foods are a great start, but a veterinary-formulated premix is what makes them complete.
A limited-ingredient premix is designed to be added to fresh, whole foods to create a nutritionally complete meal without introducing unnecessary allergens. This allows pet parents to maintain control over the ingredients in their dog’s food while still meeting their nutritional needs.
Our team of veterinary experts formulated our Canine Limited Premix specifically with sensitive dogs in mind. When combined with our carefully crafted recipes, it’s designed to avoid common dietary triggers while completing your dog’s diet with essential vitamins and minerals for their overall health.
“Diet is a powerful tool in long-term allergy management,” Dr. Dody added. “For dogs with food allergies or sensitivities, an allergen-free diet can provide the relief they’ve been looking for. And for dogs with skin allergies coming from a different source, a well thought out nutrition plan can provide critical support to help their overall treatment be a success.”
Conclusion
Seeing your dog suffer with skin allergies can be heartbreaking, but there is hope. By working with your veterinarian to find an appropriate treatment plan and supporting their overall health with a balanced and nutritionally complete diet, your dog can be comfortable and itch-free not just in the short term, but for the long run.