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Atopic Dermatitis in Dogs: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments

Reviewed and updated for accuracy on February 13, 2020 by Dr. Hanie Elfenbein, DVM, PhD

Dog allergies are often caused by the allergens found in pollen, animal dander, plants, and insects, but dogs can also be allergic to food and medication as well.

These allergies can cause symptoms such as excessive itching, scratching, and grooming; rashes; sneezing; watery eyes; paw chewing; and skin inflammation.

When allergies cause skin disease, the condition is called atopic dermatitis (meaning itchy skin and inflammation).

Here’s everything you need to know about atopic dermatitis in dogs.

What Is Atopic Dermatitis in Dogs?

Atopic dermatitis is an inflammatory, chronic skin disease associated with allergies. In fact, this is the second most common allergic skin disease in dogs, after flea allergy dermatitis.

Causes of Dog Dermatitis

These allergic reactions can be brought on by normally harmless substances like grass, mold spores, house dust mites, and other environmental allergens.

At What Age Can Dogs Get Dermatitis?

Dogs normally show signs of the disease between 1-6 years of age, though atopic dermatitis can be so mild the first year that it doesn’t become noticeable or consistent for several years.

Symptoms of Atopic Dermatitis in Dogs

Symptoms associated with atopic dermatitis often get worse with time, though they may also be seasonal.

These are the most commonly affected areas in dogs:

· Ears

· Feet

· Underbelly

· Muzzle

· Armpits

· Groin

· Base of the tail

· Around the eyes

· In between the toes

The symptoms associated with atopic dermatitis include:

· Itching

· Scratching

· Rubbing

· Licking

· A yeasty smell

· Greasy skin

· Redness or tough skin

What Causes Atopic Dermatitis in Dogs?

Some breeds are more likely to develop allergies, including Golden Retrievers, Poodles (and hybrids), Shih Tzus, Cocker Spaniels, and Bulldogs. However, any dog can develop allergies.

While there’s no way to prevent your dog from developing allergies, there are several excellent treatment options available.

Can Dogs Get Tested for Allergies?

Prior to any treatment, your veterinarian will need a complete medical history to determine the pattern of your dog’s allergies. Some allergies are seasonal, such as mold, while others are year-round.

A complete physical examination is important in determining the best types of treatment. Your veterinarian will want to perform tests on skin samples from the affected areas.

Serologic allergy testing may be performed, which looks for antibodies in the blood, but the results are not always reliable. The quality of this kind of testing often depends on the laboratory that analyzes the results.

Intradermal testing may also be used to identify the cause of your pet’s allergic reaction. This is where small amounts of test allergens are injected into the skin and wheal (a red bump) response is measured.

Since these types of tests are very expensive, your veterinarian may recommend treatment instead of advanced allergy testing.

Treatment for Atopic Dermatitis in Dogs

The treatment will depend on what is causing your pet’s allergic reaction.

If the reaction is due to atopy, a genetic disposition to an allergic reaction, for example, hyposensitization therapy can be performed. Your veterinarian will give your pet injections of the allergens to which they are sensitive. This decreases itchiness in 60-80% of dogs, but may approximately take 6 months to a year to see an improvement.

Your veterinarian might recommend immunomodulatory medications. These are available either as a daily pill (Apoquel) or an injection given every 4-10 weeks (Cytopoint). Along with these, antibiotics or antifungal medicines are often required to treat the skin infections that result from allergies.

Additionally, regular bathing with medicated or prescription-strength shampoo can greatly improve your pet’s comfort and help skin infections resolve faster. Shampoo and other topical treatments can also be used as maintenance therapy to reduce the risk or severity of future skin infections.

Does Atopic Dermatitis Go Away?

Unfortunately, atopic dermatitis only rarely goes into remission or spontaneously resolves.

Once treatment has begun, your veterinarian must see your dog every 2-8 weeks to ascertain the effectiveness of the treatment and to check for drug interactions.

Then, as your pet’s itching becomes more controlled, they will need to be brought into the veterinarian’s office every 3-12 months for checkups.

It’s very important to stay vigilant and make sure your dog gets treatment at the first sign of an itch.

If left untreated, allergies can change a dog’s personality—the constant itch and frustration can lead dogs to shy away from people or be aggressive when touched.

This is especially true for dogs with ear infections as part of their allergy symptoms. Chronic ear infections can also lead to deafness.

If your veterinarian should find the trigger for your pet’s allergies, he or she will advise you as to how to best avoid those type of allergens.

4 Popular Home Remedies For Itchy Skin In Dogs

Veterinarian Reviewed by Dr. Janice Huntingford, DVM on January 18, 2018
Posted in Dog Skin Allergies

Itchy skin is one of the most common health problems for dogs, largely because it can be triggered by so many things. If fleas or ticks are not the culprit, your dog’s skin might have become inflamed, infected or excessively dry thanks to allergies, yeast, or dust mites. Some dogs have allergies to seemingly harmless foods like chicken, corn or wheat, while others have naturally dry skin that causes them to scratch or lick themselves to the point where bumps and scabs arise.

Making itchy skin even more troublesome is the fact that traditional medications aren’t always as effective as they should be. Apoquel and medicated shampoos, for example, might achieve temporary relief at best. This has prompted resourceful pet parents to turn to simple home remedies that have proven to treat dryness and eliminate several other triggers of itchy skin. The number of these remedies continues to grow, as does the amount of pet parents reporting their effectiveness.

Apple Cider And Vinegar

A 50/50 mix of raw, unfiltered apple cider and vinegar is a highly recommended home remedy because each ingredient has multiple functions. Apple cider balances the pH levels of the skin while eradicating fleas and mites. Vinegar has antibacterial, antiviral and anti-fungal properties. While it is generally recommended that you mix the remedy with water, some pet parents have found success after adding brewed green tea as well.

The solution can reportedly be applied via a spray bottle or sponge as much as twice a day until the itching has subsided. It might sting, however, if it comes into contact with wounds or raw skin. Results can usually be seen after two weeks, which is the same amount of time the solution can be refrigerated before turning moldy.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil has been known to stop itching when applied topically and/or orally. The first function stems from coconut oil’s fatty acids that moisturize and repair damaged skin, while the latter boosts your dog’s immune system and fights internal infections. Coconut oil can be mixed into your dog’s food, though it might have to be heated beforehand during winter months.

Dosage typically determines on age and size, though numerous pet parents have said that just about any reputable human brand of extra-virgin, pure coconut oil will work for your dog. It seems that the quickest relief (as little as one week) was experienced by pet parents who performed both applications at least once a day.

Yogurt

Yogurt fights skin and yeast infections with natural probiotics that keep healthy bacteria in your dog’s gastrointestinal system. It’s extremely important to note that unless your vet says otherwise, the only type of yogurt your dog should be eating is low-fat, plain and free of sugar or additives.

Small or young dogs are usually recommended one teaspoon a day compared to two teaspoons for larger or older dogs. Some pet parents have seen results in a little over a week, and these results aren’t just limited to skin. Your vet will likely see no issue in continuing to add yogurt to your dog’s meals to ward off all sorts of infections and prevent diarrhea.

Baking Soda

A 50/50 mix of baking soda and water is said to eliminate skin-irritating pathogens while exfoliating itchy skin. The usual recommendation is to use two tablespoons of baking soda and then apply the thickened paste to the affected areas once or twice a day. The paste should then be left on for fifteen to twenty minutes before it is washed off. If your dog is itching all over his or her body instead of a few affected areas, you might want to try adding one cup of baking soda to your dog’s bath water.

Don’t Hesitate To Act

These are just a small portion of the dozens of solutions touted by pet parents whose dogs had itchy skin in every physical area you can think of. In addition to natural home remedies, it would be wise to ask your vet about anything else you can do to prevent itchy skin from emerging ever again, like simply brushing your dog’s coat every day. And whatever the cause may be, itchy skin is not a problem that should be taken lightly since they can indicate serious internal problems, like cancer.