|
|
Dog Skin Allergy Treatment
If your dog has an allergy, chances are its skin is
itchy enough to almost drive the poor animal mad. While allergies in
people tend to show up as a runny nose or itchy eyes, dogs show
their allergies in their skin. Sometimes the ears become itchy and
red, too. While there are a number of dog skin allergy treatment
products on the market, you might feel like it warrants a visit to
the vet.
Skin problems are the number one illness responsible for trips to
the veterinarian. If you decide to take your dog to the vet, it
would be a good idea to make a few notes before you go. Try to
remember where on the dog's body you first noticed a problem. Also
be ready to answer questions about other treatments you have tried
and whether they worked or not. Have the people in the household
been itching as well?
A vet will want to make an accurate diagnosis before recommending a
dog skin allergy treatment. Skin allergy problems are complicated by
the fact that in many cases there are several problems happening at
once. For instance, the allergy causes the pores of the skin to be
more prone to bacterial and yeast infections. The dog really needs
to be treated for all three conditions - the allergy, the bacterial
infection, and the yeast!
To make an accurate diagnosis, some testing might be in order. The
possibility of the various types of mange (caused by mites) or
ringworm needs to be ruled out. Ringworm is a fungal infection that
affects people and other pets as well as dogs. It is often present
when the symptoms seem to indicate otherwise.
There are other problems that can cause itchy skin, such as thyroid
disease. Diagnosing this requires a blood test. Other blood tests
that might be done are for Addison's Disease, diabetes, and Cushings
disease. Any of these can cause itching, as can liver or kidney
disease. There is an old saying that a problem on the outside often
indicates a problem on the inside. The vet will need to know all the
possible causes of the dog's itching in order to prescribe a
suitable dog skin allergy treatment.
|
