Canine Atopic Dermatitis
What is atopic dermatitis?
Atopic dermatitis is a complex skin condition that is caused by the skin reacting to things within the
environment that would normally cause no reaction in a ‘normal’ dog. The exact underlying reason
for this is not fully understood, and it is thought to be a combination of genetics, anti-body
production and the overall health of the skin.
Most dogs develop symptoms between the age of 6 months and 3 years. Certain breeds are
predisposed to the condition such as West Highland white terriers, German shepherds and
Labradors, but any breed can be affected.
What sort of symptoms would my dog have if she/he has the condition?
The typical symptoms you may notice are
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Itchy skin
Red sore skin
A greasy smelly coat
Hair loss
Thickening and darkening of the skin
Ear infections
I have been told it can be a difficult condition to diagnose. Why is that?
There are many different skin conditions that can cause similar symptoms to those mentioned
above. For example, parasites (mites and fleas), skin infections and a food intolerances. For this
reason atopic dermatitis is a diagnosis of exclusion, i.e. only once we have ruled out other causes can
we diagnose your dog with the condition.
Typically we would undergo a systematic approach to diagnosing the condition. This process will be
discussed with you by your vet and may vary slightly from patient to patient but below is an example
of the process you and your dog may go through:
1. Your dog’s skin history:
- We will ask you lots of detailed questions about when you first noticed the
condition, if the condition is all year round or only at certain times of the year, what
you feed your dog and what flea control products you use. This may take some time
so we may need to book you a longer appointment than normal for this.
2. Rule out infections
- We will perform tests to check whether or not your pet has any bacterial, fungal or
parasitic infections. These may include taking swabs of the skin and ears, plucks of
the hair and small scrapings of the skin.
- Certain mites can be very difficult to diagnose so we may need to take a blood test
too.
3. Diet
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Occasionally itchy skin can be caused by an intolerance or ‘adverse reaction’ to a
particular food. For this reason, we may advise your dog undergoes a change in diet
to a particular food. Depending on your dog’s history we will advise you accordingly
as to what food would be best.
So you have ruled out infections and a food intolerance and have diagnosed my dog with atopic
dermatitis. What happens next?
The first important step is to be aware that it is a life-long condition that can be successfully
managed by a combination of allergen avoidance, medication and maximising the health of the skin,
but cannot be cured. There may be times when your dog’s skin is very healthy and the itchiness is
minimal, but there will also be times when the skin is sore and your dog will require more intensive
care. This is list of some of the steps we may take to manage the condition:
A. Allergen avoidance
- This refers to the process of limiting your dog’s exposure to allergens that cause
his/her skin to flare up. We may do a blood test to check for what these might be.
Examples of allergens include dust mites or certain pollens.
B. Medication
- Depending on your dog’s symptoms we may recommend the use of different forms
of medication. Some of these include corticosteroids, ciclosporin (Atopica®), allergen
specific immunotherapy, oclacitinib (Apoquel®) and anti-histamines. We may also
advise the use of certain shampoos or creams that can be applied directly to the
skin.
C. Maximising the skin’s health
- By keeping your dog’s skin as healthy as possible you can help reduce the chance of
it becoming itchy. This can be done by:
i. Monthly flea treatments (Advantix® and Advocate®) and environmental flea
treatments that also kill dust mites (Indorex®)
ii. Essential fatty acid supplements. These help maintain the protective barriers
of the skin and protect against infections (Coatex®)
It sounds like it can be difficult to treat the condition and I am worried about how I will cope with
the condition long-term. Is there any advice you can give me?
The most important thing is to realise there will be ups and downs in the condition but with regular
check-ups, letting us know when you are concerned and checking your dog’s skin regularly your dog
can live a very happy and healthy life. We are always here and happy to help! 
The Swanbridge Veterinary Group, Tranby Lane, Swanland, HU143NG. Tel: 01482 633888,
Fax: 01482 634 576, Email: info@swanbridgevets.com