Allergies in Dogs (Atopic Dermatitis)

My dog, Owen, gets itchy around this time every year. It began to occur when he was about 2 years old and has gotten to be more severe each year. This year it has been severe enough to need to be medicated. Dogs with atopic dermatitis will, in addition to the itching, often have fur that is tinged brown from licking themselves. They also will sometimes develop discolored areas of skin in areas that are most affected. You can see the brownish fur in some areas on Owen's paws in the picture below, because he has been licking them a lot.

Aside from the necessary trip to the veterinarian (which you should do!) to diagnose and begin treatment, here are five things you can potentially do at home to help with allergies in your dog (with your veterinarians consent).

1. Bathe your dog.

Bathing your dog will help to remove pollen and other allergens from their skin and therefore help to reduce the reaction. This can be done at varying intervals depending on your individual dog and what your vet recommends. I bathe Owen every week. I use a shampoo that has natural ingredients and that has a conditioner built in. This helps to condition his skin to make a better barrier. Bathing will also help prevent infections from dirty skin. There are many good brands so find one that you like and that works for your dog!

2. Apply topical sprays/creams to help relieve the itch.

This one, especially, needs to be done on the advice of your veterinarian. I use a spray that contains both hydrocortisone and lidocaine. It will help with particularly itchy areas and help prevent sores from developing due to scratching.

3. Administer antihistamines (ONLY IF YOUR VETERINARIAN SAYS THIS IS OK).

My veterinarian recommended that I start administering an antihistamine to Owen. I am not going to mention which one here or a dose because that varies from dog to dog. Some dogs will not be helped by this treatment so working with your vet is crucial here.

4. Wipe your dog off with pet wipes or other wipes every time they go out and come back inside.

This is the same idea as the bathing, only is done more frequently.

5. Consider adding an omega-3 supplement to the food or feed a food that is higher in omega-3 fatty acids (a food designed for dermatological conditions, for example).

I hope that these tips help your itchy dog to recover faster! As always, contact your veterinarian with any concerns you have about your pup and stay happy and not itchy!

Chew Items for Dogs

As some of you may know, Owen is not really a big "chewer" but he does enjoy some items.
However, when he was a puppy, he did a lot of chewing. A family member recently got a new puppy and asked me about what types of chews I recommended because the pup was wanting to chew a lot.
Here's my list of chews and what I recommend vs. don't recommend.

1. My top choice for a chew for dogs is the Himalayan Dog Chew (yak cheese chew). These are tough, irresistible to most dogs, and edible (so they shouldn't cause issues with blockages as easily). The original one is here and is available in many sizes. There are other brands as well but this brand is fantastic!
2. Rawhide. Not all rawhide is created equal. If you're going to give your dog rawhide, don't give him the stuff from bulk bins at stores. Get one of the enzyme-treated rawhides such as the ones from Virbac.
3. Elk/deer antlers. I generally don't recommend these because they are more likely to fracture teeth. If your dog is not a big chewer, it might be safer but you don't really need them in that case.
4. Nylabones/nylon chews. I don't usually recommend these because of concerns about dogs who might chew off larger pieces and due to concerns about chemical contamination in plastics/nylon. If your dog likes them (Owen never has) and you are not concerned about those issues I listed above, they can be OK.
5. Pig ears/hoofs/roasted bones. I don't recommend these. The pig ears are often contaminated with salmonella or other bacteria. The hoofs can be contaminated and also are hard enough to fracture teeth. The roasted bones can potentially splinter or fracture teeth as well.

If you're going to let your dog chew on things, make sure you get the right type of chew to be safe, and always supervise them while chewing.