According to a 2022 Nationwide® survey on pet insurance data, for the eleventh year in a row, allergic dermatitis was the top reason dogs visited the veterinarian, and the condition is common in cats too. Our Creature Comforts Veterinary Service team provides information about the most common allergies affecting pets and potential treatment strategies.

Flea allergy dermatitis is a common itchy pet cause

Flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) is the most common cause of pets’ itchiness. FAD pets are allergic to a compound in flea saliva, and when fleas bite, they inject a small amount of saliva into your furry pal’s body. One flea bite can cause a pet excessive skin inflammation and itchiness, leading to constant scratching, chewing, licking, and rubbing. Affected pets also often have red bumps and hair loss on their lower back, inner thighs, and abdomen. Surprisingly, many owners never find a flea on their FAD pet, because their four-legged friend’s constant grooming removes the fleas. In some cases, flea dirt (i.e. flea excrement) is visible in a pet’s coat or bedding. FAD treatment involves:

  • Flea control — All pets in your household, especially those with FAD, must be on a veterinary-approved year-round flea preventive medication.
  • Flea removal — In addition to ridding your pet of fleas, you must completely eradicate these pests from your four-legged friend’s environment. Follow these recommendations:
    • Launder all bedding, blankets, throw rugs, and curtains.
    • Sweep and vacuum your floors and upholstery, and discard the vacuum bag.
    • Treat your home and yard with an appropriate insecticide.
    • Repeat these steps until all fleas at every life stage are completely eradicated from your pet, home, and yard.
  • Bathing — Bathe your pet using a veterinary-approved shampoo to help remove fleas and flea dirt, and soothe your four-legged friend’s irritated skin. By waiting at least 48 hours after administering your pet’s flea control to bathe your furry pal, you ensure their skin has properly absorbed the product.
  • Anti-itch medications — Our Creature Comforts Veterinary Service team may prescribe steroids or other anti-itch medications to help alleviate your pet’s itchiness until the FAD reaction resolves. 

Atopic dermatitis is a common itchy pet cause

Atopic dermatitis is a hypersensitivity reaction to environmental allergens, including grass and tree pollens, dust mites, and mold spores. Affected pets have a dysfunctional skin barrier that allows allergens to gain entry, causing the immune system to trigger an inflammatory response. 

Dog breeds that have a high atopy risk include Shar peis, boxers, pugs, golden retrievers, Labrador retrievers, West Highland terriers, and bulldogs, but any pet can become atopic. Most pets start exhibiting atopy signs between 1 and 3 years of age. Body areas that atopy most commonly affects include the face, paws, abdomen, and under the tail. Many atopic pets also have chronic or recurring skin, ear, and anal gland infections. If your pet is diagnosed with atopy, our team will perform allergy testing to identify the problematic substances. Diagnostic options include intradermal testing or a radioallergosorbent test (RAST), which involves a blood draw. 

Your veterinarian can ease your pet’s itchiness by providing many effective treatment strategies. Your atopic pet’s treatment will likely include the following:

  • Avoiding allergens — Although not always feasible, completely remove the problematic allergen from your pet’s environment. To help reduce your pet’s allergen exposure, follow these tips :
    • Bathe your pet about once a week to remove allergens from their coat.
    • Use a wet cloth to wipe your pet’s coat between baths.
    • Dust and vacuum your house frequently to reduce dust mites.
    • Keep your pet inside when mowing your lawn.
    • Keep doors and windows closed, and run your air conditioner rather than opening up your house when the temperature is warm.
  • Medications — We will prescribe your atopic pet effective medications, including steroids, nonsteroidal anti-itch medications, and antihistamines. In some cases, multiple medications are necessary to control your pet’s condition.
  • Allergen-specific immunotherapy — Our Creature Comforts Veterinary Service team will use your pet’s allergy testing information to create your pet’s allergy shots. This therapy involves administering a series of diluted allergens, gradually increasing the dose to make your pet less sensitive to their allergens. Approximately 60% to 80% of pets improve with this immunotherapy, but your four-legged friend may need to receive allergy shots for 6 to 12 months before this therapy is effective. 

Food allergies are a common itchy pet cause

Some pets develop allergies to ingredients in their food, most commonly proteins such as chicken, beef, eggs, and dairy. The most common food allergy sign is nonseasonal itchiness and skin lesions. The body areas most commonly affected in dogs are their feet, ears, muzzle, chin, groin, and under the tail. The body areas most commonly affected in cats are their head, face, and neck. About 10% to 15% of pets with a food allergy also have gastrointestinal (GI) signs such as vomiting, diarrhea, and gas. In addition, affected pets may develop secondary skin and ear infections. The only way to diagnose a pet’s food allergy definitively is to initiate a dietary elimination trial, which involves:

  • Diet — Our team will prescribe a food elimination trial for your pet. The ideal diet must meet the following criteria:
    • Contain only one or two novel proteins such as bison, duck, rabbit, or kangaroo, or contain hydrolyzed proteins, which are broken down to the extent that the body no longer recognizes them.
    • Have no food additives
    • Be nutritionally adequate for the pet’s species, age, and lifestyle
  • Compliance — During the food elimination trial, your pet must only eat the hypoallergenic diet, and you must not feed your furry pal treats, table scraps, chewable medications and supplements, and flavored toothpaste. Pets typically must remain on the elimination diet for at least eight weeks. 
  • Challenge — If your pet responds favorably to the elimination diet, you can challenge them by providing ingredients from their previous diet to determine the causative allergen. 
  • Avoidance — The most effective treatment for a pet who has a food allergy is to avoid feeding them a diet that contains the offending food allergen.

Our Creature Comforts Veterinary Service team can relieve your pet’s itch. To find out the underlying cause for your pet’s itchiness and ensure they begin an effective treatment plan, contact us.