With the spring and summer months ahead, many pet owners will notice that their dog experiences a dermatitis or excema condition which can cause severe irritation and an itchy skin.

There are several causes of itching in dogs.  Fleas, contact allergies from grass and pollens and food allergies can all cause an allergic reaction in pet dogs.  There are several treatment options which we recommend.

If your dog is suffering from a severe allergy  with inflammation, redness or broken skin (sores) the first point of call is your local vet clinic.  Your Veterinarian will be able to assess the situation and provide medications such as anti-inflammatories and / or anti biotics if required.  Once the situation has settled down, there are several things you can implement at home to prevent recurrent visits to the vet and to minimise your pet having to be on long term medications such as cortisone therapy.

The first step is to recognise the triggers that cause your pet to itch.  Fleas are a very common irritant. A flea burden not only causes itching, but can cause longer term problems such as anaemia if left un-treated.  We recommend that pet owners use a flea product on their dog all year round and treat all pets in the house hold.  Products such as Frontline, Revolution, Advocate & Advantage are all very simple, effective and safe to use on most pet dogs and cats.  Always make sure you treat your pets bedding in conjunction with your flea program.  This helps to minimise re-infestation from occuring.

Contact allergies to grasses and lawns are another common source of irritation.  Typically your dog will exhibit redness or small red spots on their ventral surface (belly & groin area).  We recommend adding Omega Fatty Acids to your pets diet to help minimise the irritation and to promote a healthy skin and coat.  Omega Fatty Acid Supplements are inexpensive to purchase & are very beneficial to your pet by simply adding it to your pets food daily.  Additionally, many commercial diets can be purchased specifically for dogs with food allergies.  Advance, Hills Science Diet and Proplan are just a few available that use high quality ingredients to help to keep your pet healthy and vital.

We also recommend using a high quality pet shampoo on your pet.  Never use human shampoos or wool wash on your dog as they are very drying to the skin.  Specially designed pet shampoo products such as Malaseb and Aloveen are good options for using on pets prone to excema, dermatitis or generalised itching.

At Peninsula Pet Supplies we welcome any questions that you may have regarding your pet’s health and well being.  Please do not hesitate to call or email us!

Many irritants can cause itching in your pet dog