The itching, the scratching and more often than not, there is a foul odor noted with your dog. They seem miserable and uncomfortable most of the time, often requiring multiple visits to your veterinarian.\u00a0 You’ve checked them for fleas.\u00a0 Skin infections have been addressed, but the problem still persists. What is the cause?\u00a0 Why do they scratch and why do they always smell regardless of multiple baths?<\/p>\n
Skin allergies are one of the most common clinical problems treated by a veterinarian.\u00a0 In many cases, the skin allergies also manifest in other areas such as ongoing ear infections and even licking at the feet.\u00a0 Allergies come in many shapes and sizes, not always being caused by the same things.\u00a0 The added frustration with skin allergies is that they itch and cause the pet discomfort.\u00a0 They are restless and often times seem irritable.\u00a0 Skin allergies often lead to skin infections, due to the persistent scratching, which then compounds the issue and makes matters worse.<\/p>\n
There are many causes of allergies in pets ranging from molds to pollen but also include fleas and even dietary ingredients.\u00a0 One major form of allergies in pets is called Atopic Dermatitis, which is not much different than the same condition in people.\u00a0 Most of these pets are allergic to some airborne allergen, which when inhaled, triggers and immune type reaction which is manifested on the skin level with itching and redness.\u00a0 Many Atopic pets exhibit licking at the feet as well as scratching at the ears.\u00a0 These allergens can include mold, pollen, scents used in the house, detergents and even some fragrances used by the owners themselves.<\/p>\n
Another common allergy is flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) which generally presents with a pet scratching or licking at the hind end region, around the tail base.\u00a0 This is different from a pet that has fleas as not all pets with fleas scratch in this particular region. Some pets are hypersensitive to the saliva from the flea bite, which then triggers and immune reaction, manifesting with scratching in this region.\u00a0 The level or degree of scratching can range from minimal to severe, often with evident hair loss, redness of the skin and even pustules.\u00a0 In most cases, fleas are readily seen, but this is not always the case.<\/p>\n
Food allergies are another form that is quite common, manifesting with itching and licking generally localizing to the feet and ears.\u00a0 This is not unlike Atopic Dermatitis, and the two conditions must be differentiated for proper treatment.\u00a0 In most cases, it is a protein found in the diet, or it could be a preservative or even coloring agent or additive.\u00a0 Most of these pets are put various food trials in order to eliminate the diet as the source of the problem.<\/p>\n
Many, but not all of these pets will present not only with scratching but if you smell closely, there is a distinct odor to many of them, often likened to the smell of dirty socks or athlete’s foot.\u00a0 Some will even have a more greasy or oily feel to the hair coat.\u00a0 This odor is produced by a yeast (Malassezia) which more often than not is what is termed an opportunistic organism, essentially setting up shop on the skin surface due to the environment being just right due to the allergies and secondary skin infections.\u00a0 The yeast doesn’t just show up on the skin, but can be present in the ears with a discharge as well as in-between the toes.\u00a0 The yeast not only causes an odor and oily skin, but also contributes to the scratching.<\/p>\n
Skin allergies are not necessarily treated, but more so managed to the best of our abilities.\u00a0 If we can pinpoint the cause, in terms of the allergen, and remove it from the pet’s environment, then we can quickly correct the issue.\u00a0 This is true in the case of fleas but is more complicated when it comes to pollen or even various scents used in a household.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The long and the truth of it is that unless we can eliminate the particular allergen, the condition can be hard to manage.<\/p>\n
In most cases, given that an allergy signals an overactive immune system, we try to control the immune response through the use of corticosteroids or other immune modifying medications such as Cyclosporine.\u00a0 They can be effective in the short term and provide needed results, but the reality is that many pets require ongoing medication usage which can have major health ramifications.\u00a0 We have to remember that the immune system is a vital part of overall health.\u00a0 These medications are effective, but they often lower the immune response, opening the door for other health problems and some of them directly impact liver function. Antihistamines are another type of medication that can be used to control the immune response, but in my experience, they are often not that effective.<\/p>\n
In addition to the usage of medications to control itching, we will use antibiotics to control secondary bacterial infections, topical medicated shampoos to help eliminate bacteria and yeast and in some cases use a specialized hypoallergenic diet.\u00a0 These approaches are all symptomatic in my opinion, with most yielding results in the short term only.<\/p>\n
The truth is that many allergies actually stem from a poorly functioning digestive tract, whether if that is a primary problem or secondarily induced as a result of a particular diet.\u00a0 Many commercial diets used inferior ingredients, loaded with preservatives, additives and even coloring that can harm digestive and immune health.\u00a0 Many times, the immune system views many of these ingredients as being foreign material, mounting an immune response in the effort to eliminate it from the system.\u00a0 This heightened immune system can then lead to an over-reaction to other allergens such as pollen or even fragrances.<\/p>\n
As a veterinarian, my first concern is the welfare of the patient. I will more often than not use corticosteroids for the short term to gain control of the problem.\u00a0 If I can eliminate the allergen, then I will, which will make controlling the problem easier.\u00a0 If the problem is not resolved and becomes an ongoing issue, then we tend to dig deeper and address underlying issues.<\/p>\n
The truth is that research often points to underlying gastrointestinal disease as being a major contributor to allergies. \u00a0The term ‘leaky gut syndrome’ is often tossed around and essential refers to damage done to the lining of the intestinal tract, which is a result of uncontrolled inflammation. \u00a0When the lining of the intestinal tract becomes ‘leaky’, then various food particles, dyes, additives and preservatives from a processed diet can actually enter the blood circulation. \u00a0The immune system then actually responds to these particles as they are perceived as being foreign. \u00a0This response can lead to a heightened level of inflammation, and the end result can be an over responsive immune system, contributing to allergies on many levels.<\/p>\n
Considering all of this, the diet is the first area that I will approach and, in most instances, persuade the owner to either home cook for their pet or use a commercial, organic whole food type diet.\u00a0 In many cases, making this move can make a huge difference in overall health and allergies in 1-2 months.\u00a0 Considering that gastrointestinal health and the immune response are also huge players, we can address both of these individually or together.\u00a0 In most of our patients, I will use our Cur-OST\u00ae SA Immune <\/a><\/strong><\/span>formula, which provides a nice level of support for the immune response, based upon mushroom extracts.\u00a0 When I combine this formula with a homemade diet<\/a><\/strong><\/span>, sometimes the results can be dramatic and help us to not only improve the health of the patient, but aid in the reduction of medications needed.<\/p>\n