How to treat contact dermatitis in dogs

by Anja S. on September 26, 2019

Contact dermatitis in dogs might sound like one of the greatest nightmares your pet can experience. The triggers for such a condition are many. It results in itchiness, hot spots, swollenness, and may end up with severe wounds if not treated in time. That’s why every dog owner should know how to spot the first symptoms of this health issue on time.

What is contact dermatitis in dogs?

Contact dermatitis in dogs is a condition that has been triggered by an allergen. Your furry friend will show the symptoms of inflammation from the moment he/she comes into contact with a substance that irritates his/her skin.

It also should be noted that there are three types of contact dermatitis in dogs. The first one includes reactions and chemical burns to different substances such as floor cleaning detergent, carpet deodorizers, road salt, and other chemicals.

Skin and paw healing balm is rich in propolis, marigold and chamomile oils, and will surely help your pooch in solving allergies.

The second type of contact dermatitis usually occurs during the spring and summer seasons when there is a high concentration of seasonal pollen in the air. The third type can occur by different insect bites. Dogs usually show an allergic reaction to flea saliva, flea bite, and flea dirt.

Symptoms of contact dermatitis in dogs

Depending on a dog’s immune system, the symptoms may occur during the first 24h. However, in some cases, it may take up to 48 hours after contact with an allergen for symptoms to occur. Symptoms of allergic contact dermatitis include severe itchiness that happens on body parts that came in contact with an allergen.

Symptoms of contact dermatitis, dog with allergy

In most cases, they pop out on a dog’s belly, behind the ears, and paws. A dog who has been affected by an allergy will start to excessively scratch the skin to bleeding. Other symptoms include swollenness, watery discharge coming from the hot spot, blisters, lesions, dry skin, and alopecia that may turn into a bacterial infection. Therefore, early treatment presents the best solution to help a suffering pooch.

Causes of contact dermatitis in dogs

As we previously mentioned, the reasons are many. That’s why it may be difficult for a dog owner to discover the root of a problem. To find out your dog’s allergy trigger, you’ll need to monitor his behavior. Here is the list of potential causes that can trigger your four-legged friend’s allergy:

Environmental allergens

Every dog can indeed develop an environmental allergy because allergens are everywhere. However, there are dog breeds that are on a higher tendency to show an allergic reaction when they come in contact with pollen, mold, and dust. Brachycephalic breeds such as French bulldogs, English bulldogs, and Boston terriers are only one of them.

On the other hand, a genetic predisposition can also play a crucial role in developing allergies. Besides showing red and itchy bumps, this type of allergy can also be followed by sneezing and watery discharge from a nose.

Flea bites, flea dirt and flea saliva

Flea dermatitis in dogs is undoubtedly one of the most annoying experiences of their lives. Fleas search for dark and warm places to hide, so dogs usually develop allergic reactions on their bellies, around eyes, behind ears and armpits. If you don’t treat them on time, a dog may end up with serious wounds that can quickly transmute into a bacterial infection.



Chemicals

Do you remember those awful white stains on your boots after you’ve just had a walk on snowy streets in winter? Well, road salt can not only destroy your footwear but can also severely harm your dog’s paws. Other dangers present house cleaning chemicals. So, if you’re a pet owner, our advice is to give an advantage to eco-friendly chemicals that are free of harmful ingredients.

Your four-legged friend can also become affected by laundry detergent you use for washing his clothes, sleeping place, etc. Therefore, it’s always better to choose laundry soap for sensitive skin.

How to treat contact dermatitis in dogs naturally?

  1. One of the best natural solutions presents, including CBD oil and treats in your dog’s diet. CBD is known as one of the best remedies for solving inflammations in everyone’s body. Here you can read about the benefits CBD oil can leave on your dog’s health.
  2. Oat bath presents another natural solution for treating contact dermatitis in dogs. It relieves itching and soothes the irritated skin.
  3. Since chamomile and marigold are widely used in healing wounds and skin irritations, we decided to make a completely natural product that can help your pet to deal with the itchiness and other allergic reactions. Flora 4 Pets skin and paw healing balm is rich in propolis, marigold and chamomile oils, and will surely help your pooch in solving allergies.
  4. Another excellent solution for treating dog contact dermatitis at home is to use a natural aloe vera spray. Aloe vera spray can be used daily for protection, moisturizing, and healing the dog’s skin.

How to protect your dog from environmental allergens?

Change your dog’s diet

It’s essential to try to prevent your dog from a developing allergy at the beginning of the blooming season. Therefore, we advise you to boost your furry friend’s immune system by improving his diet. The mix of Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids present the key to having a robust immune system.

dog eating fish, omega 3 for dogs, dog immune system

Besides feeding your pet with fish, you can also try with including food rich in antioxidants into his diet. Fruits like raspberries and blackberries will heal the dry skin and improve its health.

Wear protective clothes

If your furry friend develops paw allergy when walking on grass in the peak of the flowering season, then you should consider buying him a good pair of dog mesh booties. Unlike thick winter boots, mesh dog sneakers allow the skin to breathe. For protecting your furry friend’s body, you can buy an overall cotton suite to keep the allergens away from his skin.

Clean your dog’s fur

By cleaning your dog’s coat with wet baby wipes or damp cloth/towel every time you get back from outside, you’ll surely decrease the allergic reactions in your pet. We also advise you to pay special attention to your four-legged friend’s paws because the plant pieces stuck between his toes can also cause him licking the affected spot. As you can guess, this may lead to redness and hair loss and a condition called pododermatitis.

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