Itchy Dogo Argentino

Question
Hi Dr.Gotthelf,

I appreciate your time and expert advice. I was very relieved to find a Doctor who specializes in dermatology. Now to my question. I own 3 dogs (female Rhodesian ridgeback, male Fila Brasileiro, male Dogo Argentino). My Ridgeback (Rozetta) and Fila (Tytus) do not suffer from any of the ailments of my Dogo. Milo (Dogo Argentino) started having skin issues from the time I got him. He was a rescue. I have switched dog foods to Taste of the Wild for about 8 months, but the problem seems to persist. Milo starts to itch and lick his paws. He will chew and scratch on his sides until the fur comes off. I tried some natural remedies first. Fatty oils in his dog food and even olive leaf extract. All three dogs are mostly indoor dogs. I have an acre of fenced land that they run and play when they want. At night they sleep inside with me. Milo also makes some breathing noises like he is congested so i was not sure if it is just very bad allergies. I have given him Benadryl and Zyrtec also but it does not seem to help. Now I have been to the vet several times and they can't seem to pinpoint the exact problem. They usually put him on a cycle of prednisone and the problem will go away for 3-4 months. All the dogs get along great. Everything is routine so it can't be stress. Well I think I covered all of it. :) Thank you so much for your time! I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Shelby Mainzer
Fayetteville, Arkansas

Answer
Since this seems to be prednisone responsive, I would have to say that with the other symptoms, that this is a condition called atopic dermatitis.  It is an allergic reaction to things in the environment.  You can ask the vet to do allergy testing. If there is something that can be eliminated from the environment, like a feather pillow if the dog tests positive for feathers, then removing the offending allergen may stop the reaction.  If there are many antigens that are positive, then you may need to do allergy shots to desensitize the dog to those allergens.  Intermittent steroids or cyclosporine (Atopica) will help keep the dog's body from over reacting to the allergens and will keep him comfortable.  Antihistamines, like Benadryl and Zyrtec really do not have much of an effect in dog skin.  Fatty acids, when given over a long period of time, help keep the skin from getting too itchy in the face of allergies, so keep those going in the food.  In addition, bathing off the allergens really helps many dogs.  And if there are any secondary bacterial or yeast infections present, treat those, because they cause itching as well.