How To Treat, Manage, And Prevent Dog Eczema

The complete control of dog eczema requires it to be treated, managed, and prevented. The treatment of dog eczema does not involve completely getting rid it from your dog's system as this is not possible. Like eczema in humans, dog eczema is a chronic skin condition that your dog will have throughout his lifetime. However, treating it will get rid of the eczema rash or rashes on your dog's skin. Management of this condition, on the other hand, means that your dog's eczema will be kept from progressing. Lastly, preventing dog eczema means you will be able to help your dog avoid future flare ups and recurrences of the rashes.

Treating Dog Eczema:

The best way that to treat dog eczema is with the consultation of a veterinarian. Using eczema treatments that were intended for humans on your dog is not good at all. They may not worsen your dog's eczema but they may not be able to help either because they contain dosages of eczema medication that are intended to be used only by people. Usually, veterinarians prescribe eczema ointment for dog eczema. They still contain anti inflammatory drugs which may be steroidal or non steroidal in nature. These medications are formulated specifically for dogs and have varying amounts of eczema medication compared to those used by humans.

Apply the eczema ointment on your dog's rashes as prescribed by the veterinarian. You might want to consider placing a holster on your dog's snout to keep him from nibbling or licking on his rashes while the eczema ointment is drying up. Or, you can also wrap up your dog's rashes with sterile bandages, especially if they're found on his paws and extremities. Do so right after you apply the prescribed eczema ointment on his rashes.

Managing Dog Eczema:

There are many products that you can use to manage dog eczema. These products may contain natural or synthetically manufactured ingredients. Vitamin supplements can also be used to manage dog eczema. Ideally, these will be able to help your dog with his condition by relieving the itchiness of his rashes, assisting in the healing of rashes, and avoiding the worsening of these rashes.

First of all, stop using the doggy shampoos or soaps that you are currently using on your dog and take a good look at their ingredients. If they contain too much perfume or if you suspect that they caused eczema on your dog, throw them away. Look for dog skin care products that are gentle on your dog's skin and skip those that contain perfume and additional coloring. It will be a plus if these products have moisturizers or have ingredients that are soothing on your dog's skin. Consult these products first with your dog's veterinarian before using them on your dog, just to double check if they are safe. You may also want to ask the veterinarian for additional vitamin supplements which can help in speeding up your dog's recovery from wounded rashes.

Preventing Dog Eczema:

The only way to prevent dog eczema is to identify what triggers your dog's eczema in the first place. The causes of dog eczema are diverse and can be an external irritant (plant pollen, a detergent, dog soap, sudden temperature changes, or food your dog is allergic to) or internal factors (poor health and malnutrition, distress, psychological stress, boredom, and loneliness). External irritants are more difficult to identify because they will require you to closely monitor what your dog has been exposed to recently. Only trial and error can help you prevent dog eczema that's caused by external irritants but submitting your dog for an allergy test at the veterinarian is also an option.

As for internal factors, discuss these with the vet and ask him what you can do about them. Supplementation and diet changes may be suggested by the veterinarian in cases when dog eczema is caused by poor health and malnutrition.