Types of Dog Skin Allergies

Pet owners face the problem of dog skin allergies these days. This is why no matter how your dog’s coat is supposedly stand out sometimes, you just can’t achieve that for them. Skin allergies have to be treated first before you can successfully pamper your dog’s coat. Otherwise, you might risk the infection for untreated skin allergy.

There are actually four different types of allergies that can affect an otherwise healthy skin for your dog. The first is known as Nutritional Dermatitis. This type of skin allergy happens on dogs who exhibit a negative or adverse reaction towards certain foods. They would react to it just as humans would typically react to food allergy-red rashes and severe itching.

Another kind of skin allergy that can happen to dogs is Atopic Dermatitis. Most veterinarians refer to this as the most common among the different types of dog skin allergies. The onset of this can happen right at the time when the dog is still a puppy and gradually progress from that point on. This kind of allergy is typically triggered by certain allergens.

Another kind of dog skin allergy is known as Parasitic Dermatitis. The common parasites that reside among dogs are fleas. They often reside on the coat of the dogs.

Gnats and ticks are other types of parasites that may also reside on the coat of your dog, aside from fleas. What happens is that the saliva of these parasites irritates the skin of your dog as they get bitten. As a result, a noticeable inflammation on the skin of your dog appears which can be made much worse as they continue to scratch on it.

However, there are some cases when all of these physical symptoms would cease to exist. In times like these, your veterinarian might refer to your dog’s illness as Neurogenic Dermatitis. This is a more psychological type of illness wherein the dog has developed an excessive or obsessive behaviour towards licking or chewing on himself.

More specifically, this condition is known as Acral Lick Dermatitis or Lick Granuloma. The reasons for developing this may be enforced upon the dogs, unknowingly or not, by the pet owners. When dogs find it hard to cope with a sudden separation from their parent or litter or owners, when they are confined alone for far too long, and if they exhibit unreleased frustration, they turn to licking and gnawing at themselves to calm down. But in the long run, it may be bad for them.

As a pet owner, it would become your responsibility to make sure that you get yourself familiar with the different types of dog skin allergies. When you get yourself better acquainted with them, you can prevent them from happening. In the same way, your veterinarian would understand much easier the type of tests that should be administered on your dog.

Jennifer is a pet health expert who specializes in skin care for dogs.