Is your dog or cat scratching too much? Worried about a rash on their skin?
Just like humans, when certain substances contact your pet’s skin they cause allergic reactions. These reactions are symptoms of contact dermatitis.
The most common causes of contact dermatitis in dogs is grass (kikuyu, buffalo and couch) and succulent ground covers. Other causes of dog allergy symptoms include topical antibiotics (neomycin), vehicles used for topical preparations (propylene glycol), shampoos (chlorhexidine), flea products, carpet deodorisers and metals.
What are pet allergy symptoms?
Severe itching
An itchy, red rash appearing 4-72 hours after contact
Self-trauma and chronic inflammation may lead to thickening and darkening of the skin in chronic cases
What should I do if I suspect my pet has contact dermatitis?
Suspecting allergy symptoms? It’s important you get a correct diagnosis. Discussing it with your Perth vet is a good idea. If your vet thinks your dog or cat has contact dermatitis, they may refer you to a specialist veterinary dermatologist. A specialist dermatologist is trained to know how to diagnose, manage and prevent relapses of skin allergy problems. Your dermatologist will assess the cause of the allergy, barrier dysfunction and/or infection in your pet, then devise a treatment plan for your pet so they begin to heal.
How do we diagnose contact dermatitis?
The best way to identify a contact allergy is to perform a scratch/patch test. Scratch or patch testing identifies allergens.
A patch test follows the below steps:
1. A patch of skin is clipped over the chest (lateral thorax). An area is outlined with a marker pen.
2. Plant extracts are made by our technicians using a mortar and pestle. The suspected surfaces are painted onto the skin, and a superficial scratch to the skin is made using a sterile needle.
3. The test sites are monitored for signs of redness and swelling. The test is read at 15-20 minutes. We look for an immediate reaction while the substance is still on the skin.
4. The dried solution is gently washed and wiped with tap water after 24 hours and the test site evaluated for redness or rash over 24-48 hours at home.
How do I treat contact dermatitis?
The best way of treating contact dermatitis is preventing exposure to the irritant. If the irritant is a plant or grass type, you can dress your pet with protective clothing when they are in contact with it. If it’s a chemical, avoid exposing your pet to the chemical. When avoidance isn’t possible, glucocorticoids can be used to treat dog contact allergy symptoms.
Have you noticed your pet experiencing allergy-like symptoms? Bring them in for a consultation. We treat your pet like one of our own. Call now on: +61 08 6277 9430 (Murdoch) and (Balcatta) or email: dermnurses@adcmg.com