Environmental allergy (Atopic dermatitis) in dogs and cats
Environmental allergy is one of common cause for itching and inflamed skin condition in dogs and cats.
Causes of environmental allergy
Canine atopic dermatitis (CAD) is a chronic, inflammatory skin disease that affects dogs. It is caused by an overactive immune response to common environmental allergens such as dust mites, pollen, and mold. This hypersensitivity reaction leads to skin inflammation, itching, and redness. CAD is a multifactorial disease, and several genetic and environmental factors play a role in its development.
Common Allergens
Dust mites, Tree pollens, mold spores, Grass, Grass pollens, and several other allergens.
Age groups of dogs affected with environmental allergy
Commonly signs of environmental allergy develops before three years of age. However, some breeds, specifically French bulldogs and shar-peis develop this type of allergy very early stage of their life.
Common signs
Redness of skin specifically paws, belly area, axilla areas, and repeated ear infections are the common signs. In cats, indolent eosinophilic ulcers, itching and hair loss around head and neck areas are common signs of allergy. Food allergy also can cause similar symptoms, thus differentiating between food allergy and environmental allergy with appropriate diagnostic tests and food trials is necessary.
How to diagnose environmental allergy?
Clinical signs (skin lesions, seasonal vs non-seasonal), ruling out other cause of itching (parasites such as mange and fleas, bacterial and yeast infection along with allergy testing (detecting IgE antibodies to environmental allergens) or intradermal testing.
Intradermal Testing:
Intradermal testing, also known as skin testing, is considered the gold standard for allergy testing in dogs. This test involves injecting a small amount of a suspected allergen just under the skin and observing the skin’s reaction. If your dog is allergic to the allergen, the skin will become red, itchy, and inflamed within 15-20 minutes.
Intradermal testing is considered the most accurate method of allergy testing, as it allows for the identification of even small amounts of allergens. However, it does require sedation and may be more expensive than other forms of allergy testing.
Blood Testing:
Blood testing, also known as serologic testing, is a non-invasive alternative to intradermal testing. This test measures the amount of immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies in your dog’s blood in response to specific allergens.
Treatment for Environmental allergy
Once environmental allergy confirmed, there are two types of treatment. First one is managing itching and inflammatory condition using medications such as apoqul or Cytopoint injection. Apoquel is a pill that is given daily, while Cytopoint is an injection that provides relief for up to 8 weeks. Both medications are safe and effective and can be used long-term to manage CAD symptoms.
Second type of treatment is immunotherapy or Allergen-specific immunotherapy which is the only treatment can help to resolve most of environmental allergy associated skin condition but complete cure may not feasible in most of pets. Thus, environmental allergy condition can only be managed and complete cure may not be expected outcome.
Apart from above specific treatments, controlling secondary infections, supporting skin barrier using omega-3 fatty acids and avoiding triggering allergens are common supporting treatments available to control environmental allergy.
Can Canine Atopic Dermatitis be cured?
While there is no cure for CAD, it can be managed effectively with a combination of medication, home care, and immunotherapy. With proper management, most dogs with CAD can live happy and comfortable lives.
