Atopy in Dogs
Atopy in Dogs Guide: Here you'll find in-depth information on atopy in dogs including its causes, symptoms, and treatments.
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Atopy is a clinical syndrome in which there is a hereditary tendency to develop immune-mediated hypersensitivities – or allergies - to normally innocuous environmental allergens that are either inhaled or absorbed through the skin. An allergen is simply any substance that is capable of causing an allergic or hypersensitivity reaction in a particular animal. In dogs, atopy is also known as allergic inhalant dermatitis, atopic dermatitis and atopic eczema. Atopy is one of the most
Atopy is an extremely common, genetically-influenced disease that causes dogs to become hypersensitive to things that normally would not cause them to have an allergic reaction. Also known as allergic inhalant dermatitis, atopic dermatitis, “skin allergies” or atopic eczema, canine atopy is characterized by chronic itchiness (prurutis), which often is seasonal and typically affects the feet, face and underbelly. It commonly is associated with self-inflicted trauma from scratching or biting at the itchy areas. Secondary
Canine atopy can be difficult to distinguish from flea bite allergies, sarcoptic mange (scabies), demodectic mange (demodicosis), food allergies and other skin and hair-loss disorders, making it somewhat difficult to diagnose. However, the dog’s history, physical examination results, location of affected skin areas (lesions) and possible seasonality of symptoms can all lead to a suspected diagnosis of atopic dermatitis. Further tests can definitively diagnose the disorder.A dog that presents with pruritis (itching and scratching) and
Atopy is one of the most common allergic skin disorders in domestic dogs and is uniformly frustrating for owners and for their pets. It causes intense pruritis (itchiness), scratching and associated skin lesions, with secondary infections being common as well. Fortunately, with patience and persistence, most cases of canine atopy are treatable or at least manageable. The therapeutic goal for this disease is to eliminate or at least minimize exposure to the causative allergens and