Itching and skin allergies in dogs are the most common type of visit at veterinary hospitals around the world. It’s easy to spot – your dog continuously scratching in discomfort is bound to trigger any concerned pet owner to want to find a solution fast. Once you notice an itchy skin problem, it’s important to
book an appointment at your local Thrive Pet Healthcare hospital for an evaluation.
What Happens at a Vet Visit to Find Itch Relief for Dogs?
Your veterinary team is here to help get to the root of what is causing your pet’s itchiness and scratching. Be ready to have the answers for common questions that will help your team identify potential solutions, such as:
When did you first notice your dog itching?
Do you notice their itching gets worse at certain times of the year or in specific environments?
Are they scratching all over or just certain areas?
When was their last dose of flea/tick preventative, and what kind was it? (It may be helpful for you to bring the packaging if it's a product you purchased elsewhere.)
When was their last bath?
What products do you use when bathing your dog?
Are any other pets or people in your home itchy?
What pet food do you feed your dog? (Include any treats or supplements they are given regularly).
Are there any new food, treats, or other changes in their environment?
Your veterinarian will utilize these answers alongside a review of your pet’s medical history and a thorough physical exam to determine the itchy culprit and offer solutions that best suit your pet’s needs.
How Does a Veterinarian Identify What’s Causing My Dog to Itch?
DERMATOLOGY DIAGNOSTIC SCREENING AT THRIVE PET HEALTHCARE
Itchy pet appointments will likely vary based on the resources available at your primary care hospital. Typically, inclusive dermatology visits provide a full skin examination, skin diagnostic sample collection, skin mite evaluation, skin bacteria evaluation, and fungal culture. This is the perfect first step to help diagnose get itch relief for dogs and cats to keep them healthy and happy!
Let’s dive a little deeper into some of these essential exams and tests…
1. FULL SKIN EXAMINATION
During the visit, your vet should perform a thorough physical exam of your pet, giving special attention to dog dry skin, ears, skin folds, feet, and nails. They will check for signs of fleas, flea dirt, or hair loss that may indicate parasites and evaluate areas of redness, scaling, bumps, and sores.
Based on your pet’s history and the exam findings, one or more tests will likely be conducted.
2. TESTING FOR BACTERIAL OR FUNGAL (YEAST) INFECTIONS
Infections of the skin and ear can often be secondary to underlying allergies or long-term parasite infestations. Infections often exacerbate the itching and can spread and/or cause more serious damage if not caught and tended to promptly.
If your pet has itchy (or smelly) ears, your veterinarian may gather wax or debris for testing. Open wounds or skin lesions may also need to be sampled. Your veterinarian may scrape the surface of your dog’s skin, or press a microscope slide, swab, or special tape against it to gain samples for testing.
Samples taken are then analyzed under a microscope to check for bacteria or yeast. Occasionally, the samples will be sent to an outside laboratory to figure out the bacteria type and what medicine is best suited to counteract it.
3. TESTING FOR PARASITES AND OTHER INFECTIONS
If your veterinarian suspects mange, fleas, or ringworm (a fungal skin infection), your pet may require a slightly more invasive testing method like fungal hair culture or skin scraping. Fungal hair culture involves plucking hairs from specific areas of skin lesions. Scraping refers to removing a small amount of the top layer of skin. While this sounds uncomfortable, most dogs do just fine with these methods – especially with lots of love and treats in store!
4. ADDITIONAL TESTING
If these initial in-house tests are unable to provide answers, your veterinarian may recommend additional testing to narrow down the cause of your pet’s condition.
Blood Testing for Dogs and Skin Allergies – If an environmental allergy is suspected, a veterinary dermatologist may recommend an allergy blood test to identify specific allergens your pet is reacting to. These results allow for more targeted treatment like immunotherapy shots. Blood tests can also help determine if your pet’s skin issues stem from less common conditions like an underlying immune disorder, hormone imbalance, or nutritional deficiency.
Diet Trials – Diet trials may be recommended to see if food allergies are the cause for your pet’s itchiness. It is typically advised that you work with a Board-Certified Dermatologist when conducting diet trials with your pet.
Skin Biopsy – Skin Biopsies may be helpful to confirm the diagnosis of an allergy or infection, or even to uncover less common skin diseases.
How Does My Veterinarian Provide a Treatment Plan for Itch Relief for Dogs and Dry Skin?
After determining the underlying cause of your pet’s itchiness, your veterinarian will create a unique treatment plan to tackle the problem at its core and provide dog itching remedies. This can include canine itch relief solutions and remedies for dog scratching such as oral anti-itch medications, antibacterial and antifungal therapies, supplements, medicated shampoos, or even special diets! Pets may also benefit from injectable medication to counter itching in specific cases.
If your veterinarian can’t provide a finalized diagnostic result during your initial visit, they’ll still provide some form of short-term treatment for itch relief for dogs and offer
tips for your itchy pet. While only temporary, these treatments can help break the cycle and give relief to your pet while preparing for the next steps in diagnosis.
When Do I Need a Veterinary Dermatologist?
Advanced skin allergies in dogs, resistant infections, and otherwise complicated cases can be present that require specialized knowledge. Your veterinarian may recommend taking your dog to a veterinary dermatologist – a board-certified specialist in managing skin diseases and allergies who may be able to help in finding a cure for dog itching. They may recommend certain products like the best dog shampoo for itchy skin or the best allergy medicine for dogs with itchy skin. The dermatologist will examine your dog and share their analysis with your primary care veterinarian. In many cases, your family vet can then resume care by overseeing routine treatment and itch relief for dogs.
How Does My Veterinarian Provide Relief for My Itchy Dog?
Sometimes, the cause of your dog’s itchiness can be a chronic medical condition that requires lifelong management and monitoring – this is common for many food and environmental allergies. Thankfully, your local veterinary team is there to support you and your dog as you move through life. They can help determine the best ongoing schedule of medication, bathing, and diet, and provide advice and tips to make treatment easier for you and your dog. Your entire veterinary team understands the stress and challenges that itchy skin can present to you and your pet – they’re here to help you maintain a consistent and effective treatment plan to keep your dog comfortable!
Share This Article with All Your Pet Owner Friends!
