Canine atopic dermatitis is a common skin issue in dogs that causes constant itching. You may notice redness, irritated or inflamed skin, or infections in the layers of their skin (or all of the above). Either way, this type of canine skin problem is usually caused by allergies, unlike others that may be caused by irritating substances.
Signs of Dog Atopic Dermatitis
Unlike some skin problems that come from fleas or are only a problem at certain times of the year, canine atopic dermatitis doesn't come from these usual suspects.
This means it can bother dogs all year round, not just in the spring or summer. It's important for dog owners to recognize this excessive scratching as a sign of something more than just regular dog behavior, especially since this condition can make their furry friends feel miserable any time of the year.
When Does Atopic Dermatitis Usually Begin?
Some dogs may start showing signs of this condition as young as 6-months-old, but it may take up to three years for others. Breeds most prone to this condition include:
- Boston Terriers
- Boxers
- Labrador Retrievers
- Golden Retrievers
- Soft-coated Wheaten Terriers
- West Highland White Terriers
- Jack Russell Terriers
- Bulldogs
- Pit Bulls
- Shar Peis
- Shih Tzus
- Weimaraners
Noticing the Warning Signs of Atopic Dermatitis
Keeping an eye on your dog's actions, like how much they groom or scratch themselves, is really important. Dogs often have certain spots they scratch or lick more than others. They might keep scratching their elbows, licking their feet a lot, or rubbing their face on the carpet or couch.
At first, this might not seem like a big deal and just something dogs do. But, these behaviors can be the first hints that your dog is uncomfortable or might have a health problem.
When your dog starts doing this, you might not notice anything wrong just by looking at them. Their skin and fur where they're scratching or licking could look just fine, making it easy to miss that there's actually a problem starting to grow.
This situation is kind of like when people say there's a "storm brewing" – everything seems okay on the outside, but inside, trouble is on the way.
If Your Dog’s Dermatitis Isn’t Managed Quickly…
If you don't do something about it, these small issues can get a lot worse. The areas your dog keeps messing with can start to look really bad – they might swell up, turn a deep red, and even get so bad that they turn into open, weeping sores. This is serious because it means your dog is really hurting, and these wounds can get infected or lead to other health problems.
It's super important to pay attention to these signs early on and get help from a vet if you see your dog scratching, licking, or rubbing themselves more than what seems normal. This can help stop small problems from turning into big ones and keep your dog happy and healthy.
Probiotics for Dog Skin Allergies
Your dog’s gut has a huge impact on their overall health. In fact, 70% of your dog’s immune system resides there. To show you just how much your dog’s microbiome affects their life, an imbalance (known by all of us biology nerds as ‘dysbiosis') can contribute to anxiety, skin and coat health, immune health, inflammation, as well as a slew of other problems.
But here’s the thing: not all probiotics are created equal. The world of pet supplements, and pet goods in general, is known to be highly unregulated. This means that a product could falsely claim their products have this amazing list of benefits when it really may not have any at all.
That being said, we want you to make sure you’re choosing a high-quality product from a transparent company. And you’ll want to make sure you’re choosing the right strain of probiotic, too.
Probiotics for Atopic Dermatitis and Daily Maintenance
When you start the search for a high-quality product, you’ll see there are tons of strains to pick from. We know this can be super overwhelming, so we’d like to tell you about the strain we recommend, S. boulardii.
Pet parents who provide their pet with probiotics containing this strain might notice a reduction in skin redness, fewer hot spots, and an overall more lustrous coat.
These physical signs are often accompanied by less scratching and discomfort, indicating an improvement in the underlying health issues contributing to skin problems. This yeast-based strain is found in Daily Dog and not only is it beneficial to your dog’s skin, but it also helps your dog stay in peak health.
S. boulardii has even been recommended by veterinarians for dogs with gastrointestinal problems. Boulardii helps get rid of bad bacteria by introducing new good bacteria into the gut microbiome. Once your dog’s body gets back on track, you should notice a significant difference in their skin health.
Fighting Off Pathogens
S. boulardii’s ability to support a balanced gut microbiome also means it helps keep pathogenic bacteria at bay, which reduces the risk of skin infections. By supporting a healthy immune response, S. boulardii ensures that the body can fight off pathogens that might cause skin issues, giving even more reason to help your dog’s gut get back to balance.
S. Boulardii Thrives Even During Antibiotic Use
Saccharomyces boulardii is a special kind of yeast that's really good at surviving, even when faced with strong antibiotics that can kill many other probiotics. Antibiotics are designed to attack bacteria by messing with their cell walls and important functions, but S. boulardii is a yeast, not a bacterium, so antibiotics don't really affect it.
This means it can live through antibiotic treatment without getting harmed because its body works differently than bacteria.
Handling Dermatitis From the Inside Out
By treating dermatitis from inside your dog's body, you’ll get to the root of the cause rather than throwing a band-aid onto the outside.
We don't only want our pups to look better. We want them to feel better, too. When you add daily probiotics to their daily routine, your dog will receive the added benefit of not only promoting skin health, but also boosting their immune health to help them fight off those pesky pathogens.
→ Add probiotics to your dog’s daily regimen today! ←
Read More:
Saccharomyces Boulardii Inhibits Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Current Knowledge on Canine Atopic Dermatitis
Photo by Michael Oxendine on Unsplash
