Will bathing my dog help my allergies

Wondering how to help a dog with allergies? Heres what to do, according to a vet

If you suspect your dog has an allergy, you are no doubt wondering how to help a dog with allergies. You might see your dog itching, chewing their paws, or they might have loose stool or red skin. They may also have recurrent ear or eye infections, and be losing fur.

Allergies can be sparked by many things, including changing seasons, pollens, dust, fragranced products around the home, or the food the dog is eating. As someone living with a dog with allergies, you may need to take practical measures such as changing the products you use in your home or swapping your dogs diet over to one of the best dog foods for allergies.

Dog scooting can also be a sign that your pooch is suffering from allergies.

While certain breeds are more prone to allergic reactions, all dogs are susceptible to them. We spoke to vet Dr Katie Ford to find out how to tackle the problem and help a dog with allergies.

Dr Katie Ford BVSc CertAVP(SAM) PgCert MRCVS

Dr Katie Ford is an experienced small animal vet with a medicine certificate. She qualified from the University of Liverpool in 2012 and has worked across first opinion, emergency, and media work. Following her own experiences and interest in personal development, she trained as a coach and completed a master's in Emotional Well-being. Dr Ford now runs multiple businesses within the veterinary industry, supporting her colleagues. In 2020, she wrote a series of short books named "To An Amazing Vet", designed to gift to members of the profession to thank them for their hard work and care.

Allergic conditions can manifest in various forms. Katie says the most common allergic conditions she encounters include skin allergies (atopic dermatitis), food allergies, and flea allergies.

She says: Environmental factors such as pollen, dust mites, storage mites or molds can trigger atopic dermatitis. Allergies to certain foods can also cause skin or gastrointestinal signs. Flea allergies, as the name suggests, result from a hypersensitivity to flea bites. Some patients will have multiple allergies and need a multimodal approach to treatment.

Here are some steps you might want to take:

Get the best advice, tips and top tech for your beloved Pets

1. Get a professional diagnosis

When you first notice any signs of an allergy in your dog, you may want to start making changes yourself before visiting a vet. However, as Dr Ford says: Allergies can be complex, and can be flared up by a number of factors.

Vets can delve into the reason behind your dogs allergies so you can get on top of it quickly.

Katie notes that as veterinary teams, we have the ability to perform further tests and work with clients to ensure we are treating their dogs in the most effective way and for the right thing.

It can be really beneficial to form a partnership with your veterinary surgeon, getting to know what helps your dog in the longer term in times of management, and when additional support might be required.

2. Get an allergy test

Once a vet has considered the dogs individual situation - including their medical history, age, breed, and the environment they live in - initial investigation might be taking samples of the skin, and checking for bacteria, fungi, and parasites.

As Katie notes: Identifying the exact allergen can be challenging, but tests include intradermal skin testing or blood (serum) testing. Your vet will be able to explain the pros and cons of each test, and what is on offer at their clinic or at specialist centers.

It can be worth checking with your insurance company that they cover any tests before theyre carried out.

3. Is it time to change your dogs food?

What our dogs eat is an increasing area of interest. There are now so many choices, not only in the type of food you are feeding (for example, kibble, home-cooked, or raw) but also in the specific ingredients these contain. If you think your dogs allergies are linked to food, its important to consider whether changing dog food is the right first choice for your dog.

Katie says that if food is suspected as a cause of allergy, then an elimination diet is a great place to start. There are a few different options that your veterinary team will explain and help you to understand the options. This may involve feeding a new protein and carbohydrate source for a set time period, often eight to 12 weeks.

Ideally, this would be food types your dog hasnt eaten previously, and without treats or extras along the way. This might be a commercial food or home-cooked.

Alongside a change in food, Katie says: Veterinary fatty acid supplements can help support skin health [...]. There are many available that are balanced and specifically for dogs with skin allergies."

However, she notes that its crucial to consult your vet before adding any supplements or making significant changes to your dog's diet (especially if theyre on a diet trial or have sensitive stomachs).

If you want to level up your nutrition knowledge, here are six nutrition myths busted by a vet.

5. Bath or wash your dogs paws

Washing your dog can be especially useful when seasonal allergies are suspected or you know your dog is allergic to certain pollen.

Unfortunately, many dogs hate baths but you can work on slowly building up your dogs confidence getting into the tub and how comfortable they feel in the water. Wondering why do dogs hate baths? Our guide is here to help.

In the short term, rinsing paws after walks can remove pollen particles attached to the skin, says Katie.

Minimizing contact with any known allergens can also be useful. So, if you know that your dog struggles in the grass during particular months, you might swap your regular walk route out for different locations, such as sidewalk-only walks or a hike in the forest.

6. Clean your home

For dogs with allergies related to dust mites, keeping your home as free from dust as possible is going to be really important.

Katie says: You can minimize dust mite allergen exposure by regularly cleaning your dog's living environment (dont forget the car!)

Vacuum regularly and wash any bedding with mild detergent. Air purifying machines might also be worth investing in if your dog really struggles with dust.

Katie reminds us to be especially aware of times that disturb dusty areas, and keep pets out of the way if this is the case. For example, bringing seasonal decorations down out of the attic or when having any renovations.

7. Avoid bulk-buying dry food

Storage mites can be cause for concern for some itchy dogs - this can be especially problematic if you feed a kibble-based diet and buy it in large quantities.

Katie says: Storage mite exposure can be reduced by avoiding stockpiling food, as they can live in dry food, particularly in the dust at the bottom of the bag. Storing dry food in airtight containers can be valuable, and some find benefit from freezing portions of dry food before use.

8. Keep things natural when it comes to home fragrance

While as pet parents were always keen to avoid doggy odor in our homes, if your dog has signs of allergies, youll want to avoid any harsh cleaning products or unnatural fragrances.

Carpet cleaners or freshening powders should be avoided, alongside plug-in or spray odor-fighting room fresheners. These can not only irritate the skin but may settle on your dogs fur or paws and be ingested during self-grooming sessions. If your dog is highly allergic, it is worthwhile avoiding any form of scented products - even candles.

9. Use natural grooming products

When bathing or grooming your dog, make sure the products you are using are pet-safe and soothing for the skin. Katie suggests that we should make sure grooming products arent heavily fragranced and that they are suitable for sensitive skin.

Speak to your groomer to make sure theyre not using any sprays or shampoos that might irritate your dogs skin or cause a flare-up of their allergies.

10. Dont forget your dogs emotional well-being

Whilst we can get focused on the physical impact of allergies, many itchy dogs can also be struggling emotionally. As a behaviorist, I see many of my anxious dog clients also complain of allergic conditions. Whether theyre in pain, feeling fed up, or the inflammation from the allergic condition is causing their body overall stress - make sure you are helping them feel as comfortable and confident as possible.

We can work with vets to help suppress the physical response, but you may need some support from a force-free positive reinforcement trainer or behaviorist to guide you through ways to boost your dogs mood. Try and add activities that your dog really loves to do throughout your week together - be that sniffing, playing, or having cuddles with you.

If your dog is showing signs of an allergic condition its important to get help as soon as you can. Ultimately, when youre looking for the best ways to help a dog with allergies, make sure you are utilizing professionals for support and delve into every area of your dogs lifestyle and environment to find the cause quickly.

Want more tips like this? Here are the five signs of dog allergies and the three common food allergies in pets. Weve also collated a further nine tips for coping with allergic pets.

Bathing Recommendations for Dogs with Allergic Skin Disease

Allergic skin diseases affect a lot of dogs and bathing may be recommended as a part of the treatment plan. Bathing may reduce allergen exposure, treat infections, reduce itch, or support the epidermal barrier.

Follow these six bathing steps to help your furry friend control allergic skin disease.

1. Soaking

Always use warm to slightly cool water to wet the entire coat. Then apply any shampoo. Warm/hot water may irritate some dogs with infected or inflamed skin.

2. Bathing

For dirty pets, use a maintenance shampoo to remove dirt and then apply medicated shampoo. Lather lesion areas first. Some shampoos require a specific contact time with the skin/lesion to get the full therapeutic effect. Aim for 10 minutes of lather time. But remember, a five-minute bath is better than skipping a bath.

3. Rinsing

Rinse shampoo thoroughly until the water runs clean. Focus on areas where shampoo may get trapped (armpits, groin, under tail, or between toes). Residual medicated shampoo left on your dogs skin may be irritating.

4. Conditioners

Depending on the condition being treated, your veterinarian may recommend a cream rinse or conditioner.Most are applied, worked into the skin and hair coat, then rinsed thoroughly. Some are intended to be left in.

5. Drying

We recommend towel drying. Warm blow dryer air will dehydrate the skin and may irritate dogs that have allergies or an infection affecting their skin. If air is needed, you should not use heat and be sure not to over dry.

6. Clipping

For medium- to long-haired dogs, clipping the hair coat facilitates successful bathing programs. Shorter hair allows topical medications and shampoos to penetrate to the skin and do their job.

By Lauren Pinchbeck, DVM, MS, Diplomate, ACVD |

Will Baking Soda Help My Dog Stop Itching

Just like other mammals with skin, dogs can fall victim to dry, itchy skin. As you can imagine, this can be very uncomfortable and painful for your dog, as they will be naturally inclined to scratch their skin, which usually only makes the problem worse. In todays article, we are going to discuss the different reasons why dogs have itchy skin, and we also will discuss whether you can use baking soda to soothe the itch.

Why do dogs get itchy all the time?

The main reasons dogs develop itchy skin is because of infections, fleas, and allergies. We will discuss each of these causes in depth below.

Infections

Skin infections are often times the cause of your dog developing dry, inflamed itchy skin. There are a wide range of skin infections that can cause itchy spots, such as yeast and bacterial infections. The key to treating a skin infection is to apply skin ointment and then cover up the inflamed areas. Your dog will be very tempted to itch at or bite these areas, so it is important that your closely monitor your dogs to ensure the bandage stays covering the itchy area. If your dog keeps chewing the bandage away, you can try putting a cone around their head.

Fleas

Fleas and other parasites such as ticks or worms are also another common cause of itchy skin for dogs. This is understandable, as fleas usually burrow their way into your cats skin, causing painful dryness and irritation of the skin. This is why it is important to always inspect your dog for fleas. We also recommend giving your dog a shampoo bath at least once a week if they live in a high flea environment. If you notice that your dog has already been infested by fleas, we recommend taking him/her to the vet as soon as possible. The vet will likely prescribe your dog some topical flea solution which should help get rid of the fleas. In some extreme cases, your vet might prescribe your dog antibiotics if they fear the fleas have caused an infection.

Allergy

Allergies are also a common cause of itching in dogs. The two most common allergies affecting dogs are food and environmental allergies. As you would probably guess, food allergies are directly tied to your dogs diet. Your dog can develop food allergies to just about any form of dog food. If you suspect your dog is suffering from food allergies, we recommend completely switching their diet for one month. You should also avoid giving your dog treats, as this can also be the source of the allergy. Environmental allergies refer to any substance in your dogs environment that triggers an allergic reaction. There are hundreds of different allergens that can be causing your dogs itching, but the most common are pollen, mold, and dust. While pollen is almost impossible to avoid, there are measures you can take to protect you dog from mold and dust. Make sure that you regularly clean the areas of the house that your dog frequents. If you have a cat, you should look into buying dust free cat litter.

Will baking soda help my dog stop itching?

Yes, baking soda is a great way to help your dog stop itching. The best way to apply baking soda to your dog is by combining it with water to make a paste like solution. You should measure the baking soda into a cup, and then pour in the same measure of water. For example, if you have one cup of baking soda, you should pour in one cup of water. After mixing and making the paste, you should apply it directly to the area that is itching. The baking soda solution will help sooth the itching and will also reduce inflammation. Make sure to rinse the baking soda off after 20 minutes. You can also add baking soda to your dogs bath to help them stop itching.