When Great Dane mix Tip began breaking out in hives, his owners were worried. Grass was the trigger, leaving red welts that took days to heal. After a switch to a specialist food recommended by their vet, things improved dramatically.
“We have just finished our second bag and seen a great improvement with his skin and even his gut,” they said.
“He still gets small hives occasionally when exposed to certain grasses, but they are smaller and faster to heal. We also tried the tinned food, which Tip loves.”
Some skin cases can become so distressing that exhausted owners may even consider giving up. Dr Hannah Cleary, Professional Consulting Veterinarian at Hill’s Pet Nutrition, recalled one woman who felt at breaking point after weeks of sleepless nights with her constantly itching dog.
“It can reach a stage where families are desperate,” she said. “But there’s so much we can do before it ever gets to that point.”
Cleary said skin sensitivities are among the most common issues vets see.
“It can show up in all sorts of ways from scratching to ear infections. What might look like a quirky habit is often a sign of real discomfort. Dogs come home and start licking their paws or rubbing along the couch. Licking is often a sign of skin sensitivities.”
The main types of skin sensitivities we see fall into three categories, although there are others. These are: flea, environmental and food-related sensitivities.
Flea sensitivities are less common in cooler regions but still flare up during warmer months or when flea and tick control isn’t consistent.
“Environmental sensitivities are triggered by things like mites, dander, dust, and pollen,” said Cleary. “While these used to be more seasonal, we’re now seeing these sensitivities year-round.”
Although true food allergies in dogs are uncommon, some may have reactions to specific ingredients. These sensitivities can be identified and managed with a food elimination trial, which helps pinpoint and remove the problematic ingredient.
Cats can also develop atopic dermatitis, though vets see this less often in felines than in canines, where allergies remain the most common driver of persistent itching and discomfort.
Some dogs are more at risk than others. Breeds such as Westies, Golden Retrievers, French Bulldogs, Shar-Peis, oodle-type crosses, Labradors and German Shepherds are often affected, and Cleary is seeing more puppies with allergies too.
Getting on top of it early makes a difference. Repeated scratching thickens and hardens the skin, locking dogs into an itch-scratch cycle that is much harder to break.
“Scratching damages the skin, and then they are at risk of secondary bacterial infections,” Cleary said.
Diagnosis and management generally involve many steps. Vets may use skin scrapes, biopsies or intradermal testing, and treatment is rarely just one approach. “We would always recommend a multimodal approach to achieve the best result for the pet. A combination of nutrition, medication, topicals and allergen-specific immunotherapy are commonly used,” she said.
Cleary explains the role of nutrition in atopic dermatitis with a simple analogy: “I like to use the image of a brick wall,” she said. A healthy skin barrier keeps allergens out and moisture in; when it breaks down, dogs can become greasy or flaky, smelly, itchy and prone to infection. Nutrition can help strengthen the skin barrier so that this ‘wall’ functions more effectively.
Hill’s Prescription Diet Derm Complete, available only with a veterinarian’s recommendation, is designed for dogs with both environmental and food-related skin concerns. It contains phytonutrient antioxidants and egg as the single intact animal protein source.
There is also a puppy formula, which Cleary said is a welcome addition as management options are more limited in young dogs.
For one-and-a-half-year-old Squizz, a Labrador cross, the change was just as striking. A nasty rash had him scratching constantly and left his family worried. Despite his staunch demeanour for the camera, he was a goofy, affectionate dog – but the sore tummy made him miserable.
After four weeks on a vet-recommended nutrition plan, the rash had faded to a dull mark and his energy returned. “We are extremely happy with the improvement,” his owners said.
Cases like Tip’s and Squizz’s highlight how much difference nutrition can make as part of a vet-led management plan. These conditions usually need ongoing care. “It is not usually something that can be cured, but rather managed lifelong,” said Cleary.
If your dog shows signs of skin sensitivities, talk to your veterinarian. Allergies often need long-term management that can include food, medication and topical care. For more on skin sensitivities and therapeutic nutrition, visit hillspet.co.nz.