My presentation

1. ATOPIC DERMATITIS IN THE
DOG
by Roosa Hentunen,
Veterinary medicine first year
2011

2. OUTLINE
 Allergy
 What is atopic dermatitis?
 Symptoms
 Making the diagnose
 Testing
 Treatment
 Specific therapy
 References

3. ALLERGY
 Allergens enter to the
system and crab to the
IgE antibodies.
 The mast cell covered
by IgE releases its
mediators.
 Follows itching and
swelling.
 Atopic dermatitis and
its symptoms are
based on allergic
reaction

4. WHAT IS THE ATOPIC DERMATITIS?
 A skin disease
 Immune system over
reacts with allergic
reaction
 Harmless things, for
example dust mites, are
seen as allergens
 Appears usually in the
first two years of the
dog’s life
 Somehow
heritable, research is still
going on

5. SYMPTOMS
 Licking, scratching and chewing of
skin, paws, abdomen and perineum
 Reddened and hot ears
 Baldness of the skin
 Saliva staining
 Skin and coat change color
 Between symptom periods the skin
looks normal
 With more damage to the skin,
secondary infections may follow

6. MAKING THE DIAGNOSE
 No specific test to
confirm the diagnose
 Other skin problems
must be ruled out:
1. Parasites
2. Food allergy
3. Infections
 Once the diagnose is
confirmed, start skin
testing

7. SKIN TESTING
 Identifys the allergens
involved to the disease
 Small area of the coat
is shaved
 Possible allergens are
injected in to the skin
 Reactions are followed
 If diagnose is positive,
start treatment

8. TREATMENT
 Think the situation as a
whole
 Treat away other skin
problems:
1. Yeast and bacterial
infections
2. Ectoparasites
 Make the dog’s life as
comfortable as possible;
less therapy needed

9. SPECIFIC THERAPY
 Many drugs are used
together
 Essential fatty acids
 Antihistamines
 Steroids
 Hyposensiting vaccines
 Allergen avoidance

10. REFERENCES
 Stephen Shaw, BVetMed, CertSAD, MRCVS
 http://www.priory.com/vet/vetatop1.htm
Thank you for watching!