Today we are going to talk about a term you may not know: atopic dog.
What is it, what are its symptoms, how to treat it? All these questions we intend to solve in this post. Or at least guide you if you think that your dog presents characteristics or symptoms typical…
What is an atopic dog?
We speak of atopic dogs when they have a tendency to become allergic to normally innocuous substances; for example: pollens, molds, dust mites, epithelial allergens and other environmental allergens.
Dogs with this pathology usually present bilateral conjunctivitis and disorders affecting the respiratory and digestive systems.
To be taken into account
It is relatively simple to treat fungal, bacterial and yeast infections when the causative agent has been correctly identified, as long as we use the appropriate medications. Although we must bear in mind that sometimes, especially in the case of bacterial infections, infections tend to recur… If this happens to your dog, it may be a case of an atopic dog, so it is not a bad idea to do allergy tests.
More common than you might think
This pathology usually occurs in our furry friends between the first and third year of their life. And it is estimated that between 3% and 10% of dogs are atopic.
In addition, during the first year, the symptoms usually present in such a mild form that it is very common for them to go unnoticed. In most cases, later on, these practically imperceptible symptoms become much more evident before the dog is 3 years old.
Injuries that atopic dogs may encounter
The truth is that the lesions can be very varied, depending on whether they are chronic or acute, localized or generalized, and are usually found in the periorbital area and the dog’s feet, the auricular pavilion, the perineum, the flank, even in the abdominal area and in the armpits.
And in most cases, the lesions are secondary to pruritus.
Treatment for atopic dogs
The treatment to be followed must be expressly indicated by the veterinarian, who will determine it according to the specific problems detected in the dog.
