Allergic Dermatitis in Dogs: Identifying and Treating I

As a firsttime dog owner, I wasn't particularly attentive to my furry friend's needs. In March, when I took him to a pet store for a bath, I was shocked to discover he had contracted a skin condition. His body was covered with red bumps, prompting me to shave off all his fur to reveal the extent of the problem. Thankfully, the swelling wasn't severe.

Initially, I thought it was a minor issue, so I bought a random set of medicated baths from the pet store and used them 12 times a week. I also applied erythromycin ointment to the affected areas, but to no avail. In fact, the condition seemed to worsen with each bath.

Watching my poor dog suffer and feeling heartbroken myself, I decided to take him to a veterinary clinic. The diagnosis was allergic dermatitis, and I was handed a pile of prescriptions. The cost, including the examination and medication, was around 1000¥. Despite the slow recovery, the medication did help. After a week, my dog's skin looked much better, and his fur started to grow back.

However, no one warned me that allergic dermatitis could recur so easily. In June, while grooming him, I found another patch of bumps on his body. Since I had run out of most of the previous medication, and didn't want to take time off work to visit the vet again, I ordered cefadroxil tablets, antihistamines (chlorpheniramine maleate tablets), and a skin spray online. The prices were much cheaper, and I wasn't hopeful, but to my surprise, after just three days, my dog's skin had started to clear up! In seven days, it was almost completely healed!

Here's a summary of the treatment steps I followed:

1. Hair Shaving: Allergic dermatitis often affects the entire body, so I shaved my dog twice, which made it easier to apply medication and keep the skin breathable. After shaving, it's important to put a collar on your dog to prevent him from biting himself.

2. Spray and Skin Cream:

After shaving, use Piptop skin spray to inhibit bacteria and promote skin repair.

Apply a small amount of Fuan Tai (zinc oxide ointment) to areas with many bumps.

3. Medicated Bath: Use the Sailechong antiallergy shampoo once a week.

4. Oral Medication:

Esuda (cefadroxil tablets): For inflammation, taken once a day.

Chlorpheniramine maleate tablets: Antihistamine, taken once a day.

Lessons Learned:

1. Always dry your dog thoroughly after a bath. It's best to bathe them during the day, as night baths might leave them damp inside, which can lead to moisture and skin issues.

2. If your dog develops a skin condition, it's crucial to see a vet immediately. The vet mentioned that a skin scraping test costs only a few dozen yuan, but since my dog was allergic, the cost was higher.

3. Giving your dog medication can be challenging, as they might vomit. Patience is key; don't be harsh with them and try to understand their discomfort.