Instead of sneezing, however, dogs with allergies are likely to suffer from pesky skin rashes such as canine atopic dermatitis, an eczema-like condition that causes itching and redness in skin folds and areas devoid of hair. If irritated by frequent scratching and biting, the rashes can become infected. The steroids ease the dog's discomfort but increase its appetite, water consumption and urination. Long-term steroid use can have serious side effects, including muscle weakness and a predisposition in dogs to develop bacterial infections. Researchers at North Carolina State University are looking at new ways to treat atopic dermatitis that are less stressful for dogs and more effective in the late phase of the disease, when steroids sometimes don't help.
Atopic dermatitis is a seasonal disease.
Grass pollen began afflicting dogs early in March this year and weed pollens are expected to last through November, Olivry says. Combined with the moisture, humidity and proliferation of fleas expected in the summer months, dogs in the South are especially susceptible to skin allergies. This keeps NC State veterinarians busy with a large number of allergy-suffering canine patients, and with clinical trials to identify new treatments. Immunotherapy is one of several alternative treatments being tested by immunologists and dermatologists at the veterinary college. The process uses repeated, increased-dose injections of allergens to reduce a dog's hypersensitivity to that allergen.