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Common names or abbreviations:
Contact Dermatitis
Description or definition:
Contact dermatitis is the least
common of all the types of “allergic” skin conditions. This skin
condition develops after direct contact or over exposure to certain
materials that irritate the skin. Some of the common irritants
include flea collars and caustic or corrosive substances such as bleach,
strong acids or alkalis, salt, fertilizers, carpet cleaner or other
cleaning solutions, poison oak or ivy, etc. Contact dermatitis may
also develop when a pet becomes sensitive to a substance that is normally
not an irritant, such as bedding material, wood, grass, or other plants.
Symptoms:
Contact dermatitis may cause itchy
red skin over the parts of the body that have been exposed to the
irritant.
Treatment:
Since
dermatitis is likely to result from an allergy or other ongoing irritant,
the animal’s routine, habits, and lifestyle should be monitored and
discussed with a veterinarian. Treatment often includes
identification and elimination of the irritant. For example, pets
with a suspected contact dermatitis may be placed in a restricted area
such as a kennel until the symptoms subside, and subsequently re-exposed
to each substance suspected of causing the dermatitis. Treatment can also
involve the administration of prednisone or corticosteroids to reduce the
skin’s reaction against the contacted substance and calm the itching and
inflammation.
Related skin
conditions:
 | Pyotraumatic
dermatitis/hot spots/ moist dermatitis: This
condition manifests as a red, moist, hairless,
painful-looking sore that appears suddenly. Hot spots develop when
incessant scratching and biting damage the skin enough to break down its
barrier function. Normal bacteria that inhabit the skin then
proliferate, causing more irritation. Hot spots frequently develop
at the site of a flea bite but may result from allergic reactions,
infections, or other irritants.
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| Canine acral lick dermatitis/
lick granuloma: Common skin condition that is caused by excessive
licking at one particular spot. An infected wound eventually
arises at the site.
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| Flea allergy
dermatitis: Sensitivity to flea saliva (not the
flea itself) results in severe, unremitting itching, hair loss in the
affected areas, and hot spots over the haunches and tail. A skin
allergy test can be preformed to determine if a dog is allergic to flea
saliva.
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| Atopic dermatitis/inhalant
allergy: Canine atopy is a common condition that is caused by in
immune system hypersensitivity or allergic reaction to breathing in one
or more substances in the environment such as pollen, dust mites, mold,
etc. It typically starts between the ages of one and five years.
The symptoms include scratching, biting, chewing at feet, constant
licking, red irritated skin, excessive grooming. The itching is
generally most severe on feet, flanks, groin, armpits, and ears.
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| Pyoderma:
Medical term used to denote bacterial infections of the skin. The
symptoms include itchy small red rash like bumps or pustules (pimples).
The organism responsible for pyoderma is almost always a variety of
Staphylococcus. The bacteria will not usually cause disease on
normal skin, but some other underlying skin diseases cause some changes in
the skin surface making it susceptible to infection, leading to pyoderma.
Common underlying causes of pyoderma include allergic diseases (food
allergy, atopy, flea allergy), parasites (demodectic or sarcoptic mange),
seborrhea, and hormonal imbalances. Treatment includes oral
antibiotics and special shampoos.
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| Food Allergies:
Food sensitivities in a dog may manifest as itchy skin, scratching at
ears, shaking of the head, licking and biting at the hind quarters or
feet, rubbing faces on carpeting, ear inflammations, coughing, sneezing,
asthma like symptoms, behavioral change and vomiting. |
Links to sites about this disease:
This summary provided by:
| Jessica
S |
| Wildfire
Kennel |
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