Veterinary Medicine Essentials: Atopic Dermatitis

The itch. The scratch. The irritation. Atopic dermatitis is likely one of the most common dermatologic problems you see in veterinary practice. We at dvm360 have curated our best, most informative articles about this topic to help you diagnose and treat it efficiently and effectively. And we'll keep you on top of new developments as they arise.

Updates on atopy

Don't make this mistake in your atopy cases!

Jun 07, 2016

Veterinary dermatologist Dr. Melissa Hall wants to make sure you're not just scratching the surface of this common dermatologic disease. ...

Trippingly under the tongue: The benefits of sublingual immunotherapy

Aug 19, 2015

Pain-free delivery is just an amuse-bouche when it comes the advantages of this treatment for atopy. ...

Apoquel Q&A: Will oclacitinib revolutionize the treatment of allergic dermatitis?

Jul 16, 2015

A veterinary dermatologist's perspective on this new option. ...

Using sublingual immunotherapy to treat atopic dermatitis in canine veterinary patients

Aug 01, 2014

Consider oral allergen administration when treating patients with this skin condition to reduce reaction risk and achieve an optimal result. ...

Journal Scan: Examining the efficacy of a new drug for the treatment of atopic dermatitis

Mar 12, 2014

The goal of this study was to determine if Oclacitinib is a safe and effective alternative for the treatment of atopic dermatitis in dogs. ...

Journal Scan: Studying the studies: A review of evidence from trials evaluating atopic dermatitis therapies

Mar 26, 2013

Which therapies have the most evidence for efficacy? These researchers take a look. ...

Diagnosing atopy

The importance of taking a complete dermatologic history

And how to do it right-including a comprehensive downloadable client history form. ...

Canine allergic dermatitis: Pathogenesis, clinical signs, and diagnosis

In the simplest terms, allergic dermatitis refers to any inflammatory skin disease caused by any type of allergy. The unifying characteristic of these diseases is that they cause pruritus and subsequent inflammation. Depending on the etiology, the event may be short-lived or become a lifelong condition. Table 1 lists the reported allergic diseases of small animals. 1,2 These diseases are rarely uncomplicated and often involve secondary infections. Furthermore, more than one core allergic disease is often present concurrently. These factors can make diagnosis and management of allergic dermatitis cases challenging. ...

Feline atopy-are you seeing more cases in your veterinary clinic lately?

Make sure you know the signs and veterinary treatment alternatives to corticosteroids. ...

Audio: Key history findings that point to canine atopy

Dr. Douglas DeBoer pinpoints the patient history clues that should set off red flags for this allergic disease. ...

An essential question veterinarians should ask for itchy pets

How to begin to distinguish between allergic dogs and other sources of rashes and itching. ...

Treating atopy

It's not magic: The skinny on treating canine atopic dermatitis

Red, itchy skin is more than just an annoying problem. It negatively affects a dog's quality of life and can lead to secondary infections. Fortunately, this overview of your therapeutic options and step-by-step treatment strategy can help you provide relief to your itchy patients-and as a bonus, this veterinary dermatologist throws in a few treatment tricks of the trade. ...

What's new with an old problem: Drug options for treating the itch of canine allergy

Canine atopic dermatitis is a common and frustrating skin disease. Here are three treatments compared and contrasted, including two standards and one relatively new kid on the block. ...

Helpful hints for the successful treatment of canine atopy

These practice pearls may help alleviate some of the itch of this irritating condition in your veterinary patients. ...

Allergen-specific immunotherapy for canine atopic dermatitis: Making it work

In this article, I review the efficacy of immunotherapy for treating atopic dermatitis, help you ease your clients' nerves about administering the injections, and show you how to easily adapt the administration protocol based on a patient's responses to the injections. ...

Just Ask the Expert: The best way to address feline atopy

Dr. Ian Spiegel provides a thorough rundown on this itchy issue in cats. ...

Just Ask the Expert: When clients decline immunotherapy for atopy

Dr. Ian Spiegel answers this concern about managing allergic pets. ...

Associated conditions

3 unusual (but not uncommon) skin diseases you should know

These three skin diseases aren't zebras-they're more like donkeys. Learn to recognize their “hoofbeats” so you don't miss the diagnosis. ...

Malassezia dermatitis: Is it complicating your life?

Malassezia (yeast) dermatitis can result in a primary skin problem or be present secondary to underlying disease. Because its presence can mimic (and complicate) other diseases such as atopy and food allergy, it is important to know how to recognize the organism, and of course, treat for it. ...

Clinical appearance of recurrent bacterial pyoderma can vary by patient

Although recognizing a bacterial pyoderma in a canine patient is relatively easy, eradicating the pyoderma can be difficult. ...

FAQs about house dust mite and storage mite allergies

By bringing pets into our homes, we've increased their exposure to these common skin irritants. ...

Live from the CVC Kansas City: Look past the ears

When a patient presents with itchy, red ears, there may be something else going on. ...

Client education

Client handout: Answers to their most burning dermatology questions

Your clients have dermatology concerns they're itching to ask. This handout covers 7 of the most common ones. ...

Should you stop recommending that clients clean their dogs' ears prophylactically?

Could well-intentioned clients be accidentally sabotaging your allergy diagnosis? Find out in this audio clip. ...

Handout: Tell veterinary clients what to expect during a dermatology exam

Finding and understanding the cause of scratching in pets can be difficult. Let clients read this handout so they can see how you arrive at your diagnosis. ...

Dermatology dilemmas: Talk them through with veterinary clients

Make sure your conversations with veterinary clients about chronic skin conditions are more than just skin deep. ...

Client handout: Allergen-specific immunotherapy: 4 easy steps for home administration

Your veterinarian has determined that your dog has allergies to certain substances, such as house dust mites and various grasses and insects, and may benefit from allergen injections to slowly lessen your pet's reaction to the substances. You can easily administer these injections at home. ...

Video: Client education for dermatology diagnoses

Laird Goodman, DVM, CVA, offers suggestions on how to control-not cure-dermatologic conditions in pets; plus, how to educate and set realistic expectations for your clients. ...

Arming your team

Algorithm: Diagnostic approach to pruritic dogs

Use this resource to help you discover the underlying cause in those itchy dogs. ...

The dermatology toolkit

Your clients have a million questions when it comes to their pets' skin. So does your team. And we're betting you've wondered about a few cases yourself. Well, wonder no more-ditch the itch with these tools. (With an educational grant provided by Elanco) ...

Allergy testing: What's each veterinary team member's role?

Learn how each member of your veterinary team plays a role in educating pet owners about allergy testing. ...

Dermatology: Top 5 questions technicians ask about diagnostic testing

Tips on performing skin cytology, dermatophyte cultures, and more. ...

Give the skinny on dermatology

Answer clients' burning questions. ...