Everything You Need to Know About Skin Allergies in Dogs
Skin allergies can be a tough challenge for many dog owners and it's one of the top reasons our furry friends end up at the vet. These allergies occur because a dog's immune system wrongly goes into overdrive, resulting in itchy and inflamed skin in response to certain things things in their environment, food or due to parasites, which shouldn't normally trigger an immune response. Unfortunately, for many dogs, skin allergies can be a lifelong problem. Therefore, understanding what skin allergies are and how to spot the symptoms is really important for managing them effectively.
This guide is here to help give you the key information about skin allergies in dogs, including: what to look for, common triggers, how to get a diagnosis, treatment options, quick care tips and busting some common myths. With this information and by working together with your vet, you can help your dog get back to normal and stay comfortable and happy.
Understanding skin allergies in dogs
Skin allergies, also known as allergic dermatitis, are inflammatory conditions of the skin that happen when a dog’s immune system responds inappropriately to things in their environment, food or to parasites.
Common symptoms of skin allergies include:
Itching and scratchingDogs with skin allergies often scratch excessively.
LickingYour dog may lick, nibble, rub, or bite their skin when it is sore, especially their paws.
Red and inflamed skinSkin allergies can cause the skin to become red, which is a sign of inflammation.
Hair lossSome areas of your dog may become hairless due to constant scratching, chewing and inflammation.
Repeated ear infectionsRepeated ear issues can be a sign of allergies.
Scabs and open soresOpen sores and scabs may appear due to persistent scratching and inflammation.
Telling allergies apart from other skin conditions
It can be tricky to tell the difference between skin allergies and other skin conditions in dogs, as many of the clinical signs such as itching, hair loss, and crusty spots can be similar. And to make things even more complex, dogs can have skin infections in addition to skin allergies.
Because of this complexity, it's essential to get a proper diagnosis from a vet. Vets can perform tests to help understand your dog's skin issues and recommend effective treatments.
Common forms of allergic itch in dogs
There are four common types of allergic itch in dogs.1,2 Dogs may be affected by one or more of these:
Canine Atopic Dermatitis (CAD), caused by allergies to environmental triggers such as pollen or house dust mites.
An allergy to parasites, such as fleas.
A food allergy, often to protein sources such as beef, dairy, chicken or pork in your dog’s food.
Contact allergies to substances your dog may come into contact with, including plants and cleaning products.
Seeking vet help and diagnosis
Figuring out if your dog has skin allergies and getting the right veterinary help is very important for effective treatment and management of their condition. Here’s a guide to understanding the diagnostic process and how your vet can help:
Recognising symptoms
Keep an eye out for these common signs of skin allergies in your dog:
- Excessive scratching, rolling, rubbing, licking and/or nibbling or biting, especially of the paws
- Red, inflamed looking skin
- Hair loss
- Recurrent ear infections
- Skin sores & scabs
Veterinary examination
When you visit your vet, they'll discuss your dog’s lifestyle, including their diet and environment. They'll also thoroughly examine your dog to check their skin condition, overall health, and for signs of allergies.
Diagnostic tests
Understanding more about the causes of your dog’s skin problems can be complex and involve multiple tests and visits to your vet.
These tests may include:
- Combing fur and taking samples from skin to look for parasites
- Taking samples from skin to look for bacteria or fungi that may be causing an infection
- Feeding a strict specific diet, as recommended by your vet, for several weeks to identify allergies to food
- Performing a treatment trial whereby specific medications are prescribed, which can help to improve your dog’s symptoms and the response is monitored
It is possible that despite all of the above investigations, a specific cause for your dog’s allergies is not identified. However, the tests will have helped your vet eliminate a number of possible causes. In this scenario, your dog may have ‘atopic dermatitis’ which means their allergy is triggered by environmental allergens. Further skin tests can help to identify which specific environmental allergens are affecting your dog.
Management plan
Your vet will come up with a personalised management plan for your dog. It may be possible to manage your dog’s allergies by completely avoiding the specific trigger if it’s been identified. In many cases however, this may not be possible, especially if your dog has multiple allergens they are sensitive to.
In these situations, your vet may recommend an ongoing treatment plan to manage your dog’s symptoms. This may involve one medication, or multiple and may include topical treatments as well.
Treatment goals
Unfortunately, allergic or atopic dermatitis cannot be cured but can be managed effectively with the right treatment plan! The most important goals of a management plan for your dog is to help relieve their symptoms and improve their quality of life. Your dog may still experience flare-ups, but don’t worry, working with your vet and careful management are the best ways to keep your dog comfortable and happy.
If itch is a significant symptom for your dog, your vet may ask you to record how itchy your dog is using an itch scoring system like the one below:
Using a scoring system is an excellent way of tracking your dog’s response to any treatments prescribed which are designed to help ease your dog’s itch.
Make sure to follow your vets recommendation on check ups for your dog as these appointments are important for monitoring your dog’s response to any treatments and an opportunity to adjust the management plan if needed.
Treatment options
Depending on your dog’s progress, your vet will adjust the plan as needed. Your vet might recommend one, or a combination of, the following options:
Medications
- Steroids: Steroids can be given as tablets at home or via injection at the vets. They have a broad effect on many aspects of itch and inflammation, as well as other systems in the body.
- JAK inhibitors: JAK inhibitors are tablets given at home. They target specific pathways involved in itch and inflammation in dogs.
- Monoclonal antibodies: These injectable medications, given once monthly at your vets, target a key protein involved in itch, providing quick relief from itching for several weeks.
- Parasite prevention treatment
- Antibiotics and/or antifungal medication
Topical treatments
Ask your vet for recommendations on the most appropriate topical
treatments for your dog. These may include:
- Some shampoos, mousses, and creams can help to treat or prevent infections
- Medicated creams and sprays
- Ear treatments or ear cleaners
Dietary Control
- If your dog has been diagnosed with allergies to food components such as protein sources like chicken, beef, dairy or pork then avoid foods, medications and treats which contain these. Speak to your vet about the most appropriate diet for your dog.
Environmental management
- Parasite control: Preventing fleas, ticks and mites is essential to mitigate itching due to parasites.
What can you do at home to help manage your dog’s allergies?2,3
Give medications prescribed by your vetFor many dogs, medications prescribed by your vet are key to managing their allergy. Make sure you follow your vet’s instructions.
Prevent parasitesFleas, ticks and mites are common causes of itching, so follow the advice from your vet on the most appropriate parasite protection plan for your dog.
Groom regularlyThis helps remove environmental allergens, such as pollen, from your dog’s skin after they’ve been outside. Speak to your vet about the most suitable grooming regime for your dog.
Provide a supportive dietSome foods and supplements, such as essential fatty acids, can improve your dog’s skin health. Ask your vet for recommendations.
Watch for signsContact your vet early if you notice an itch flare-up (scratching, licking or rubbing), and/or areas of sore or red skin.
Common myths and misconceptions
When it comes to dog skin allergies, there are many myths and misconceptions that you might read about. Here are some of the most common ones:
Myth: Allergies are only a seasonal issue
You might think that your dog's allergies only occur during specific times of the year, such as spring or autumn when pollen counts are high. While seasonal allergies are indeed possible, many dogs suffer from year-round allergies caused by indoor allergens like dust mites. Identifying the type of allergy (environment, food or parasites) your dog is suffering from, is crucial for effective long-term management.
Myth: Dog allergies will go away on their own
Another common misconception is that your dog's allergies are temporary and the dog will outgrow them, or be cured of their allergies when treated. Unfortunately, allergies often require ongoing management and treatment. Ignoring them can lead to chronic discomfort, excessive scratching, and secondary infections that exacerbate your dog's discomfort. Proactive veterinary care is essential to effectively manage allergies and improve your dog’s quality of life.
Myth: It is always possible to identify and avoid allergens
Skin allergies are the result of a dog's immune system wrongly going into overdrive, in response to things that shouldn't trigger this response. Therefore the triggers for skin allergies will vary between individual dogs and it is not always possible to identify and avoid allergens for every dog.
Key takeaways
- Spot the symptoms
Look out for signs like increased frequency of scratching, red and inflamed skin, hair loss, and ear infections.
Vet visits & management planVisit your vet if you spot the symptoms and think your dog may have a skin allergy. Your vet will work with you to help identify the triggers and develop an effective management plan. Check ups with your vet are important to ensure the plan and treatments continue to be effective over time.
- Effective treatments
Your vet will work with you to create a management plan for your dog. It is important that you follow this treatment plan, including giving any medications your vet has prescribed, and attending check up appointments. Some plans will require more than one medicine or therapy which can seem complicated at first but will make a big difference for the comfort of your dog.
Use our Vet Finder tool to
- Olivry T, et al. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 1990;20(6):1443–56.
- Miller J, et al. J Am Anim Hosp Assoc. 2023;59(6):255–284.
- University of Nottingham. The Itchy Dog Project – Identifying the appropriate treatment. Accessed February 2025.
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