What Causes Skin Allergies?
Allergies occur when your dog's immune system overreacts to something in the environment. The immune system is designed to help fight threatening substances inside and immediately outside our bodies. However, sometime the immune system can also try and fight substances that aren't threatening, such as pollen or dust.
Skin allergies work in a similar way. If your dog develops an allergy to something in his environment, his skin can start itching. Naturally, your dog will want to scratch the itchy parts and this can lead to other health problems, like secondary infections or changes in the skin pigmentation.
Skin allergies can be caused by:
- Dust mites
- Shampoo
- Household cleaners and chemicals
- Adverse reactions to medication
- Adverse reactions to ingested foods
How Can Atopica Help?
Atopica is an immunosuppressant drug. It prevents your dog's body from over-reacting to the allergen in his environment. Since the reaction is caused by the immune system, suppressing the functioning of this often relieves allergic symptoms. This means that even if the dog is exposed to the allergen which was causing the itching, he won't feel the discomfort he felt before. The active ingredient in Atopica which has this effect is called cyclosporine.
This medication can be used on dogs who suffer from permanent itching. However, it is also effective when administered to dogs suffering from chronic atopic dermatitis. This is a particular condition characterized by repeated allergic reactions involving inflammation and itchiness of the skin. Atopica comes in tablet form and is available in different dosage sizes for different sized dogs.
Although Atopica is very effective in treating chronic atopic dermatitis, it is not suitable for treating other types of skin ailments. For instance, it will not help itching caused by flea bites. Your vet will be able to diagnose the source of the itching and prescribe Atopica where it is appropriate.
Are there Any Side Effects?
Like all medications, there are some side effects associated with Atopica. They are rarely experienced by dogs on the medication and, if they do appear, the symptoms are mild and will go away as soon as your dog stops taking the medication.
The most common mild side effect is a stomach upset involving vomiting and diarrhoea. However, as Atopica affects the immune system, your dog might experience other side effects associated with this, For instance, if your dog has developed a skin infection as a result of the allergy, it will be difficult for this to heal while it is on Atopica as his immune system will be weakened. If your dog has any secondary conditions as a result of its allergies, these should be treated before the course of Atopica is started.
Although there are potential side effects associated with Atopica, it is effective in treating the itching that your dog might experience with a skin allergy and will provide relief from uncomfortable and potentially harmful scratching.