What causes dog atopic dermatitis?
Dog atopic dermatitis is the result of an animal becoming too sensitive to one or more allergens in the environment, for example:
- House dust mites
- Pollens
- Mould spores
- Occasionally foods
It is thought there may be a genetic cause as atopic dermatitis is more common in certain breeds (e.g. Terriers, Retrievers)
Many dogs have a lot of allergies and may even suffer from a combination of atopic dermatitis and other allergies, for example flea allergy.
When there are a lot of allergens in the environment, signs of atopic dermatitis can suddenly get a lot worse or ‘flare up’, just like humans getting an attack of hayfever in the summer.
