Your vet may ask you to make allergen avoidance a major part of caring for your pet. This depends on whether it has been possible to identify the allergen(s) causing your dog’s problem and whether it is possible to eliminate these allergens. Pollens, for example, get everywhere and can be very difficult, if not impossible, to avoid.
However, as one of the most common allergens is the house dust mite, you could:
- Wash your dog's bedding regularly
- Wash soft furnishings regularly
- Prevent your dog from spending time in the bedroom (a favourite place for house dust mites)
- Vacuum frequently with a high efficiency particle air (HEPA) filter vacuum cleaner
- Use air dehydration and purification systems
- Use insecticides effective against house dust mites
In addition, it’s a good idea to ensure careful flea control at all times, as flea bites could cause a flare to occur, particularly if your dog is allergic to flea bites.
In some cases, these measures may be sufficient to reduce your pet's exposure to allergens to prevent itching.
If a food allergy is a possible cause of your dog’s atopic dermatitis, your vet may carry out a food elimination trial to find out which foods your dog is allergic to. Once identified, you can prevent flare-ups of atopic dermatitis by eliminating these foods from your dog’s diet.
