Canine Atopic Dermatitis: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment
Canine atopic dermatitis (CAD) is a common chronic skin disease that affects approximately 10% of dogs. Often compared to eczema in humans, it is a chronic inflammation of the skin with a genetic origin. This condition typically appears in dogs before they reach the age of three and persists throughout their lives, evolving in cycles of flare-ups and periods of remission.
A dog with canine atopic dermatitis may show one or more of the following symptoms:
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Dry, Inflamed Skin: The skin may appear dry, red, and irritated.
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Intense Itching: Itching is a primary symptom, which can lead to scratching, licking, and chewing.
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Skin Lesions: You may notice pimples, pustules, oozing, or a thickening of the skin.
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Specific Locations: These signs are most often found on the belly, in large skin folds (armpits), between the toes, on the face, and on the ears.
Atopic dermatitis is caused by a fundamental disorder of the skin barrier. Think of a healthy dog's skin like a protective brick wall: the cells are the bricks, and the lipids are the mortar, creating an impermeable barrier. This prevents water from evaporating and stops external agents like allergens from entering.
In a dog with atopic dermatitis, this protective barrier is compromised:
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Water Evaporation: The skin loses its protective role, allowing too much water to evaporate. This leads to chronic skin dryness.
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Allergen and Microbe Entry: The weakened barrier makes it easy for allergens* and microbes to penetrate the skin, triggering inflammatory and allergic reactions.
*Allergen: a substance capable of triggering an allergic reaction.
