Managing Your Dog's
Skin Conditions

What to do

Some skin conditions can be cleared up quickly, while others need lifelong management. Environmental allergies are the most common and are most often chronic. This means they demand lifelong management and often require a multi-modal approach. You probably won’t be aiming for a cure but rather to reduce the frequency, intensity and duration of flare-ups.

Ideally, you want your pet to avoid the allergens completely, but this is not always possible. A vet will often recommend some or all of the following:

1. Tick and flea control. This needs to be meticulous and is vital.
2. Medication:
   • Immunosuppressive medication, such as cortisone or even stronger options but these can have serious side effects
   • Antibiotics to treat skin infections
   • Antihistamines to reduce itching
3. Nutrition. For dogs, Prescription Diet Derm Complete is the only clinically proven nutrition for both food and environmental allergies*. It is a novel protein diet made with egg, which avoids 96% of food allergies in dogs. For cats, Prescription Diet d/d Duck and Green Pea and z/d are suitable for managing skin conditions from the inside out.
4. Topical treatments such as medicated shampoos, dips and ointments.

*The only dietetic nutritional solution for both food and environmental allergies in dogs supported by 3 clinical studies.