The Causes of Dry Itchy Skin on Dogs

Environmental Dermatitis

• Environmental dermatitis is an irritation brought on by something your dog has encountered in its daily life. Perhaps it has been swimming in your pool and is sensitive to the chlorine, or it has been spending more time than usual rolling on the lawn (surprisingly, many dogs are sensitive to common lawn grasses). Your veterinarian will usually diagnose environmental dermatitis after eliminating other possibilities and taking a thorough history of your pet, including information about its daily activities. Treatment for environmental dermatitis usually involves taking steps to avoid the irritant.

Nutritional Dermatitis

• While some dogs may thrive on the bargain grocery store dog food brands, many require a more complex set of nutrients to function properly. If your dog has dry, itchy skin, it may be time to consider feeding it a premium food that lists meat, poultry, lamb or fish as its main ingredient. Your vet may also suggest omega fatty acid supplements for a dog suffering from nutritional dermatitis.

Parasitic Dermatitis

• Bloodsucking pests like fleas and ticks can sometimes set off a hypersensitivity in an unsuspecting pet, causing widespread dermatitis. Keeping up with flea and tick preventives can help eliminate parasitic dermatitis in that case, but sometimes the irritation is due to an even more insidious pest: mites. Mites live on and burrow under your dog's skin, causing widespread irritation and sometimes even alopecia (hair loss). Although some minor mite infestations can be treated using a flea shampoo, a case of mites usually means consulting your vet for treatment.

Infectious Dermatitis

• Your dog is not immune to fungal, yeast and bacterial infections, and its skin can fall prey to these microscopic pests. Yeast infections of the skin are usually easily diagnosed because of the greasy byproducts of the yeast itself, but such infections generally have a more serious underlying cause like hypothyroidism or dietary deficiency. Fungal organisms like ringworm can affect dogs and can even occasionally be transmitted to humans. Bacterial dermatitis can occur when your dog continuously scratches and bites an irritated spot on its skin, introducing bacteria that eventually infects the area. Your veterinarian will help you address any infectious dermatitis.

Allergic Dermatitis

• Allergic dermatitis can be very difficult to diagnose, as dogs are susceptible to as many allergens as humans. Your dog could be allergic to your carpet, flea saliva, mold, plastic food dishes, dust mites or any number of other things in its everyday environment. The most common type of allergic dermatitis is atopic dermatitis, which is primarily caused by inhaling microscopic allergens. Dogs with atopic dermatitis will lick and scratch their face and paws repeatedly, often until they are irritated and raw. Cortisone is used to treat atopic dermatitis.

Neurogenic Dermatitis

• Man's best friend can also be affected by psychosomatic (self-created and induced) illness. When all other causes of dermatitis have been ruled out, your veterinarian may diagnose neurogenic dermatitis, which is basically a dog obsessively scratching and licking itself for no apparent reason. Some dogs may obsessively lick because they are stressed, bored or frustrated; and such persistent licking can result in a wound that will not heal without intervention. If your dog is diagnosed with neurogenic dermatitis, you may wish to consult with a canine behaviorist to help you get to the root of the problem and address it properly.