Bathing dogs with allergies | Pet Peeves
When I ask pet owners, “How often do you give your dog a bath,” answers to this question vary from once a year to twice a week. It certainly varies from pet to pet. Some dogs need to be bathed more often. Dogs with allergies are benefited by having pollen and mold washed off of their skin regularly. These are the dogs we will discuss today.
Some dogs constantly battle inflammation caused by allergic reactions. Inflamed skin is like Velcro, picking up any bacteria or yeast that is in the vicinity. These pathogens are more than willing to set up home in the microscopic cracks and crevices of the weakened epidermal layer of the skin.
Bathing these dogs at least once a week washes the bacteria and yeast off of the skin. If you have a dog with skin problems, careful thought should go into what to bathe him with. Aloe and oatmeal shampoos are gentle and very good for regular baths when a pet does not have real problems, but dogs with allergies and inflammatory issues will be benefited by using medicated shampoos.
Ingredients to look for in these shampoos include chlorhexidine, benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, miconazole and ketoconazole. Pramoxine is another ingredient used in shampoos.
Salicylic acid is keratolytic, breaking down the old, crusty layer of skin and allowing the medicinal shampoo to work better as well as lowering the pH and creating an unfriendly environment for yeast. It is helpful when the skin has a greasy, crusty texture. Pramoxine has a numbing effect for the skin, soothing the itching that comes with allergies.
If your dog is prone to staph infections, bathing with a chlorhexidine or benzoyl peroxide shampoo regularly will reduce the bacteria’s ability to colonize and create a problem. Chlorhexidine and benzoyl peroxide kill bacteria on skin. Of the two of these, benzoyl peroxide can dry out the skin; so, for frequent baths, I would choose the chlorhexidine over the benzoyl peroxide.
If your dog has moist, yeasty dermatitis, miconazole or ketoconazole shampoos will be the best choice. Miconazole and ketoconazole kill yeast and fungus on the skin. Some shampoos are combinations of these products. They may have chlorhexidine and ketoconazole, effectively treating bacteria and yeast at the same time.
You can consult your veterinarian about the different choices and see what would be best for your dog, but one of the main things to remember when your dog has skin problems is that regular and frequent baths with a good medicated shampoo can reduce the frequency of skin flare ups and keep you from having to go to the veterinarian as often.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Bathing dogs with allergies | Pet Peeves
