Meet Lottie, a gorgeous 2-year-old Golden Retriever who came to see me after struggling with year-round itchiness since she was just a puppy. Her owners described her scratching, licking, and chewing as constant and despite their best efforts, nothing seemed to give her much relief.

Because food allergies can often cause itchiness in dogs, Lottie’s owners committed to a strict diet trial. This meant feeding her a carefully chosen hydrolysed diet with no sneaky extras for 6-8 weeks. Unfortunately, there was no change, so we could rule food out as the main culprit.

We also trialled various medications such as antihistamines and a tablet that often helps with allergic skin disease called Apoquel. However, Lottie didn’t respond as well as we’d hoped. With her discomfort persisting, it was time to dig deeper into the root cause of her itchiness.

To investigate further, we performed a PAX (Pet Allergy Xplorer) blood test, which screens for a wide range of potential allergens. This helps us identify exactly what a dog’s immune system is overreacting to.

Lottie’s results came back showing:

• Allergy to house dust mites
• Allergy to honey bee venom

While bee venom reactions are important to be aware of in case of stings, her day-to-day itching was far more likely related to her dust mite allergy.

Dust mites are microscopic creatures that live in soft furnishings like carpets, bedding, and sofas. Completely eliminating them is impossible (even in the cleanest of houses) but we can reduce a dog’s exposure and help control their allergic response.

Treatment options include:

• Environmental management:
  • Wash bedding weekly at 60°C to kill mites.
  • Use synthetic, easily washable dog beds rather than feather-filled or wool bedding.
  • Vacuum frequently with a HEPA-filter vacuum.
  • Consider air purifiers to help reduce allergens in the home.
  • Using various pet friendly products such as Allergone
• Topical care:
  • Regular baths with a gentle hypoallergenic or medicated shampoo can help remove allergens from the skin and coat.
  • Leave-on mousse products can soothe irritated skin between washes.
• Medical options:
  • Allergen-specific immunotherapy (ASIT): This is the gold standard for dust mite allergies. It involves creating a personalised vaccine based on Lottie’s test results, gradually desensitising her immune system over time.
  • Symptomatic relief: Medications such as steroids, monoclonal antibodies (Cytopoint) or other immune-modulating drugs can still be used when flare-ups occur.

Now that we know what Lottie has allergies to and with the right plan in place, Lottie’s owners now have tools to manage her environment, soothe her skin, and tackle her allergies long-term. Living with an allergic dog can be challenging, but with persistence, most dogs like Lottie can go on to live happy, comfortable lives.