ASK THE VET

Q: My 22-month-old female Chihuahua is scratching her face and biting her dew pads. Her skin on her face is dry and flaky – can you help please? JOSEPHINE SPRY, Newcastle

A: The signs reported at this time of year in a dog of her age are most likely to be relating to atopic dermatitis. Unfortunately there is no specific test for atopic dermatitis, so ruling out other common causes of itching should be done first, such as making sure she is up to date with routine parasite treatment. The dry, flaky skin on her face is likely to be relating to increased cell turnover on her face due to the irritation. If she was less itchy, this would likely resolve. The scratching and biting will often result in secondary infections that require antibiotics, so it is certainly worth getting your dog examined by your veterinary surgeon to try to treat any secondary problems that arise. Atopic dermatitis is an inflammatory skin disease relating to allergies. About 20% of dogs with these signs have food contributions to the allergy. Using a good quality, low allergy complete dog food may help to reduce the signs of irritation. Stop using air fresheners and plug-ins, and keep your dog away from cigarette smoke in case they are causing irritation. Your vet will be able to carry out more specific allergy testing to determine what the dog is allergic to. If this is not financially viable, there are drugs your vet can prescribe that will help keep your dog comfortable and help prevent secondary infections developing. Please note that advice in this section is for general guidance. If your pet is very unwell you should contact your veterinary surgeon as soon as possible. Rory Thomson is part of the team at St Clair Veterinary Care in Croft Road, Blyth. If you have a question, fill out the online form at: chroniclelive.co.uk/askthevet