ASK THE VET

Q: Alfie, my 11-month-old male Maltese dog, rubs his face/eyes against the couch and floor after he eats. We have changed his food to a hypo-allergenic sensitive kind but this hasn’t helped. Twice the vet has put him on steroids, which settles down his red swollen eyes but not long after the treatment it starts again. Any idea what this could be?

JONNY LIOSI, Heaton A: Atopic dermatitis would be top of my list. This disease classically starts in dogs under three years of age, with an itchiness that starts before any redness, in dogs that are mainly kept inside and generally has a good response to steroids. It is essentially an allergy to something in the environment. About 80% of dogs with atopic dermatitis have signs of allergic conjunctivitis, some more obvious than others. This could be the redness and swelling reported around the eyes. The link to the itchiness following eating could suggest an underlying dietary trigger or may indicate pain from the mouth associated with dental disease, which may benefit from further investigation. A good quality hypoallergenic diet is Please note that advice in this section is for general guidance, and if your pet is very unwell you should contact your veterinary surgeon as soon as possible as this advice does not replace the need for a clinical examination of your pet. 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

always a good starting point, however these diets do not eliminate all protein sources that the dog may be reacting to. Ideally a hydrolysed diet should be used. In these diets, the protein sources are so small, Alfie would not be able to react to...