Allergies are one of the most common causes of excessive itching and scratching. There are actually several different types of allergies including allergic contact dermatitis, atopic dermatitis (atopy), flea allergy dermatitis, and canine food hypersensitivity (food allergies).

Allergic Contact Dermatitis
This form of allergic reaction usually occurs due to prolonged contact with an offending agent such as a household deodorizer, rubber chew toy, floor cleaner, detergent or plastic dish.

Signs of allergic contact dermatitis include itchiness, redness and skin lesions in the areas of your dog’s body that come into contact with the allergic agent. As the condition progresses, the impacted skin may become darkened and/or thickened.

To treat allergic contact dermatitis, your vet will generally give you a soothing hypoallergenic shampoo to be used on your dog to wash off the allergens. Your vet may also prescribe topical steroids or a short-term course of oral steroids to reduce the inflammation and itchiness. Really the only means by which allergic contact dermatitis can be effectively prevented from reoccurring is to remove the offending agent from your dog’s environment.