Allergies

Causes

Allergies occur when the body's immune system becomes hyperreactive to a substance that is normally harmless.  Common allergens include:

• Environment: grass, pollen or dust mites
• External Parasites: flea, mosquitoes, ticks
• Food: protein sources 

Canine Atopic Dermatitis (CAD) is an allergy to environmental allergens. It's a common, lifelong disease that affects 10% to 15% of dogs.  The human version of CAD is eczema which is often treated with medication and topical therapy.  

Signs

The main symptom of allergies is skin irritation.  Dogs with allergies are itchy and often chew on their feet, rub their faces on the carpet or furniture, or scratch their sides and belly, reddening the skin.

They are also prone to ear infections. Chronic reddened and dirty ears or even repetitive ear infections may be a sign your pet has allergies.

Secondary bacterial infections of the skin are common as scratching and licking damage the skin barrier. That's why it's essential to clean and care for the skin during and between flare-ups with DOUXO^® S3 products.

Treatment

Your veterinarian may have to run a series of tests to diagnose an allergy.  Allergies are frustrating, because they can be hard to diagnose and they can be a life-long problem.  In addition to avoiding the allergen (if possible) your veterinarian will treat your dog's allergies with a combination of medication and topical therapy with DOUXO^®  S3 CALM products that are clinically proven to help reduce the signs of CAD^1-4.   DOUXO^®  S3 CALM is the only topical brand for dogs with this level of clinical support to fight this painful disease. 

DOUXO^® S3 products are specially formulated to help soothe the skin, restore the skin's microbial balance, and help support the body as it fights the allergen with the immune system.      

DOUXO^®  is the #1 non-prescription topical brand used and recommended by U.S. veterinarians for dogs with skin allergies.⁵

_{1.  Zając, M., Szczepanik, M. P., Wilkołek, P. M., Adamek, L. R., Pomorski, Z. J., Sitkowski, W., & Gołyński, M. (2015). Assessment of a correlation between Canine Atopic Dermatitis Extent and Severity Index (CADESI-03) and selected biophysical skin measures (skin hydration, pH, and erythema intensity) in dogs with naturally occurring atopic dermatitis. Can J Vet Res, 79(2): 136–140.}

_{2.  Kolasa, E., Ferrer, L., Nejar, G., Ollivier, E., Gatellet, M., & Zemirline, C. (2019). Tolerance Assessment of two new Ophytrium-containing Topical Products Intended for Dogs with Sensitive Skin. Proceedings of the 2019 SCIVAC Dermatology Congress. Arezzo, Italy.}

_{3.  Gatellet, M., De-Jaeger, X., Zemirline, C., & Ollivier, E. (2019). Comparative performances of two protocols combining shampoo(s) and mousse applications in dogs with sensitive skin. Proceedings of the 2019 SCIVAC Dermatology Congress. Arezzo, Italy.}

_{4.  Gatellet, M., Kesteman, R., Blondel, T., Zemirline, C., Ollivier, E., & De-Jaeger, X. (2020). Performance of a combination of Ophytrium-containing shampoo and mousse applications in the management of sensitive skin in dogs: intermediate results of a field study. 14th UNISVET National Congress. Milan, Italy.}

_{5. BIO'SAT Quantitative Study: Dermatological products for cats and dogs among 250 U.S. Veterinary Practices. October 2018.}