Joii can help shift the itch

We’ve partnered with Joii to offer our customers exclusive FREE access to a programme specifically tailored to help your pet with their skin condition.

Skin allergies & Joii

Did you know allergic skin disease is one of the top 3 conditions seen by vets at Joii Pet Care? Affecting pets of all shapes, sizes and age, over 75% of the cases can be treated and well managed without the need to go into a vet practice.

The experienced vets at Joii will work with you starting with an initial check-up using their free app. After that, you'll have regular check-ins at times that suit you and your pet.

Which pets are most commonly affected?

Commonly affected breeds include French Bulldogs, English Bulldogs, Spaniels (and their long ears), Poodles and Labradors.

The most common age for the first signs of a skin condition developing in pets is often between the ages of 2 and 5 years of ages, however, they also see signs much earlier, especially if it’s a food allergy.

The common signs of a skin problem

• Itching especially around the face, ears, between the toes, armpits, groin, and tummy
• Sores, scabs and scratch marks
• Hair loss or thinning of the coat
• Redness of the skin
• Tummy upsets and gas (usually because of a food allergy)

Top tips to manage your pet’s itchy skin

Flea and tick control

We recommend that your dog is treated with a veterinary recognised parasite treatment and that it is given routinely. This is often monthly for fleas, ticks, mites and intestinal worms, and every 3 months for tape worms.

Top tip: The best option for parasite prevention in pets with skin conditions is to use tablet medication rather than a spot on, which is generally a prescription medication and can be dispensed by your local vet.

Special diet

Pets with skin allergies will often be recommended a veterinary prescription diet, this is one of the most important aspects of their treatment programme. This will certainly be recommended for any pet with food allergies but can also be very beneficial for pets with environmental allergies too.

Remember: Beware the word “hypoallergenic” as this term is used on many diets and doesn’t always mean it’s allergen free! Ideally, you’d want to feed a hydrolysed diet to really reduce your pet’s itch.

Topical treatment

Managing skin conditions in pets requires a lifelong beauty regime for your dog. This may include daily or weekly baths depending on how well controlled their skin problems are.

• Regular grooming can help improve airflow to your pet’s skin and keep it healthier.
• Keeping hairy ear canals plucked or trimmed can drastically reduce the flare up of itchy ears.
• Face folds on breeds like Bulldogs will need daily cleaning to prevent infections.

Allergen avoidance

It’s always best to allow your pet to sleep in their own bed but be sure to wash the bedding regularly to remove any allergens that may have settled in the bedding.

Remember: There is hypoallergenic bedding available for pets too!

Improve skin barrier

The skin barrier helps to keep allergens out and water in. Allergic dogs have a damaged skin barrier which allows more allergens to enter, and more water to be lost, leading to dry and itchy skin. We can improve the skin barrier very easily by feeding a diet highly enriched in essential fatty acids and/or by adding a supplement to the food every day.

Managing the itch

There are several prescription medications available for controlling itching in dogs, including steroids and antihistamines as well as other products. However, the ultimate aim is to use the least amount of medication possible in order to minimise the side effects your pet may experience.

It is really important that dogs with skin allergies are regularly checked because allergies can change over time and treatments may need to be adapted. As a minimum, we recommend that allergic dogs should be seen by a veterinary surgeon at least 3 to 4 times a year.

Because the majority of environmental allergies cannot be “cured”, it is critical to understand that your dog will most likely need lifelong treatment to help control the allergy and manage their symptoms in order to keep them comfortable, happy and improve their overall quality of life.