My atopy cases will have a pro-active long term treatment regimen outlined including whole body anti-microbial/barrier restoring washes, aural cleansing ± topical anti-inflammatory, allergen specific immunotherapy and/or systemic immunomodulation plus targeted nutrition. All atopic individuals will benefit from targeted nutritional support as well as topical & systemic medications. In fact, some diets have been proven to reduce the long term medication load on atopic, non-food allergic, dogs thereby helping to reduce the possibility of drug side effects as well as reducing medication costs.
Ref: The efficacy of commercially available veterinary diets recommended for dogs with atopic dermatitis. Veterinary Dermatology Journal, September 2008, Volume 19, Issue 5, Pages: 280-287, Katharina Glos, Monika Linek, Christine Lowenstein, Ursula Mayer, Ralf S. Mueller. This peer-reviewed journal article is kindly provided, open access, by Wiley Online Library https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3164.2008.00688.x
I will recommend a list of premium quality, fixed-formula, dermatitis-biased, complete diets manufactured by at least five different Veterinary nutrition companies. The ingredients of these diets are supported by scientific studies and employ a variety of ingredients to aid in restoring the integrity of the skin, reducing transepidermal water loss and improving it’s barrier function – most importantly they will have high levels of Omega-6/Omega-3 essental fatty acid (EFA) oral supplementation. In addition, one company uses pantothenic acid, inositol, niacin, choline and histidine (PINCH); another uses whole egg, bioactives and micronutrients (Histaguard™ complex), polyphenols, Vitamin A and Zinc etc.
Hills Derm Defense Nutritional Evidence Summary
I seldom recommend adding an essential fatty acid supplement to a diet as the above diets have the correct high levels & correct ratio of Omega-6/Omega 3 already incorporated within them. If I recommend the use of an EFA supplement it will be only ever be a veterinary-manufactured spray, in a self-compressing can, that avoids exposing the oil to the air as rancid oil is totally ineffective.