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About Itchy Dog Notes
Itchy Dog Notes is a small, free library about one thing: why dogs itch and what to do about it. It's written for ordinary dog households - clear steps, no jargon, no miracle promises - and it's made by the team behind PawLine, a research-based dog and cat Q&A app. PawLine app, patent pending.
How the guides are written
Each guide starts from the questions people actually ask, then builds from the sources listed below: open-access veterinary guidelines and research published under Creative Commons licenses, plus US government public-domain material. We write in our own words, name the source when a claim matters, and avoid invented statistics. These guides are general information, not veterinary advice - your vet knows your dog.
Sources
- Hensel P, Santoro D, Favrot C, et al. "Canine atopic dermatitis: detailed guidelines for diagnosis and allergen identification." BMC Veterinary Research 11:196 (2015): how atopic dermatitis is diagnosed - clinical criteria, ruling out look-alikes with flea combing, scrapings and cytology, and where allergy testing fits. Open access, CC BY 4.0; our guides paraphrase and summarize in original wording.
- Olivry T, DeBoer DJ, Favrot C, et al. "Treatment of canine atopic dermatitis: 2015 updated guidelines from the International Committee on Allergic Diseases of Animals (ICADA)." BMC Veterinary Research 11:210 (2015): bathing with mild shampoos, flare management, skin hygiene and the evidence behind anti-itch treatments. Open access, CC BY 4.0.
- Olivry T, Mueller RS, Prélaud P. "Critically appraised topic on adverse food reactions of companion animals (1): duration of elimination diets." BMC Veterinary Research (2015): why elimination diet trials should run at least 8 weeks. Open access, CC BY 4.0.
- Mueller RS, Olivry T, Prélaud P. "Critically appraised topic on adverse food reactions of companion animals (2): common food allergen sources in dogs and cats." BMC Veterinary Research (2016): the most commonly reported canine food triggers - beef, dairy, chicken, wheat. Open access, CC BY 4.0.
- Olivry T, Mueller RS. "Critically appraised topic on adverse food reactions of companion animals (3): prevalence of cutaneous adverse food reactions in dogs and cats." BMC Veterinary Research (2017): how common food-related skin reactions are among itchy and allergic dogs. Open access, CC BY 4.0.
- "Analgesic effect of meloxicam in canine acute dermatitis - a pilot study." Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica 43(4):247-252 (2002): evidence that acute moist dermatitis (hot spots) is painful and responds to anti-inflammatory treatment. Open access.
- "Potentially Dangerous Items for Your Pet." US Food & Drug Administration: human medicines such as ibuprofen, naproxen and aspirin can harm pets. US government public domain.
PawLine, the app behind this site
PawLine answers dog and cat questions with research-based answers shaped to your pet's breed, age, history and situation - including the skin and itch problems covered here. Free to download; see the store listing for current offers, pricing and trial terms.
