Canine atopic dermatitis is the most common allergic skin disease in dogs, causing chronic pruritus that significantly compromises quality of life without effective management.
Canine atopic dermatitis is a chronic welfare condition that causes persistent suffering through pruritus that cannot be consciously controlled. Dogs with unmanaged atopic dermatitis experience constant itching that drives repetitive scratching, licking, and chewing — behaviors that cause skin damage and secondary infections while providing only brief relief. The welfare improvement achievable with modern targeted therapies is dramatic: oclacitinib and lokivetmab provide rapid, effective itch relief that transforms quality of life for affected dogs within days of initiation. Yet these treatments are chronically underutilized because owners and sometimes veterinarians underestimate the welfare cost of the itch, delay treatment, or rely on less effective older medications. Early diagnosis and effective management of CAD is a high-priority welfare intervention given its prevalence.