Dog Allergies

Just like humans, a man’s best friend can also suffer from allergies. Dog allergies have a variety of causes, which makes diagnosis and treatment harder. Major causes of dog allergies (allergens) include pollen, mites, flakes, bites, flea saliva, chemical and industrial as well as some homemade products, and even certain meats and grains.

SYMPTOMS
Symptoms vary according to allergy type. Generally, symptoms appear once the pet reaches adulthood, although puppies can also suffer from food allergies. Itchiness or a coating will appear with more or less visibility (sometimes they can only be detected by checking them regularly).

These may range anywhere from a simple discomfort to a strong itch. The allergy may then bring about scabs, second infections and digestive problems. Allergies can appear sporadically or permanently in certain areas. Specifically, on a dog’s head: lips, eyes, and around the eyes. Also, the body is very sensitive, especially the legs and hindquarters. Contact allergies most often appear around the lips, genitals and abdomen.  

CARE
Dog allergy outbreaks (infections) should be treated using specific shampoos or other products recommended by a veterinarian. There are also medicines for severe flare-ups. It is absolutely essential that the dog be evaluated to determine the kind of allergen present in order to treat the allergy.  

If the allergy should persist, other methods may be necessary, for example cutaneous tests (putting slight amounts of allergens into the skin so as to analyze the dog’s reaction) or depositing allergen doses into the bloodstream. There is also a method called “selective food allergy testing” which consists of feeding the pet common foods in order to seek and identify allergens.  

Allergy identification can sometimes be a lengthy and arduous process which requires close cooperation between owner and veterinarian.  An allergic dog may be sensitive to allergens even after a number of treatments. Therefore it is best to always avoid contact or ingestion of the allergen.