Dog Allergies: Hidden Health Risks in Your Home

When it comes to your pet, nothing is too good. You buy premium dog food, a comfy pad for those long lazy afternoons, and there’s never a shortage of chew toys around. It’s no different for the health-related needs of our canine companions; we’re all used to regular trips to the vet, and dread those unexpected emergency visits.

Flea collars, rabies shots, parasite remedies…yes, it is a rare dog lover who does not bend over backward to ensure a long and comfortable life for our pets. We bring them to grooming salons, enjoy long walks in the park, and generally lose track of who is really the owner in the relationship.

Yet, despite all of this devotion, a startling segment of the community is completely unaware of a serious threat to the health of domestic animals and unknowingly allow our poor silent friends to suffer. Dog allergies are quite common, though difficult to detect…and Rusty may be smart, but he probably hasn’t learned to describe his symptoms to the vet.

Not yet, anyway. I know some of you will keep trying to teach him.

The key area of concern are allergies in dogs which produce an immune response to everyday substances. Oftentimes, a pet who appears ill, or seems to be afflicted with a digestive parasite, could actually be allergic to dinner. Commercial dog foods often contain dozens of different meats and grains, any of which might be responsible for digestive symptoms such as regurgitation and loose bowels, as well as breathing issues, itchiness, and jerky motions with the face and paws, indicating irritation.

Dog allergies are also caused by the same pollens and molds that make hayfever season a struggle for many humans as well. The highly sensitive canine snout is also vulnerable to dust and associated mites, so a clean carpet and bedding is essential to reducing the harm caused by the local environment to some dogs.

Seeing obsessive scratching in a dog tends not to set off any warning bells; most folks reason that dogs enjoy all sorts of odd repetitive motion and are perhaps itchier than humans, since they generally don’t wear a lot of clothes and spend most of their time on the floor. Nevertheless, a great deal of the time, the itching is not natural at all, but the result of a dog allergy.

If you suspect that your pet is afflicted, request an examination from your veterinarian, being careful to describe the symptoms which aroused your concern. If no other obvious cause is found, such as fleas, worms, or infectious disease, a series of tests can narrow down the source of your dog’s allergy.

Once the offending item has been identified, the next task will be to remove that substance from your pet’s living space. If an ingredient in food turns out to be the problem, changing to a purer brand might be an easy solution. On the other hand, if it turns out that your dog is allergic to humans, there may be no better solution than moving out to the doghouse and leaving your house to your pet.

After all, you’d do anything for your dog, wouldn’t you?

Treatment of Dog Allergies

Is your dog always scratching his skin, causing blisters and sores to form all over his body? Then your dog might just have an allergy.

Symptom Relief

Allergies in dogs present as uncontrollable itching, forcing the dog to lick and scratch himself until sores develop on his body. These sores could become infected, accumulate pus and become very painful. With recurrent attacks, some dogs eventually end up with their hair falling out.

One of the most effective ways to manage your dog’s allergy symptoms is to give him regular baths with cool water. Using shampoos that contain eucalyptus and aloe vera can help relieve the itching that your dog experiences until the skin heals. Diets rich in vitamins, minerals and fatty acids also aid in keeping your dog’s skin healthy.

A number of medications can also help relieve the symptoms of allergies. These include antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine, and steroids, such as prednisone. If your dog develops an infection, antibiotics may be given. Keep in mind that continued use of these medications can result in serious side effects, such as liver problems and a weakened immune system. Thus, it is best to consult a veterinarian about the proper dosages prior to administering these medications.

Immunotherapy in animals has also become more popular in recent years. Your dog is given shots to prevent the development of allergies. Remember that these shots may take anywhere from several months to a year to work, and can cost a huge amount of money.

Specific Treatment

There are several kinds of dog allergies, and the treatment for each kind varies significantly.

Some component of the air around us, such as pollen, mold spores or household dust, could cause allergies to your dog. This is known as inhalant allergy. Frequently dusting and vacuuming the areas where your dog usually stays helps a lot.

Flea infestation is one of the biggest problems experienced by dogs. What’s even worse is that some dogs are allergic to the saliva that fleas produce. The treatment for flea allergies is to control, and if possible, eliminate the fleas. Regular grooming and brushing of your dog’s hair is quite helpful. You can also use any of the numerous anti-flea products that abound in the market, such as flea shampoos, foggers, sprays and medications containing pyrethrin.

Another common type of allergy that dogs experience is allergy to certain components of dog food. An effective way to manage food allergies is to change the dog’s diet to a hypoallergenic one. Then gradually introduce a certain kind of food one at a time, waiting approximately a few days to a week to observe if the dog reacts to it. Once you have determined what components cause the allergies, you can permanently remove it from your dog’s diet.

Avoidance

Still, the most effective way to manage dog allergies is to prevent them. No matter what kind of allergy your dog has, avoiding the allergen that triggers the disease minimizes the symptoms experienced by your pet, and keeps your pet healthy and allergy-free.