Did someone tell you that their dog suffers from allergies? Or has your vet told you that your furry buddy might have an allergic reaction? Also, do you feel that your pet already has an allergy? In all the cases, you will notice that there is no specific rule that dog allergies follow. There are many kinds of allergies that can lead to issues in your dogs.
The kind of dog allergies
An allergy is defined as the misguided reaction to foreign substances by your body's
immune system that your pet might suffer from. There are several kinds of allergies that
dogs suffer from. Food allergies, skin allergies, and environmental allergens can pose
challenges to dogs and lead to complications. There is a chance that varied forms of
allergies can overlap.
Skin allergies in Dogs
Simply put, the skin allergy is known as allergic dermatitis and is one of the common forms
of allergic reactions prevalent in dogs.
The causes for this include:
- Environmental allergens
- Flea allergy dermatitis
- Food allergies
Flea allergy dermatitis is the allergic reaction to fleabites. There are a few dogs that are
allergic to the flea saliva. It makes the dogs affected by it highly itchy, especially towards the end of the tail and the skin, which can get scabbed, inflamed, and red. You can also come across signs associated with fleas, such as flea dirt and the flea.
That aside, food sensitives and allergies can lead to itchy skin. One of the standard places
where dogs can have food allergies in their paws and ears and gastrointestinal symptoms.
Also, environmental allergens, known as mold, pollen, and dust, can lead to atopic allergic
reactions and atopic dermatitis. In the majority of cases, all these allergies are
considered seasonal. It means you can notice that the dog might itch during specific times of the year. That aside, when you have food allergies, a few areas that get affected are the ears and paws, the groin, wrists, underarms, and ankles. The majority of skin allergies can have a risk of infection. That aside, as the dog scratches, licks, and bites at the skin, he can risk opening the skin to bacterial and yeast infections, which can need treatment.
The severe allergic reactions
It could be that some of the severe forms of allergies in dogs tend to be acute allergic
reactions. Like people, dogs can opt in for an anaphylactic shock when they witness an
extreme response to the allergen. It might get fatal when you don’t treat it well.
The vaccine reactions and the bee stings, amongst various other things, can lead to the
anaphylactic response in particular dogs. It is why you must watch the dog after a vaccine or a new drug injection. Fortunately, anaphylactic reactions are very rare in dogs.
It is possible for your dog to have facial swelling and hives as a response to the allergen. The swelling in the throat, face, eyelids, lips, and earflaps can appear serious, but it is hardly fatal. When you check in with the vet, they can treat it using an antihistamine.
The dog allergy symptoms
The allergy symptoms in dogs can vary based on the cause. For instance, when a dog
goes into anaphylactic shock, there will be a drop in the blood pressure, and it will witness a shock, that is different from any skin condition. Some of the dog allergy symptoms include the following:
- Hives
- Itchiness
- Chronic ear infection
- Inflamed, red skin
- Sneezing
- Diarrhea
- Swelling in the earflaps, eyelids, lips, ears, and face
- Constant licking
- Vomiting
- Runny, itchy eyes
- Itchy ears
- Sneezing
All these signs might highlight another condition. You should take an appointment with the veterinarian to obtain a precise diagnosis and ensure your dog feels better.
The diagnosis of dog allergies
Any kind of testing for dog allergies is challenging and complex. Ideally, the first thing that a vet will try and do is to rule out every condition that can lead to dog symptoms. If they feel that a certain allergy can lead to other discomforts, they will try to find out the root cause of that. That aside, you need to ensure that it is not possible for deciding the allergy cause, the moment the dog gets tested for it.
Usually, food allergies get diagnosed through an elimination diet. A food trial comprises of
feeding the dog with carbohydrates and protein for about 12 weeks. Flea allergy dermatitis is generally an easy allergy to get diagnosed. It can get diagnosed by recognizing the fleas in the dog’s body and applying products that kill the fleas before it bites it.
Treating dog allergies
The ideal way for treating the dog allergy is through the aversion the allergen and the cause.
It might not always be possible. However, when it comes to treatment, things depend on
the allergy type that your dog has. For instance, the ideal way for treating flea allergy
dermatitis is to kill the fleas. On the other hand, the best way to treat any food allergy or
intolerance is a diet change. But introducing a sudden diet change can cause withdrawal symptoms and make your dog moody and aggressive. Therefore, you need to get it done under the correct medical guidance.
Additionally, if there are any lifestyle changes that are important, it will get suggested by
your vet. They will also suggest any allergy relief medication for the dog, which will enable it to manage the signs linked with the allergic reaction, for instance, a secondary skin infection or itching that can occur owing to any irritant. If your dog has an extreme allergic reaction, the ideal way out is to take him to an emergency veterinary hospital at the earliest and get the necessary treatment. No dog allergy is similar. Hence, you will have to allow the vet the time to delve into the allergic reactions and develop a treatment plan specific to the dog.