Brief Guide to Dog Allergies
Common Canine Allergies
Did you know that Fido can be born with or even develop allergies to certain things in their environment? Dogs are similar to humans in many aspects but recent research shows that your family pet can even have common allergies like humans. Dogs can develop many different types of allergic reactions to allergens in their environment. Luckily, there are things we as pet owners can do to help Fido with his allergy symptoms. To do that however, you need to first find out what type of allergen is causing your pet's allergies and then you can find ways to alleviate their allergy symptoms.
Common Canine Allergies
An allergy is the body's hypersensitive reaction to common matters (allergens) found in the environment. Just as in humans, a dog's allergies can develop over time or even after a second exposure to a certain material. Dogs can inhale, ingest, and physically come in contact with many items that can cause allergic reactions. Common allergens can be found in:
- your dog's processed food
- beef
- dairy products
- chicken
- soy
- corn
- grass in the yard
- dirt
- seasonal plants and flowers
- flea and ticks
- household cleaning chemicals
- laundry soap
Types of Reactions
The allergens in your dog's environment can cause several types of allergic reactions. Some reactions are serious and can be fatal; other types of reactions are more annoying than anything.
- skin irritations (i.e. itching, scratching, swelling, redness, paw licking and many others).
- eye irritations (i.e. glassy eyes, watery eyes, itchy eyes, and more).
- gastrointestinal issues (i.e. loose bowels, constipation, bloody stools, etc).
Preventing Allergy Symptoms
First and foremost, you have to narrow down what is causing your canine's allergy symptoms. At first this can be quite a daunting task to master. Sometimes pet owners will have to resort to taking their dog into their local veterinarian's office for assistance in figuring out the allergy triggers.
Once you can find out what is causing your dog's allergies you can learn how to lessen their affects. If the allergen is something simple you can remove it from the environment to lessen your dog's symptoms. Sometimes you can even do simple things like giving your dog a cold bath to clean off the dander that is causing their reactions. If your dog is having problems related to itching or aggravated skin, you can shampoo their hair with aloe shampoo to calm their skin. Some allergy symptoms can be alleviated by simply avoiding the allergen.
Sometimes if the allergy is severe, a vet can prescribe your pet a special antibiotic or even a steriod to help alleviate their allergy symptoms. The treatment will really depend on what is causing the dog's allergic symptoms and how severe the symptoms are. With any pet allergy it is suggested you do seek advice from a qualified veterinarian.