Dogs, like humans, may suffer from allergies that are often troublesome, both for the owner, who must make care-binding and often costly for the veterinarian, for whom the diagnosis requires approach often long and difficult. 

What is an allergy? 
An allergy is an overreaction of the defense system of the body (immune system) in respect of officers called allergens. 

At the first contact with the allergen, the body undergoes an awareness that, in contacts following this lead overreaction responsible for diverse symptoms. 

These needs for contact sensitizers explain the late onset of some forms of allergies. 

There are different types of allergens. Pollens, dust mites and saliva chip allergens are most often encountered in dogs. 

There are 4 main types of allergies in dogs: 

1. Allergies Dermatitis by Pain Bullets (FAD) are the most common of them. Dogs are sensitive to the saliva of fleas and only one bite is enough to trigger reactions often important. 

2. Atopy is an allergic predisposition to different allergens. They are primarily inhaled allergens pollen, dust mites, flakes (particles of human skin). 

3. The food allergy is an awareness of allergens in food intake. The nature of these allergens is difficult to ascertain, there are allergies to certain meats (beef), some cereals etc. 

4. Allergies contact with intimate mechanism is a little different. This is not a true allergy in fact, but for the sake of convenience, we classify in allergies at large. The skin is sensitized by contact with different substances (household goods, certain pigments in plastic bowls, PM concrete). 

How do they occur? 
The first symptoms of allergies may occur from the age of 6 months in some dogs, particularly for food allergies. But generally, these are young adults of 2-3 years are met. 
Symptoms may be seasonal depending on the type of allergens (pollens, fleas and etc). 

They consist of the appearance of buttons or red patches in different parts of the body, depending on the type of allergy. The areas most frequently affected are the lips, ears, legs, and the edge of the eyes, elbows and rump. 
These buttons and these plates can sometimes go unnoticed. 

In contact allergies, affected areas are the areas in contact with the allergen: testicles, legs, lips, abdomen ... 
The appearance of these plates causes major itching and the dog scratching so demented. 
Crusts may appear, as well as on-infection by bacteria or yeasts. It is frequently allergies when the dog starts scratching. 

Other symptoms may occur, such as gastrointestinal symptoms in food allergy (diarrhea, vomiting), conjunctivitis (red eyes), rhinitis. 

How to care for dogs allergies? 
The treatment of these allergies is difficult. It is based first on the treatment of complications (bacterial infections or yeast infections), using shampoos and medicines. The use of corticosteroids or anti-histamine during major crises and calming shampoo is generally recommended. 

It is essential to practice control of parasitism, as well as worms digestive chips that make the dog more sensitive and increases the allergic response. A hypoallergenic regime may also be established. There are kibbles specially designed for allergic dogs (meat or white lamb and rice).

It would obviously eliminate allergens from the living environment of the dog if known (household products, bowls, chips and etc). 

And if none of this would work? 
When these initial treatments fail, veterinarians can use different ways to refine their diagnosis and to try to determine the exact nature of the allergens responsible for the disease. 

The skin tests
As in humans, it can make skin tests (skin tests). They are injected into the dermis of the dog small amounts of allergens, the most frequent and monitor the response 20 minutes and 48 hours later. Only some veterinarians specializing in dermatology can practice exam.
In practice, it is essential that the dogs have a skin and, therefore, that complications have been treated previously.
The dogs should also have received no medication before the test.

Serum
There are also blood assays to determine the allergens responsible. Various tests are currently available and your veterinarian can advise you and implement them.

The system of foreclosure
It is to eat the dog food that he never interfered. This regime will be extremely strict (no candy or any food scraps). It should be continued for some 10 weeks before showing results.

If the dog does more symptoms, one can try to give every week a new food, so whether the dogs are allergic or not (when symptoms return quickly).

This approach is laborious, but it allows the identification of certain foods responsible for allergic if practiced properly.

Once the allergens identified, it will be possible to minimize their presence in the life of the dogs, even to eliminate: aspiration of dust, anti-flea drastic cutting of trees, especially diet.

Find hypoallergenic foods recommended in food allergies here.

Desensitization
The dogs receive injections of preparations of allergens. They are often effective and can significantly reduce the symptoms of allergy.


Conclusion
An animal allergic else all his life, even if today, diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities are powerful. However, diagnosis requires a cumbersome approach, strict and sometimes difficult, requiring close collaboration and trust between the owner and the veterinarian.