What Are Allergies in Dogs and Possible Treatments
Have you started to observe your dog itching and scratching more than normal? Is the itching causing exposed sores and loss of hair on your best friend? If so, this is a sound warning sign that your canine could be suffering from dog allergies. Dogs do not show the distinctive red eyes and a watery nose similar to what humans do when we are suffering with an allergy. Other signs might involve extreme itching of a given area, or chewing of the paws causing them to bleed.
What Are The Causes of Dog Allergies?
An allergy can occur when an animal’s immune system overreacts to particular allergens. The body produces antibodies as a form of defense after the trigger of the canine’s allergy passes into the body. These antibodies will then bind to immune cells in the skin and various organs of the body. Thus, when the allergens gradually invade tissue surfaces, the antibodies incite immune cells to release strong chemicals (named histamines) into the nearby tissue. This then causes irritation and dog itching.
There are various factors to investigate when attempting to pinpoint the cause of allergies in dogs. An allergy that affects a dog’s skin is commonly triggered by at least one of these: food, fleas, and airborne particles.
Flea Allergy also known as Flea Dermatitis is normally triggered by the saliva of the flea. This is why it’s very significant to relieve your dog of fleas frequently. Some breeds of dogs seem to be more sucseptible to this type of allergy than others. Skin allergies in shih tzu dogs are often caused by flea allergies.
The atopic allergy is initiated by the the breathing of airborne particles in the natural environment, such as tobacco smoke, mold spores, dust and pollen, activate atopic allergies. If a pet is allergic to pollen, the dog will show warning signs, even if you keep it indoors as the particles will move into the home. Coughing, sneezing and wheezing generally go along with this form of allergy.
Food allergies are the next most frequent form of allergy in dogs. The most probable reasons for food allergies in dogs are: soy, chicken, corn, milk, wheat, beef and eggs. Nausea and diarrhea generally are signs of this form of allergy in dogs.
Contact allergies are the least frequently seen form of allergy in dogs and is triggered by contacting something. Triggers could include plastic, grass and wool. A few dogs could have allergic reactions to certain chemicals in the household, however, it is not very common.
How to Identify Dog Allergies
A vet should be able to diagnose the problem, but it could call for a procedure of elimination to identify the root of the dog’s skin allergy and may perhaps refer your pet to a veterinarian who’s a skin expert. In the event where fleas are ruled out, the animal could be put on an elimination diet for a couple of months. Your dog is given food it hasn’t had in the past, such as duck, mutton, and potatoes, with the previous food being introduced slowly until the allergy returns.
The allergen is thought to be at least one ingredient if the animals itching drops by about one half of what it was previously. When examining for contact and atopic allergies, vets utilize an intradermal allergy exam that operates by gently anesthetizing the dog with slight quantities of potential allergens which are injected into the skin on the shaved region. If your dog is allergic to a specific substance, the skin will become inflamed near the area of injection.
Treating Skin Allergies in Dogs
Keeping your pet away from allergens and remedying the symptoms of skin allergies in dogs are the best approaches to treatment. Remedies like antihistamines and steroids are frequently prescribed to alleviate the symptoms of itching and swelling in dogs, though like all medicines they could be accompanied by undesirable side effects and the long term effects are still undetermined.
Long term use of steroids is discouraged because these drugs function by suppressing the immune system. Prolonged steroid use may eventually leave your pet at risk in regards to diabetes, infections and other illnesses.
Herbal Treatments
Fortunately for pet enthusiasts, there are plenty of nontoxic and all-natural homeopathic and herbal treatments for dogs agonizing with skin disorders.
Melaleuca alternifolia is often used externally to promote skin health and keeping the animal’s skin clean while Althaea officinalis root is an exceptional and commonly accepted remedy for soothing the skin. Homeopathic remedies such as Apis and Ledum have great healing properties and are notably beneficial in healing swollen and chafed skin, or minor stings and lesions.
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