Like humans, dogs can suffer from allergies. Certain breeds of dogs, such as the Bichon Frise, Standard Poodle, and Cocker Spaniel, are more susceptible to developing allergies than others. Here are 5 of the most common allergies in dogs.
Food Allergies
Many dogs suffer from food allergies. The allergens are usually ingredients in dog food such as animal proteins, artificial additives, oils, and wheat. Allergic reactions occur when the dog’s immune system sees specific substances as a threat to the body and reacts against them.
The symptoms of an allergic reaction include diarrhea, vomiting, itchy and inflamed ears, and skin, itching, and weight loss. To treat or prevent food allergies in your dog, you can feed them dog food that is specially formulated for dogs with sensitive stomachs and ones that are allergy-prone. Organize a sensitive dog food delivery through a reputable website and choose a diet that is free from substances that may trigger an adverse reaction.
Flea Allergies
When a flea bites a dog, its saliva is injected into the dog’s skin. Chemicals in the flea saliva can irritate the dog’s skin and cause it to become itchy immediately. If proteins in the saliva bind slowly with the skin’s collagen, the allergic reaction can last several weeks.
When dogs have fleas and suffer an allergic reaction to them, they will scratch themselves intensely – often to the point that their skin becomes red, crusty, and sore. In areas where they have scratched incessantly and then licked the site, they may experience hair loss, and the skin may become darker and thicker.
Fleas can be removed from the dog by brushing through their coat with a flea comb and then administering a topical flea treatment to the skin surface or giving the dog oral medication. Once the fleas have been removed from the dog, the whole environment surrounding the dog should be made flea-free. Flea sprays and insecticides should be sprayed around the home and garden to kill fleas and their larvae. The dog’s bedding, coats, blankets, and toys should be vacuumed and washed thoroughly to remove eggs. Remember to clean the vacuum cleaner cylinder after use in case eggs hatch inside it.
Grooming Product Allergies
Washing and grooming your dog can help remove fleas, smooth and remove tangled and matted fur, and of course, keep them clean and smelling fresh. Unfortunately, some shampoos contain chemicals that may irritate dogs’ skin and cause the animal to lick themselves so much that the skin becomes scaly and sore, and scabs form.
Usually, allergic reactions caused by shampoo will clear up when the shampoo is binned, and a hypoallergenic one is used instead. If the reaction is severe, a prescription shampoo from the vet should be used.
Contact Dermatitis
Contact dermatitis occurs when the skin is touched by irritants and develops sore, flaky, itchy patches. There are two forms of contact dermatitis in dogs – allergic contact dermatitis and irritant contact dermatitis.
Allergic contact dermatitis occurs when the skin comes in contact with an irritating substance such as the chemicals in shampoo. Symptoms of this type of dermatitis include hives, dry and scaly skin, wet blisters, swelling, itching, and redness. The symptoms of irritant contact dermatitis – the most common type of contact dermatitis, differ slightly in that they include blistering, ulcerations, open sores, and skin cracking. This condition occurs when the skin comes in direct contact with a toxic substance such as detergent or a non-toxic component such as water when it is in frequent contact with the skin.
Steroids can be prescribed to take away the itching sensation of dermatitis. Prevention is better than the cure, so ensure that you feed your dog food that is hypoallergenic, wash their bedding, soft toys, and blankets with a mild detergent and keep up to date with their flea and parasite treatments.
Environmental Allergies
Tree, grass and weed pollens, dust, mold and other airborne substances can cause an allergic reaction in dogs. Some dogs will only develop these allergies at certain times of the year – such as during springtime and autumn when pollen levels are at their highest. If your dog is chewing or licking their paws, itching and scratching, experiencing hair loss, developing ear infections and hives, they are probably suffering from an environmental allergy.
As you cannot keep your dog inside for months on end to prevent them from having contact with pollen, it is best to visit your vet, who will prescribe a steroid treatment for their condition.
