What Are The Reasons Behind Allergies On Dogs

Like human beings, dogs too can be allergic to some food or things

. In fact, there are three types of allergies common in dogs. These three types of allergies are contact allergy, inhalant allergy and bacterial or flea allergy. Symptoms of these allergies include coughing, sneezing, itching and wheezing. As pet owner, you should watch out for symptoms of allergy in your dog and have it treated right way. Dog allergies will be explained more in the following paragraphs.

Allergic reaction is primarily the immune system's reaction to allergens. If you are exposed to allergen, your immune system instantly releases histamine to deal with the allergens. Some of the causes of inhalant allergy on dogs are pollen, mildew, dust mites and molds. Huge number of mold in the house may cause allergy to your dog.

Fleas may cause allergies on dogs and their bites might cause skin allergy. If your dog has skin allergy, chances are, he will always lick and chew his paws and scratch the affected part. If your dog continuously scratches his skin, it may cause sores to develop and eventually may lead t skin trauma. Skin trauma is not good since it put your dog to higher risks of bacterial infection. If your dog has eaten food that he is allergic to, he may exhibit symptoms such as itching, vomiting, constant rubbing of face and shaking of head, sneezing and diarrhea.

Allergies on dogs have many symptoms like itching, wheezing, coughing, runny nose, vomiting, eye discharges, recurring infections in the ears, diarrhea and chewing of paws. If you see these in your pet, consult the veterinarian at once. Skin scrapings from your dog will be tested to know the reason for the allergies. Skin culture and blood testing are done to know the right treatment for the illness. Usually, antihistamines are given to the dogs to treat the allergic reaction but there are some instances that dogs are administered with steroids. Steroids are used only in extreme allergic cases.

Some treatment for the itchiness brought by allergic reaction is bathing your pet using hypoallergenic shampoo and putting hydrocortisone cream on his skin. To avoid getting exposed to allergens, maintain cleanliness inside and outside the house. Also give omega-3 supplements to your pet. Omega-3 is known to prevent allergies.

Some foods like soy, corn, whey, wheat, chicken and beef can cause allergy to dogs hence it is best not to feed your dogs with such foods. To make sure are the foods your dog is allergic to, you can have allergy test conducted. Such test maybe made by your veterinarian. You can subject your pet to an elimination diet to find out what causes his allergies. In doing so, avoid feeding him food directly form the table.

Hopefully, this article was able to answer all your queries regarding allergies on dogs. Now you know what are the main causes of allergy, help your dog avoid them by taking preventive measures.

by: Amy Chan

POST COMMENT

Why Is Socialization Important To Dogs? Bird's Eye Views On Board the Wheel of Manchester Cats, Kittens and Slot Machines Finding A Suitable Dog Kennel For Your Dog How A Dog Knows When His Meals Are Ready To Eat Choosing Dog Training Leads My Pillow Pets – What Are They? Things you didn't Know About Dogs How to Encourage Your Cat to be More Affectionate Tiny dogs' clothes Uganda, a Complete Pleasure for Those Who Treasure Birds Recommendations for Creating a Dog Bed Many Types Of Parasitic Worms Are Found In Young Dogs