Dog Allergies | An Introductory Guide
Welcome to our website on dog allergies. Only a dog owner can understand the bond between him/her and their dog. The love and trust that shines in this kind of relationship is special and to be teasured. We do whatever in our means to pamper our canine friend. Be it buying premium dog food, chew toys, flea collars or parasitic remedies, we leave no stone unturned in taking due care of our pets. Yet, despite all the effort, most of us are may not be aware of the hidden dangers of dog allergies to our beloved pooches. Though dog allergies are quite common phenomenon, they are quite difficult to detect and the problem is further compounded by the fact that your pet cannot verbalize their suffering.
Just like allergy in humans, dog allergies too have similar symptoms. For instance, Itching is something we relate to the habits of dog. But consistent itching or obsessive scratching over a long period of time should be considered a warning bell. Other symptoms for dog allergies you should watch out for include coughing, eye and nose discharge, hair loss, vomiting and breathing problems. These signs should be regularly observed by the owner and must not be taken lightly. Instead of scolding your pet for scratching, your dog requires immediate attention. These are thing to look out for in dog allergies.
The most common of dog allergies comes from certain substances found in the dog food. Although it is difficult to detect, but again symptoms such as vomiting or coughing after meal indicate such dog allergies. Elimination diet process for recognizing the right diet, which suits your dog, should be used. An easier approach to test for food allergy is to start with the usual dog food which contains hydrolyzed proteins, such as Purinas HA. These proteins are broken down into molecules so small; they can’t affect the immune system, which is what causes the allergy. If the dog allergies goes away while your dog is on this diet, then he most likely is suffering from a food allergy. Other kinds of dog allergies that may appear is Atopy i.e. allergy caused by environmental factors such as dust, mites, feathers or pollen. Some of it’s symptoms are excessive chewing, licking and scratching at the face, paws, abdomen, armpits and genital area. But not to worry, it can simply be taken care of by cleaning the habitat of your dog and avoiding dirty areas. One has to bear in mind to wash the feet as well when your dog is bathing. Damp the feet and softly clean in the region of the paw area and the claws. Apart from these allergies, a dog may be allergic to fleas (caused by flea saliva) or to bacteria’s. These dog allergies must be consulted directly with a professional vet so that proper medication can be adminstered. However, in no circumstance should the owner delay in consulting with a vet because your dog may be suffering badly and it is on the part of owner to help him.
As mentioned, prevention is better than cure. So, the most effective way of managing these dog allergies is to pre-empt them. The owner must always remember that it is his or her duty to take care of their silent canine friend. Coming home and hugging your dog is a feeling like no other, right? That’s all for this post. Thanks for visiting our site on dog allergies.
Filed Under Dog Allergies | 2 Comments
What You Need to Know About Dog Allergies – Types of Dog Allergies
Welcome to our site on dog allergies. Dogs are as prone to allergies as humans are. This is why you need to be careful in taking care of your favorite animal and check constantly for any dog allergies they might have before it gets any worse. The reason for these dog allergies can vary from flea allergy, bacteria allergy, inhalant allergy, food allergy and contact allergy. Among them all the most commonly found allergy is via food. The common symptom is itching and the allergy can come from dog food.
Typically dog food might contain any product that your dog is allergic to. This is why you need to take your pet to the veterinarian if he develops itching all of a sudden or any signs of irritation or sneezing. Other symptoms for dog allergies include coughing, diarrhea or vomiting, loss of appetite, discharge from nose or eye, breathing problem or hair loss. Food allergies are more difficult to asses i.e. it is difficult to tell what is causing the allergy. But there are ways to find out what food item is really the root cause. Some people use an elimination diet which is a more trouble some process. But there is another easier way – trying the dog foods that have hydrolyzed proteins and then eliminating the particular food products.
Another kind of allergy is known as the inhalant or atopic allergy. This kind of dog allergies can be caused by pollen, feather, dust mite, dust, molds, and human dander. In this case if it is not possible to treat the dog by eliminating the allergen completely from its surroundings, then there are medicated shampoos, allergy shots or corticosteroids than can be used to treat this condition.
Flea allergies are caused by flea saliva. This type of allergy causes irritation of skin along with other symptoms like hair loss and sore formation. There are many medications for the treatment of this kind of dog allergies.
Bacterial allergies are a lesser known kind of dog allergies which can be present only in some dogs. The allergy can cause hair loss and crusts on skin. Anti-biotics can treat this kind of dog allergies.
Contact allergies are developed in some animals that are extremely sensitive. Normally the symptoms are in the form of swelling, itching, hair loss and redness. Dogs can get this allergy from plastic food bowls, flea collars, pet sweaters, plants or grass and even wool bedding. The typical way to treat this allergy is simply to take away the dog allergies causing item from the dog’s environment.
Thanks again for visitin our site on dog allergies.
Filed Under Dog Allergies | 3 Comments
Dog Allergies – What You Can Do About It
Welcome to our site on dog allergies. Is your dog suffering from dog allergies? If so, you are not alone. Many pet-owners often are not aware that their pet dogs are allergic to certain foods or environments. So if you see your dog scratching constantly, then it may be time to consider a trip to the vet. As the saying goes – an once of prevention is better than a ton of cure (or something like that).
So what kind of dog allergies are there and what kind of symptoms should you look out for? Glad you asked. The most common signs that your pooch might just be suffering from dog allergies is that if they keep scratching or licking their paws constantly. If they do it once in a while that is fine. But if you notice that it seems to be happening on a daily basis, then yes it can be a cause for concern.
What may have caused such dog allergies? There are several factors involved. Again a common reason is due to the type of food they are eating. You may not be aware of this, but many dogs are actually become allergic to the dog food they have been eating for years. It does happen and if so, you would want to isolate the cause ingredient that is causing the allergy.
Here’s a quick-step plan you can try out:
Feed your dog the same food for the first week. Note down the allergic signs.
For the second week, start to remove one ingredient from the food. Note for any changes in the dog allergies. On the third week, remove another ingredient again. Repeat these steps until you observe that your dog stops exhibiting signs of dog allergies. Once that happens, go back and add the previously removed ingredient and note the signs again.
Of course, the above method is just a remedy and not a cure-all for dog allergies. There can be other causes besides food allergies. So do take your pet to the nearest vet for a check-up to be sure.
Thanks for visiting our website on dog allergies!
Filed Under Dog Food Allergies | 3 Comments
« go back — keep looking »