Have you began to find your dog itching and scratching more than usual? Is the scratching causing open cuts and loss of hair on your best friend? If so, this is a pretty good warning sign that your pet may well be distressed by dog allergies. Dogs do not have the usual reddened eyes and a runny nose the way we do when we have an allergy. Other warning signs could consist of excessive licking of a particular area, or biting their paws to the point of bleeding. So, what are skin allergies in dogs?
What Causes Skin Allergies in Dogs?
An allergy can occur when a dog's immune system excessively reacts to individual allergens. The body will then manufacture antibodies as a form of defense after the cause of the animal's allergy passes into the body. These antibodies will next join to immune cells in the skin and other tissues. So, as the allergens slowly enter the tissue, the antibodies incite the immune cells to discharge strong chemicals (named histamines) into the surrounding tissue. This then leads to swelling and itching in your pet.
There are some points to examine when attempting to find the source of skin allergies in dogs. An allergy that affects a dog's skin is generally caused by at least one of the following: food, airborne particles, and fleas.
Flea Dermatitis also known as Flea Allergy is usually caused by saliva from a flea. That is the reason it's especially imperative to rid your pet of fleas on a regular basis.
Atopic allergy is caused by the inhalation of airborne allergens in the environment, including dust, cigarette smoke, pollen and mold spores, activate atopic allergies. If a pet has pollen allergies, the pet will display signs, even if kept indoors as the allergens will move into the home. Coughing, wheezing and sneezing generally are symptoms of this type of allergy.
Food allergies are the next most common type of allergy in dogs. The most probable causes for food allergies in dogs consist of: chicken, milk, soy, corn, eggs, beef and wheat. Diarrhea and vomiting often are symptoms of this type of allergy in dogs.
Contact allergy is the least common sort of dog allergy and is brought on by contacting with something. Triggers could include plastic, grass and wool. Some pets may suffer from allergic reactions to particular chemicals in the home, but this is not very common.
How to Identify Dog Allergies
A veterinarian might be able to diagnose the cause, but it can require a system of elimination to detect the source of the dog’s skin allergy and may possibly refer your dog to a veterinarian dermatologist. If fleas are ruled out, the animal might be put on an elimination diet for ten weeks. The animal is fed food he or she has not had before, such as poultry, mutton, and potatoes, with the past food being reintroduced in stages until the allergy reoccurs.
The allergen is believed to be at least one ingredient if the dogs scratching decreases by about 50 percent of what it was previously. To check for contact and atopic skin allergies, vets employ an intradermal allergy examination that functions by mildly anesthetizing the dog with small quantities of prospective allergens which are injected into the skin on the shaved region. If the dog is allergic to a particular substance, the skin will become inflamed close to the area of injection.
Treating Allergies in Dogs
Keeping your pet away from allergens and treating the symptoms is the most beneficial remedy for allergies in dogs. Treatments that include steroids and antihistamines are frequently suggested to relieve symptoms of scratching and swelling in dogs, though like all medications they can be accompanied by undesirable side effects and the long-term effects are not known. Long-term treatment using steroids is not advocated for these medicines function by suppressing the immune system. Continued steroid use could eventually leave your dog at risk in regards to diabetes, infections and further ailments.
Homeopathic Treatments
Luckily for pet enthusiasts, there are a lot of safe and all-natural herbal and homeopathic cures for dogs suffering from skin disorders. Althaea officinalis root is an excellent and popular treatment for reinvigorating the skin while Melaleuca alternifolia can be put on as a topical to stimulate skin health and keeping the animal’s skin clear. Homeopathic treatments including Ledum and Apis have wonderful healing attributes and are remarkably beneficial in soothing sore and irritated skin, or minor irritations and sores.
Additional Resources on Skin Allergies in Dogs
