Dog Itching, Scratching, & Skin Allergies

There are many conditions that can make a dog itch or have hair loss, including endocrine, autoimmune, infectious, and parasitic skin diseases. Therefore, it takes some detective work to identify the right cause.

 

If allergies are thought to be the cause, the first thing a veterinarian will usually ask is if the pet is on a flea-control product. Flea allergies are quite common and the easiest to control. Dog owners have many options available from high-street and online pet stores.

 

To check a dog for atopic allergies, veterinarians use an intradermal allergy test, or skin reaction test. The dog is mildly sedated, a small area on the side of the dog is shaved, and small amounts of common allergens are injected into the skin. Should the dog be allergic to a particular substance, the skin will become inflamed at the area of the injection.

 

Dogs that develop atopic allergies typically show symptoms when they are 5 years of age, but food allergies can be a problem at any time. They are high up on the list of suspected causes when a dog first exhibits itchy skin at an age less than 6 months, or over 5 years.

 

When testing for food allergies, the dog is put on what is referred to as an “elimination diet” for at least 10 weeks. This means the dog is fed food, which is high in protein and carbohydrate. which it has not eaten before, such as venison, duck, and potatoes.

 

Veterinarians offer these special foods, and some may be found in retail stores. Another option is to feed the dog a homemade diet of foods based on recommendations from the veterinarian.

 

Should the dog’s itching subside, the allergen is clearly being caused by one of the foods that make up its regular diet. For confirmation, the owner can reintroduce the old diet to see if the symptoms return.

—

Continue : Dog Food For Dogs With Allergies

Dealing With A Dog Allergy

Having dog allergies can be a difficult thing to tackle. A lot of people live with dog allergies for years suffering and when they finally get diagnosed with the allergy they have to make a decision what to do with a beloved pet dog.

Allergens can be transmitted through the air or they can be transmitted through touch. When the allergens land on your nose, eyes, or are inhaled into the lungs the allergy symptoms start. For most a dog allergy is an irritation but for some it can be life threatening causing severe asthma attacks that block the air ways. Just as severity can differ from person to person so can how long it takes for the symptoms to occur. They can develop at once upon exposure or they can take hours to develop.

Another big mistaken belief is that there is such a thing as a non-allergenic dog breed. For example many believe that dogs with fur that is tightly woven such as poodles have no shedding so therefore there is no allergen dander but this is not right.

Purchasing a filtration system for the home is a great idea for dog allergies. These units are found at many department and home improvement stores. The owner will require making sure that he changes filters and clean the units as recommended by the manufacturer.

These units will need a small financial investment but will make a big difference. The systems come in a variety of sizes for the treatment of a single room or for numerous rooms.

One last step worth mentioning in treating dog allergies is for the person to visit an allergist. There are a lot of medications and allergy shots which can assist most people’s allergies to be manageable. The allergist will be able to advise the best actions to be taken by the patient. If a person follows the advice of his allergist and follows the steps mentioned above then living with a dog and dog allergies should be bearable.

Get Rid Of Dog Allergy

Modern studies show that 15% to 20% of the population is allergies to either their dog or cat. But for 25% of those people they selected continue to keep pets and suffer through the allergies. When surveyed a lot of of those suffering from a dog allergy felt that the companionship their pet provided far outweighed the allergy itself. For those that select this route, learning to manage their allergy is very important.

Most people will choose to go on suffering with the allergy rather that to get rid of their pet. Finding ways to alleviate the symptoms of dog allergies and to decrease the effects of the allergies will make living with dog allergies easier.

There are some measures that can be taken that will help any dog owner decrease the problem of dog allergies. Some of these steps will require a meticulous effort on the part of the dog owner but will be worth it to help with the allergies and allowing the pet to remain in the home. The very first thing is to keep the dog clean and groomed. A pet can be bathed once a week without any harm and at times even more frequent bathing may be useful and essential. Another step to help alleviate dog allergies is to keep the home and dog areas exceptionally clean. It is a good idea to keep the dog out of the bedroom areas but if they are in regularly in these rooms the bedding should be washed with increased regularity.

Purchasing a filtration system for the home is a great idea for dog allergies. These units are found at many department and home improvement stores. The owner will require making sure that he changes filters and clean the units as recommended by the manufacturer.

On Your Body Talk to an allergist and converse about your options regarding dog allergy removal. Arm yourself with allergy relief goods. Always clean your hands after handling your pet or any of her things.

Luckily, your liking for your dog will greatly assist you grin and bear all the trouble and perhaps even perform a miracle and accomplish dog allergy

Skin Conditions – Flea Allergy Dermatitis, Hot Spots, & Ringworm

The most common allergic skin disease in the dog develops when certain dogs become hypersensitive to flea bites. The allergic agent is contained in the saliva or mouth parts of the flea and is injected into the dog when the flea feeds. The disease usually occurs during the warm months and is commonly called “summer eczema”.

The disease begins near the tail-head of the rump of the dog. The animal will scratch or rub this area intensely, causing the hair to fall out and often ulcerating the skin. In severe cases the hair loss can become more generalized and involve large areas of the body.

Although the disease occurs more commonly in the summer months, many dogs will show signs constantly throughout the year. The flea can complete its life cycle in the home environment and thus can cause constant irritation to hypersensitive dogs.

Therapy is aimed at flea control on the dog, on other pets, and in the dog’s environment. In addition, specific therapy can be instituted to control the signs and affected dogs. Cortisone-type drugs will relieve the symptoms of the allergic reaction. Injections of flea allergy extracts have also been useful in helping certain dogs with their flea allergy.

Hot Spots
Hot spots, known medically as “Acute Moist Dermatitis”, is a troublesome skin condition in certain longhair breeds of dogs including Saint Bernards, Newfoundlands, Malamutes, Collies, and German Shepherds. Many types of skin irritation can cause the dog to inflict self trauma to the skin. A cycle of itch/scratch, itch/scratch, itch/scratch develops.

Round, moist ulcerated areas are created in the skin by the dog’s licking, chewing, or scratching. Flea bites, flea allergy, and burs in the coat are common causes of hot spots. In certain cases, the underlying cause can never be found.

Therapy is directed at removing the underlying cause, breaking the itch/scratch, itch/scratch cycle, and effectively drying up the ulcerated area. Small hots pots may be treated at home with preparations that are drying and soothing to the skin. Products which contain camphor or menthol have these effects. Vinegar is a mild astringent which also will dry the affected areas. Large areas, however, are best to be treated by your veterinarian.

Ringworm
Ringworm, medically referred to as “Dermatomycosis”, is a fungus infection of the skin, most commonly found in young animals. Circular or irregular areas of hair loss occur on the face, body, and legs. The skin in affected areas is usually dry and scaly. This disease can be transmitted from animal to animal, from soil to animal, and from animal to man.

Definitive diagnosis is best achieved through culture and identification of the fungal agent. Many chronic diseases that do not readily respond to treatment are mistakenly diagnosed as fungal infections. These mistakes can be avoided by the use of fungal cultures. Therapy is specific and will result in complete remission of the disease. Topical and systemic drugs are used.

Dog Food Allergies

Approximately 10% of all dog allergies are food related. When you think about how many dogs there are out there, this is an extraordinary number. Some dog allergies related to food are so mild that you may never notice them, but some dogs suffer from chronic allergies. In other words, dog allergies are just like human ones in that they come in varying degrees. This article will give you a little insight into the world of dog food allergies, highlighting the main sources and reactions that all owners should know about.

Dog allergies related to food can become noticeable from the age of five months, but can be diagnosed in dogs as old as eleven or twelve years old. They can in fact be caused by a variety of sources, some of which are more common than others. The most common sources are beef, soy, corn, wheat, chicken, eggs and dairy products. Unfortunately, most dog foods often have one or more of the ingredients above as an integral element of their composition. As a result, an owner will often have to experiment in order to find exactly which element it is that causes the dog allergy.

A dog can have a variety of allergic reactions to any one of the products listed above. Dog allergies may cause hair loss, repeated ear infections, hot spots, scratching and skin conditions. It is likely that a combination of the symptoms above will highlight a dog food allergy, but the main problem owners have to deal with is that they can also highlight a number of other ailments and so veterinary advice must be sought in order to make an accurate diagnosis.

It is wise for every dog owner to experiment with different foods when they first get their pooch by trying several different dog foods for a week each. This will alert you to any dog allergies that they may have and enable you to avoid the culprits in the future. Your dog may not have any food allergies, but the earlier they can be detected the better the chance you stand of making sure that they experience minimal discomfort in the future!

Cures For Dog Allergies

If your pet pooch is suffering from some sort of dog allergy and you have an accurate diagnosis then you have overcome the hard part of the whole process! Believe it or not, it is easier to treat dog allergies than it is to diagnose them. Once you have an accurate allergy diagnosis, all you have to do is find the right cure and administer it. The sure will largely depend on the nature of the dog allergy, but below is a quick guide to help you find the right solution for you and your pet!

Common sense cures – Common sense cures will work for milder dog allergic reactions. For example, altering the diet can solve a food allergy, just as altering a dog’s immediate environment can alleviate a skin or contact allergy. Of course, these solutions depend on how vigilant an owner is and how much time and effort he or she is prepared to spend doing a variety of experiments in the quest to find a cure!

Topical oils – Topical oils can be administered to ease dog allergies of the skin in the form of shampoo or cream. They tend to offer short-term relief for your dog but frequent application can serve to cure the lingering side effects of dog allergies over a longer period of time.

Antihistamines – If you prefer, you can always look to medications in order to find a cure for dog allergies. There are a number of medications, antihistamines for example, that can serve to sooth the side effects of dog allergies without causing long-term dependency. They can be given within food and take various lengths of time to work their magic, depending on how severe the initial dog allergy reaction is.

It is obviously best to seek veterinary advice before administering any type of treatment to your dog because you may do more harm than good. Even though you mean well, this will be of no comfort to your companion. Dog allergies can be mild or aggressive, but you will not know until you have sought advice. You will then be better quipped to choose a solution that is in the best interests of your dog.