How to Know Which Dog Allergies Treatment Would be Best
62Understanding dog allergies treatment means understanding what’s being treated. There are different types of allergies that actually affect dogs and it may run skin deep. Knowing about them allows you to become better equipped in addressing them immediately, if you want to relieve your dog from the discomfort.
Flea allergies are the most common type of dog allergy. What actually causes the skin allergy here is the saliva that fleas leave when they bite onto the dog. But that’s not to say that the bite itself would never cause any negative effects. Remember that fleas are blood suckers and that is something potentially dangerous for your dog in other areas.
Atopy is a dog inhalant allergy which is similar to the common allergy experienced by people. This happens when an allergen mixes in with the air the dogs breathe. The most common among them are cigarette smoke, fabrics, cleaning products, and of course dust mites.
To be able to prevent atopy, you would need to detect the allergen around the home. If you know that your dog has been okay prior to the existence of a particular type of item in the home, then you would have to get rid of that. You should also be wary during spring and fall because these are the seasons when pollens are likely to get mixed in with the air.
The veterinarian would usually prescribe some temporal medicine to help reduce the symptoms of allergic reaction. On top of this, you should also care to keep your home clean so that there would also be no dust mites floating about and being inhaled.
Dogs too become victim to food allergies. In fact, 15% of the cases attended to by dog allergies treatment are actually from certain types of food. This is why it becomes extremely important to watch out for symptoms.
As our pets are not gifted with speech as a way of communicating, we have to be more careful about observing possible symptoms of illnesses. The skin is the most visible and easily noticeable area that can tell you something is wrong. Dogs suffering from flea infestation would exhibit red moist skin. This would also be coupled by severe itching. When your pet scratches himself too much to the point of creating wounds, that may be because he’s desperately wanting to get the itch out of the flea bites.
Pet canines who are suffering from food allergies have different symptoms too. Those who are suddenly inflicted with diarrhea or vomiting may be distressed by some unwanted food item in their digestive system. If your dog also begins to snore while sleeping or even when napping, it’s best to have it seen by a veterinarian. Snoring can actually be a symptom of an inflamed throat also caused by a food allergy.
Different Categories of Dog Skin Allergies
Pet owners face the problem of dog skin allergies these days. This is why no matter how your dog’s coat is supposedly stand out sometimes, you just can’t achieve that for them. Skin allergies have to be treated first before you can successfully pamper your dog’s coat. Otherwise, you might risk the infection for untreated skin allergy.
Four different types of dog skin allergies are common among dogs. Among them is Nutritional Dermatitis. This is no different from the usual type of food allergy that we humans commonly experience as well. This means that even dogs can actually develop an allergic reaction to certain types of food so you should be careful and observant when you give them new treats. Dogs exhibit food allergy by showing red rashes and also itching severely.
Atopic Dermatitis is another kind of dog skin allergy. This happens when dogs inhale allergens just by breathing it in. Adverse reaction against allergens can be developed as early as puppyhood and reactions can worsen through time. Veterinarians note that Atopy is the most common type of allergy experienced by dogs.
Then of course, there’s also Parasitic Dermatitis to be considered. This is common among dogs who have a thick layer of coat because it also gives parasites a rich area where they could live. The most common of such parasites are fleas.
Gnats and ticks are other types of parasites that may also reside on the coat of your dog, aside from fleas. What happens is that the saliva of these parasites irritates the skin of your dog as they get bitten. As a result, a noticeable inflammation on the skin of your dog appears which can be made much worse as they continue to scratch on it.
However, there are times when neither of these skin allergy types can be noted on your dog. When this happens, a different and more alarming type of allergy must needs be treated—Neurogenic Dermatitis. This is actually more of a behavioural problem where you dog has developed an obsession for gnawing at his skin and licking himself.
More specifically, this condition is known as Acral Lick Dermatitis or Lick Granuloma. The reasons for developing this may be enforced upon the dogs, unknowingly or not, by the pet owners. When dogs find it hard to cope with a sudden separation from their parent or litter or owners, when they are confined alone for far too long, and if they exhibit unreleased frustration, they turn to licking and gnawing at themselves to calm down. But in the long run, it may be bad for them.
It becomes a pet owner’s responsibility to actually become more knowledgeable when it comes to understanding dog skin allergies. This way, you can immediately consult a veterinarian to give the right prescription for your dog’s case.








jacqui2011 Level 6 Commenter 8 months ago
A very in depth and well researched hub on the allergies affecting dogs. Very informative. Voted up and very useful.