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Dog Diabetes Treatment

Dealing with Skin Allergies in Dogs and Locating Treatment Options

Have you started to find your dog scratching and itching too much? Is the scratching causing open sores and loss of fur on your canine pal? If so, this is a good sign that your dog may be suffering from dog allergies. Dogs don’t develop the usual blotchy eyes and a runny nose similar to what we do when we are suffering with an allergy. Other warning signs might involve extreme scratching of a particular area, or gnawing their paws causing them to bleed.

What Are The Causes of Skin Allergies in Dogs?

An allergic reaction occurs when an animal’s immune system excessively reacts to certain substances. The body creates antibodies as a means of protection after the cause of the dog’s allergy comes into the body. These antibodies will subsequently connect to immune cells in the skin and different body organs. Thus, as the allergens slowly invade the tissue, the antibodies stimulate the immune cells to discharge powerful chemicals (referred to as histamines) into the neighboring tissue. This will then invoke inflammation and itching in the dog.

There are various points to consider when locating the origin of allergies in dogs. An allergy which affects a pet’s skin is normally caused by one (or several) of these: fleas, airborne allergens, and food.

Flea Allergy or Flea Dermatitis is typically caused by saliva from a flea. This is why it is especially imperative to liberate your canine of fleas on a regular basis.

An atopic allergy is caused by the breathing in of airborne allergens in the natural environment, such as cigarette smoke, pollen, mold spores and dust, activate atopic allergies. If a dog has pollen allergies, the pet will show warning signs, even when kept in the house as the allergens will come into the home. Wheezing, coughing and sneezing often accompany this type of allergy.

Food allergies are the next most frequent kind of allergy in dogs. The most likely culprits for food allergies in dogs are:

chicken, soy, milk, corn,

eggs, beef and wheat. Diarrhea and Nausea often go along with this form of allergy.

Contact allergies are the least seen variety of dog allergy and is brought about by coming into contact with something. Triggers could include plastic, wool and grass. Some pets could suffer from allergic reactions to specific chemicals in the house, however, this isn’t very common.

Identifying Dog Allergies

A vet should be able to diagnose the cause, but it may take a process of elimination to uncover the root of the skin allergy and could perhaps refer the dog to a veterinarian who’s a dermatology specialist. If fleas are ruled out, your pet may be put on an elimination food regimen for 10 weeks. The animal is fed food he or she hasn’t had before, for instance, chicken, mutton, and potatoes, with the previous food being reintroduced progressively until the allergy reoccurs.

The allergen is thought to be one or more ingredients if the animals itching lessens by at least fifty percent of what it was previously. When examining for contact and atopic skin allergies, veterinary dermatologists employ an intradermal allergy exam that operates by slightly sedating the animal with slight amounts of possible allergens that are injected into the shaved section of the skin. If your pet is allergic to a certain substance, the skin will become inflamed close to the area of injection.

Treatments for Allergies in Dogs

Keeping the pet away from allergens and curing the symptoms of skin allergies in dogs are the best treatment techniques. Treatments like steroids and antihistamines are frequently suggested to ease consequences of itching and inflammation in dogs, although like all medicines they may come with unwanted side effects and the lasting effects are still undetermined.

Extended use of steroids is not advocated because these medications operate by repressing the immune system. Prolonged steroid use over time could leave your pet open to infections, diabetes and further ailments.

Homeopathic Remedies

Fortunately for dog enthusiasts, there are lots of nontoxic and natural homeopathic and herbal treatments for dogs afflicted with skin disorders.

Melaleuca alternifolia is frequently put on externally to encourage healthy skin and keeping your pet’s skin clear while Althaea officinalis root is an excellent and popular treatment for reinvigorating the skin. Homeopathic treatments including Apis and Ledum have terrific soothing qualities and are notably useful in healing swollen and itchy skin, or minute bites and wounds.

About the Author

Visit this page on skin allergies in dogs to find out more about the treatments available. Click here to learn how a distressed pet owner saved her dog’s life employing a holistic cure for allergies in dogs.