The same manner in which humans have allergies is the same way our human friends and our pets have allergies, we certainly know our pets cannot speak to us about their allergies but it is our duty as pet owners to understand the signs provided by our pets, know what their allergies are, and protect them against it.
What exactly are allergies? Allergies are a form of misguided reaction to foreign substances that humans and pets can suffer from, allergies come in different forms; food allergies, skin, and environmental allergies can affect pets and their owners, and in a more complicated situation, the allergies could overlap.
The symptoms of allergies that pets experience vary based on the cause of the allergies. Generally, the symptoms of allergic reactions include; red and inflamed skin, vomiting, sneezing, chronic ear infections, itchy ears, hives, itchiness, diarrhea, and constant licking.
Dermatitis, which is a skin allergy in dogs is the most common type of allergic reaction that dogs experience, caused by environmental allergies, food allergies, and fleas.
Environmental/Seasonal Allergies: These allergies could be triggered due to substances that exist around the home, and everywhere else the pet spends time.
Food Allergies: Adverse food reaction is another name for food allergies, pets can develop allergies at any point in their lives even after they have consumed that particular brand in the past.
Flea Allergies are the most common skin disease experienced by dogs, experiencing a single or double bite from a flea once a week is sufficient enough to make a dog itch, the saliva of a flea is believed the allergy that causes itchiness.
The available treatment for dermatitis is focused on limiting the symptoms of irritation and itchy skin until the time the fleas get eliminated, strict flea control is required to eliminate the symptoms of allergies in flea-allergic dogs.
It is easy to diagnose flea allergy dermatitis, it is often diagnosed through the identification of fleas on the body of the dog and applying a product that will kill fleas before they even try to bite.
Edema of the throat or face is another sign of allergy which seem to be a severe situation but it is not fatal in the real sense, the area of the swelling which includes the ear flaps and eyelids is known as angioneurotic edema, the treatment is usually not so difficult and it may be an indication that the phase of fatal allergic reaction has almost passed and there isn't much danger any longer.
Hives also known as urticaria once they happen to dogs could be itchy but are not usually life-threatening. Hives begin to show after being exposed to allergies within 6-24 hours. Producing symptoms like itchy, swollen skin that appears like a red rash, it is easier to spot hives on the breed of dogs that do not have hair and with short coats.
Dogs with longer hair on the other hand can also get them, but it is more likely that the hives will be felt rather than seen. A prescription from your vet can help treat urticaria in dogs.
Anaphylactic shock is the most alarming type of allergic reaction that exists in dogs, they experience this shock as a reaction to severe allergy. It happens when antibodies produced by the host negatively react to allergy causing a significant drop in blood pressure and sending them back into shock. This situation could result in a fatal case if not treated on time.
In allergy testing, your vet will first need to rule out other conditions that could create symptoms in your pet. If after proper examination, your vet feels that an allergy is the cause, they may proceed to propose an allergy test to determine the cause of the allergy. It is however not in every case that it will be possible to determine an allergy with a test.
The best method that can be used to treat an allergy in pets is to avoid the cause of the allergy in the first place, but since this may not always be possible, treatment is still highly dependent on the type of allergy. Your vet may prescribe an allergy relief medication alongside other lifestyle changes that will provide a huge relief for your pet.
In the case of a severe allergic reaction, the best option will be to get the help of a vet as soon as possible.
