The Three Types Of Allergic Reactions In Dog

Allergic reactions in dogs are hard to control and are usually chronic in nature. This is why the right diagnosis and therapy has to be started early to minimize the allergic reaction. The most common symptom for allergic reaction in dogs is excessive itching, or pruritis. It is the high strung dogs that tend to itch more than placid dogs while chewing, licking and rubbing of the skin are all manifestations of pruritis.

The common areas on the dog's body that are the hardest hit for pruritis are its face, feet and armpit. However, due to some extent of excessive pruritis, it might cover the whole body of the animal. Scratching is normal for them and sometimes not a sign of any irregularities on their skin. But when tiny blood spots appear, it's already a sign of an allergic reaction. The reason for this is, flea dirt comprises more of blood and they usually appear as small blood spots in any place that they are left behind.

Basically, there are three types of allergic reactions in dogs where the dog may suffer from one of these reactions or a combination of all three conditions. First is food allergy in where a dog is allergic to ingredients or preservatives found in food like beef, wheat, dairy products which are most common food allergens. In addition, even premium dog foods have a tendency to contain these products.

For some dog owners, the best way to stop allergic reactions is to immediately "haul" their pets off to a pet store or a veterinarian's clinic. Usually, the people running the establishment would recommend some of their dog food to stop these allergic reactions thinking that this is the best way to stop excessive scratching or biting. However, they have to bear in mind that food allergies are the least cause of allergic problems in dogs.

With flea allergy dermatitis, it is the allergens found in the saliva of flea that bites the dog. The flea inserts a coagulant in the dog through the saliva to prevent the clotting of the dog's blood, and this is what induces an allergic reaction in dogs.

However, because of the intensive research and never-ending "crusade" to discover a cure for allergic reactions in dogs, many treatments were administered thus diminishing the occurrence of flea allergy dermatitis.

The last type of allergic reactions found in dogs is what they call allergic inhaled dermatitis or atopy, a pre-inclination in the animal to produce IgE antibodies on exposure to an allergen.

Allergic reactions will then be evident when there is a re-exposure to the same allergen. Common causes are usually pollen, grasses, animal wastes or animal dander, molds, mites, house dust and feathers which can be either pass through inhalation or through or in-between the pads of its paws.

An insect bite is something that practically everyone experiences. It usually brings about some minor discomfort, especially in the summer months. Though most people don't have any problems with insect bites apart from some pain and irritation, there are some people who suffer allergic reactions to insect bites. This allergic reaction to insect bites is called hymenoptera, and to people suffering from it, bites and stings prove to be very dangerous.