Information On Allergies In Dogs

Dogs are happy creatures who love to have fun and games. Poor pet health can often spell depression for both the canine and the owner. If you notice your pooch been scratching himself rather than playing with his favorite ball, you may want to get him checked up by a vet. Moreover, if you notice blisters and sores all over his body, it means that your dog is suffering from any of the 5 types of dog allergies. Dogs suffer from allergies just like humans do. In fact, dog allergies are similar in nature to human allergies. They even produce symptoms that are similar to human allergies.

Types of Dog Allergies

The 5 main types of dog allergies are:

1. Food Allergy
2. Flea Allergy
3. Bacteria Allergy
4. Contact Allergy
5. Atopy

Let’s look at the basic facts for each of these dog allergies:

Food Allergies: Dog foods have several ingredients that can cause an allergic reaction to the pooch and affect pet health. The most common symptom of dog food allergy is constant scratching brought about by skin irritation. Some of the dog food ingredients that can bring about dog food allergy are:

             Meats like Beef, Chicken, Pork, Lamb, Fish, and Eggs

             Dairy produce such as Milk

             Whole Grains such as Wheat, Whey, and Corn

If you are guilty of scolding your Fido for scratching too much then beware! If the dog shows obsessive behavior like excessive scratching, licking, chewing etc, he requires immediate medical attention. After all, dog allergies affect pet health and can make your pet very uncomfortable.

Some other symptoms of dog allergies include:

1. Sneezing and/or coughing
2. Discharge from eye and nose
3. Itchy sensation around the rectum
4. Hair loss
5. Loss of appetite
6. Vomiting and/or diarrhea and

Atopy Or Inhalant Allergy: One of the most common dog allergies, atopy is caused to due pollen, dust mites, molds, human dander, etc. You can conclude that your dog has atopy if he:

1. Chews excessively
2. Licks and scratches his face, paws, genital area, and abdomen.
3. Has reddish-brown colored stains in his paws, genital area and armpits (may not be clearly seen if your dog has a dark coat).

Atopy can be difficult to diagnose as it shares symptoms with other dog allergies such as food, contact, and flea allergies. The best method to make sure pet health is affected by atopy is by Intradermal Skin Testing.

Flea Allergies: The saliva of the flea, rather than the flea itself is responsible for causing this dog allergy. Most common symptoms of flea dog allergies is hair loss, sores, and scabs at the tail area due to scratching. Diagnosis is easy as fleas are visible to the naked eye. Flea powders can treat this allergy.

Bacterial Allergies: Staph bacteria grow easily on your pooch’s skin. While most dogs don’t get affected by these bacteria, some canines may experience an allergic reaction affecting pet health. Common symptoms include crusts on the skin as well as hair loss in patches. Bacterial dog allergies can be treated with the help of antibiotics.

Contact Allergies: Rarest of all dog allergies, this type brings about swelling, itchiness, redness, and hair loss. Common causes include plastic food bowls, grass or woolen bedding, plants, sweaters, flea collars etc. Let a vet diagnose this allergy and restore your pet health.