Does Your Dog Have Allergies? - Common Symptoms and Treatments

By Stan Ramsey

When most people think of allergies, they think of an allergy to bees or maybe nuts as well as late night trips to the drug store to pick up some Benedryll to handle the swelling or breathing problems. Many responsible dog owners know that allergies is something that their animal companions can suffer from as well, even if they might not be totally aware of what symptoms to watch for. Allergies among dogs is a growing problem within the United States with one and seven dogs developing an allergic response to some factor within their environment. Some breeds seem more prone to allergies then others, but this is as much a case of a breeder's line being prone to that allergy and passing it down through the generations as it is a matter of a breed-wide allergy so it's always best to ask a breeder about what allergies their dogs may have before getting a dog in the first place. While all German shepherds might not be allergic to say nuts, the pups of an established breeder might stand a high risk of inheriting that allergy from its parents. This may not bother some prospective pet owners, however it is still good practice to have a thorough understanding of what problems your pet may have down the line before purchasing one. What many forget though, is that even if a dog isn't predisposed towards a particular allergy from its breeding, this doesn't mean that it won't acquire one through out the span of its life, just like a person might. A canine needs to be exposed to an allergen twice before it will become obvious that it has an allergy, the first time for the dog's body to develop an antibody with which to combat the allergy and the second to demonstrate an allergen-antibody reaction that a pet owner can notice before getting an official diagnosis about if their pet has an allergy.

Dog allergies come in four varieties. Flea allergy dermatitis, which is caused by fleas and other biting insects, canine atopy, which is caused by airborne allergens such as dust, mold, grass, and the like, food allergies, which work pretty much the same as human allergies to foods, and contact allergies caused by irritants applied to the skin. For most of these varieties, a pet owner should watch for excessive itching, irritable behavior, and a tendency for the canine to become more nippy then usual since canine allergies most often affect the dog's skin with itchy hives or rashes. Flea allergy dermatitis is often easy to discover and treat since discovering the fleas will often lead to taking steps to remove them and keep them away, however if your canine continues to behave oddly then it may be a sign they are allergic to the fleas or biting insects and need further treatment. All of the other kinds of allergies will need a skilled vet to diagnose, as the cause of the allergic reaction needs to be determined. For food and contact allergies, the procedure is much the same as it is with humans, the dog is put through elimination testing or a very strict diet to isolate the factors that might have caused the allergic response. Once the allergen is determined, it's as simple as the pet owner taking steps to keep their pet from being exposed to the allergen or seeking treatment if they are. If they are exposed, there are drugs (like Benedryll) that can be used to quell the reaction, but vets are generally leery about resorting to such methods since they can worsen the health of the dog. Instead they do their best to treat the symptoms to make the dog comfortable while their body handles the problem on its own

The hypersensitivity a dog displays after being exposed to an allergy can take one of two forms, immediate or delayed. Immediate is the type where the dog begins showing signs of the allergy only minutes after exposure to it and, in severe cases, can lead to the dog experiencing anaphylactic shock. If your pet is exposed to something they are allergic to and they begin to suffer from diarrhea, difficulty breathing, and weakness, then this means they are likely to go into anaphylactic shock and need to be rushed to the closest source of emergency veterinary care for treatment. A delayed reaction is, generally, much less life-threatening as it can take hours, or even days, before the dog shows signs that something is wrong with it... usually through itching themselves far more then usual but rarely going beyond that. In either case, it's important to keep a careful eye on your dog's behavior and if they begin to behave peculiar after some change to their daily routine, such as a new food brand or dog park, then you should seriously consider making a trip to your vet to see if your dog might have an allergy that you hadn't noticed before.

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