The Dog Allergy - What Is My Pet Allergic To?

Finding out what your dog is allergic to is not as easy as it seems. There's trial and error, and you have to be careful not to confuse a dog allergy with something more common like hot spots.

In most dogs, the first sign of an allergy is itching or irritated skin. However there are other symptoms as well, and they are not too different from what you might see in humans. A runny nose, watery eyes, and sneezing can all be signs of an allergy. Vomiting and diarrhea can also occur. But finding out what's causing the allergy is difficult not just for pet owners but for veterinarians as well.

Perhaps the most common allergy is a food allergy. Generally you'll notice this early in your pet's life. The two biggest culprits here are anything with beef or soy. If you suspect this to be the case with your dog, try feeding him a hopoallergenic food for a couple of weeks. If the symptoms stop, this very well may be the cause. But to be sure you might want to go back to his previous food to see if the symptoms come back.

Atopy is another common allergic condition in dogs. Basically this means your pet is allergic to comething he inhales from his environment. This could be a numberof things from mold to dust to plants to even the stuffing of your furniture. Depending on the allergin, this can be a seasonal problem. But with so many potential causes the only way to truly tell what is causing the problem is have a veterinary dermatologist do what's known as an intradermal skin test This is basically the same test as done in human. Once you discover the problem, you'll have two options. You can either try avoiding what's causing the problem (very difficult if it is environmental) or you can attempt hyposensitization. You'll certainly need to speak with the vet dermatologist about this.

There are some other common causes of dog allergies you should be aware of. Some canines are allergic to flea collars or flea bites. Plastic food dishes with colored dyes can also cause problems. The best thing about these problems is that they are very easy to fix. If the flea collar is the cause, you'll notice a problem around the neck. Just remove the collar and use a mild shampoo. Then switch to a different product. If the bowl is the problem, you'll likely see a red and irritated nose. Just replace that plastic bowl with metal or glass and the condition should take care of itself.

We need to add a quick word about hot spots because these can often be caused by allergies. It's a common summertime complaint for vets. Someone comes in with their pet that has hairless, tender patches of skin that seemingly appear overnight. These are generally found near the rear end but can appear anywhere on the body. Hot spots are more common in breeds with heavy coats, and also in a dog with a skin allergy.

They usually start small. The dog will lick and chew on an irritated area caused by a flea bit or perhaps an impacted anal sac. The more he licks and chews, the worse it feels, so he licks and chews some more. Before you know it the small problem has become much larger. Lesions develop and need to be treated quickly or you'll have a pet in agony.

Generally the hair around the wound will be clipped and the surface cleaned. A soothing spray, ointment or liquid will be placed on the area. Your vet will try to find the source of the complaint so it can be eliminated. And it's possible that your pet may need to wear an Elizabethan collar to keep him from reaching the area until the skin has healed. This collar looks like a lampshade placed around the dogs neck and keeps him from getting his head and teeth to the problem area. It's also possible that some antibiotics or anti-inflammatory medicines will be prescribed.

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