Dogs respond differently to the same stimuli. Someone eats chicken with pleasure, and someone starts itching from it. When this reaction becomes too strong, it is called an Allergy. This is when the dog’s body perceives simple things like pollen as dangerous and harmful. Externally, this can manifest as redness, itching, scabs and rashes on the dog’s skin.
The main types of allergies in dogs:
Food allergy
Allergic to the saliva of fleas
Allergic to substances in the external environment
Now let’s look at how they differ, and what to do if your dog has such an Allergy.
Allergy meds for dogs should only be treated with allergy meds for dogs.
Signs of Allergy in dogs
Symptoms of an Allergy can be the same regardless of its type. These are mainly skin rashes, itching, redness and puffiness. Signs of allergies are most often found in the armpits, on the muzzle and ears, paws and stomach
Allergy is manifested in dogs on the skin, on the ears, on open areas of the skin, on the paws and stomach.
Allergy symptoms in dogs:
Puffiness
Discharge from the ears, eyes, nose
Redness and rashes
Itch
An unpleasant odor from the coat and skin
How Allergy manifests itself in dogs is not so important. Externally, all types of allergies may look the same, but the treatment will be different. Therefore, if you have any signs of allergies, you should go to the doctor, and not self-medicate.
You will not be able to determine the cause of the Allergy without a doctor.
We advise you to try dog allergy medicine apoquel.
Food Allergy in dogs
One of the rarest types of allergies. Occurs gradually. Therefore, if the dog has an Allergy at the same time as the new diet, it is most likely not in the food.
It takes time for a food Allergy to manifest itself. Usually, an Allergy occurs to a particular type of protein. Most often on chicken and beef, less often-on Turkey, calf, duck and rabbit. That is why they are often included in hypoallergenic feeds.
Treatment of food allergies in dogs begins with a change in diet. First of all, it is necessary to establish what type of protein the dog is allergic to. Therefore, the previous source of protein is removed from the diet and replaced with a new one. For example, they stopped feeding beef and switched to duck. This applies to both natural food and ready-made feed. In severe cases of food allergies, the dog is completely transferred to hypoallergenic food.
Alex P, chief medical officer of «Petmeds», it is possible to Differentiate the type of Allergy only by excluding the influence of food on its occurrence. Currently, the gold standard for the diagnosis of food allergies is the use of a diagnostic diet with a limited number of components, then a provocative diet, and again a diet with a limited number of components.
For 6-8 weeks (in rare cases up to 10 weeks), the patient should receive only food with a new protein source. If the itch has completely passed during this period, the dog is provocatively fed the same diet (1-2 weeks). The resumption of clinical signs confirms the diagnosis of “food Allergy”. If the intensity of itching has not changed during the diagnostic diet, or if the itching has completely passed, but has not resumed after the provocative diet, you can exclude food as its cause.
In this case, the most likely cause is a non-food Allergy (atopic dermatitis).
If during the period of the diagnostic diet, the itch decreased, but did not completely disappear, and after the provocative diet it increased again, then the patient probably has a non-food Allergy in addition to food allergies.
Flea Allergy in dogs
Flea saliva contains a foreign protein. It is on it that an Allergy occurs, which is often called an Allergy to fleas in dogs. When a flea bites a dog, toxic protein gets into the blood along with saliva. Therefore, the symptoms may persist even after you have removed the fleas from the dog. Flea allergies are more common in summer and autumn. This seasonality is due to the fact that at this time fleas feed more actively before hibernation.
To cure an Allergy to flea saliva, you need to remove the very cause — fleas. Collars and special shampoos are used. The veterinarian may prescribe some medications. The complexity of this Allergy is that you can not find the fleas themselves on the dog. To start an Allergy, just one bite on the street is enough. In addition, all dogs itch differently: someone will comb so that the owner will not stand it, and other dogs will not even notice.
Allergic to substances in the external environment
The reaction to external stimuli-pollen, dust, mold, even grass-is called atopic dermatitis. After flea allergies, this is the most common type. Usually manifests itself at the age of 10 months to three years.
Atopic dermatitis can not be cured, you can only make the dog’s life comfortable enough. Sometimes it helps prophylaxis or transfer. For example, if a dog is allergic to dust, frequent cleaning, replacing carpets with parquet, or moving to the countryside can reduce symptoms.
Unusual types of atopic dermatitis
- Allergy to the sun. Dogs with such allergies have to walk early in the morning and late in the evening when there is no sunlight.
- Allergy to the host. The dog reacts to specific substances that are contained in the particles of the skin and hair of the owner.
- Allergy to perfumes. Especially dangerous if this perfume is used by the owner.
Diagnosis of Allergy in dogs
To detect a dog’s Allergy, there is a large set of methods and studies. You can’t do this in just one way, and you always need a comprehensive study. This is due to the fact that different types of allergies can have the same symptoms. Therefore, the task of the veterinarian is to consistently exclude each of the possible options.
It all starts with the collection of anamnesis. The doctor asks about how the dog is kept, where he lives and sleeps, what kind of vegetation is at home and near the house, what the dog eats every day. You should know the answers to these questions if you are taking someone else’s dog to the doctor. Without answers, the session will be useless.
Many dog skin allergy medication should be applied to the body.
Treatment of allergies in dogs
- Not all types of allergies can be cured permanently:
- food allergies in dogs. From the diet, you need to exclude the product that you are allergic to.
- Allergy to dog food. You need to change the food itself, for example, switch to a different brand. You can keep the same brand of feed, but replace the base. For example, switch from a duck to a rabbit.
- Allergy to flea saliva. Regularly use flea medications: collars, shampoos, etc.
- Allergy to external stimuli. Avoid contact with items that cause allergies. Remove carpets from the house, put on dog paws shoes to avoid contact with pollen and grass.
What can I give a dog from Allergy
Sometimes you don’t need to give anything. For food allergies, it is enough to exclude a certain type of protein from the diet. For example, go from beef to duck. However, this can only be determined by a doctor.
If a dog has an Allergy, only a veterinarian knows how to treat it.
Only a specialist must necessarily remove the body from the reactive state, since only he can distinguish non-standard reactions from some other infectious and non-infectious diseases that have a similar clinical picture.
Treatment of allergies in dogs is always complex and depends on the type of reaction and its symptomatic manifestations. But
regardless of the nuances of the development of the condition two main points of treatment are present in any case:
Stopping the effects of allergens on the body.
Antihistamine therapy-General and local.
Most webinars prescribe a well-established one
Zoetis (Zoetis) Apoquel for dogs
The innovative formula of the drug with the active substance Oklatsitinib, allows you to eliminate itching in the shortest possible time for dermatitis, allergies. Reduction of itching is observed as early as 4 hours after the first dose of the drug and the antipruritic effect will last at least a day!
Apoquel is a non-hormonal drug, the main active component of which is oclacitinib, which inhibits the function of cytokines that cause itching and inflammation of the skin.
Apoquel eliminates itching caused by dermatitis, allergies to the environment (pollen, dust mites), food allergies (allergies to soy, cereals, dairy products), insect bites (fleas, ear mites or scabies), allergies to chemicals (shampoos, cleaning products, deodorants, artificial floor coverings)
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