Is your dog itching and scratching? They may have allergies. Your dog can be allergic to many different things. If you think that your dog has allergies, it is best to figure out what your dog is allergic to. Once you figure out why your dog has allergies, you can easily treat these issues and stop all their symptoms. Many times, allergies can easily be treated with allergy medications.
Causes of Allergies
There are many things that can cause allergies in dogs. One of the most common things that will cause your dog to have allergies are:
- Environmental: These are things such as trees, grass, and pollen. If your dog is allergic to these things, you will usually notice that their allergies are seasonal. Most dogs are the most allergic in the spring and summer of each year.
- Flea Allergies: Many dogs are very allergic to fleas. The saliva of the flea is the main cause of these allergies. When a flea gets on your dog and bites them, this
- Food allergies: This is the least common cause of allergies in dogs but does account for about 10 to 15% of pet allergies.
These three things are the main reasons that your dog could have allergies.
Signs of allergies
If your dog has allergies, the most common signs that you will see are:
- Itching
- Hair loss
- Reddened skin
- Ear infection
- Sneezing
- Diarrhea
- Seeing fleas
If you notice any of these signs in your dog, it would be best for your vet to check your dog out to see if they do have allergies. Your vet can usually examine your dog and run tests to figure out exactly what they are allergic to.
Treatment for allergies
The treatment for allergies in your dog will depend on what is causing the allergies.
Flea Allergies
If your dog has fleas, giving them flea prevention and a flea bath will help get rid of these fleas. Once the fleas are gone, so are your dog’s flea allergy issues.
Environmental Allergies
If your dog is allergic to things in their environment, usually the recommendation is allergy medication and frequent baths. Your vet may suggest that you give your dog Benadryl or another over-the-counter allergy medication. In severe cases, your vet may prescribe Apoquel or Cytopoint to help decrease your dog’s allergies.
Food allergies
If your dog is allergic to their food, you will notice diarrhea and ear infections. Dogs will food allergies will undergo food trials of different diets. Your vet will want your dog to eat a diet that contains a different protein than what they are currently eating. This commonly is rabbit, venison, or lamb.
Final Thoughts
Allergies in dogs can be very frustrating at first. Your dog may be very itchy at first, but once you figure out what your dog is allergic to, you can easily treat these issues. While allergies are lifelong management and treatment, once you develop a management plan with your vet, your dog can live a long and healthy life.
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