Dog allergies, can you read the signs?
Food Allergies
Food Related Dermatitis causes scratching of the entire body especially the sides and neck area. Chewing on the base of the tail and feet are common. Also a dull and greasy coat are good indication.Many food allergies appear as smelly foul ears. The most common cause for this condition is feeding your pet a "supermarket food". Despite the fact that the labels indicate natural and with vegetables, many times you are just feeding your dog a diet rich in preservatives, dyes and low quality by-products; a diet full of empty carbohydrates and fats.
Many pet owners will be surprised at the rapid skin and coat improvements once you switch to a truly natural balanced diet.
Also administrating a Herbal Detoxifer will speed the diet change. Remember changing your dogs diet should be done slowly by mixing a small amount of the new food with the existing food. Gradually increasing the ratio. This will lessen the chance of a stomach upset.
Flea Allergies
The most common form of canine allergy is flea allergy dermatitis. The flea itself is not the culprit in canine flea allergies. It is their saliva that causes the allergic reaction. A skin allergy test can be preformed to determine if a dog is allergic to flea saliva.If it is, then a strict flea control regimen is required to reduce symptoms. Caution must be used however to make sure the chemicals in the flea preparations are not harmful to the dog.
A common misconception with this problem is that to have flea dermatitis the dog must be infested with the parasites. But sometimes there will be no sign of fleas, and your dog will be scratching.
Some dogs are hypersensitive due to repeated exposure to fleas and a single bite can cause a flare up. Symptoms are usually bumps and blisters, continuous licking and scratching of the area and hair loss. Other tell tale signs are a small brown dust when combing or brushing.
Inhalant Allergies
Also known as "atopy", Just as inhalant allergy is common in people; it is also common in the dog and cat. Common allergens are pollens, dander, grasses, trees, and fabrics; any airborne particle can potentially become an allergen.As most of the allergic reactions in pets, you can detect the symptoms through your pet's skin, not the respiratory tract as humans.
This type of allergy can be difficult to treat and many times a daily log is needed in which the pet owner can use a process of elimination in determining the substance that is triggering the allergic reaction.
Your dog may be allergic to mold spores in the air, pollen, plastic food dishes, dust mites, carpets, chemicals used around the house, grasses and furniture stuffing (to name a few) Keep in mind the a truly allergic dog is far more sensitive than one with environmental dermatitis as the dog will appear fine one minute and can chew itself raw the next.
Infectious Allergies
This kind of dermatitis usually manifests itself as hot spots and rashes and can usually be treated quickly.Swimming is the number #1 offender in this area. The dog's coat holds moisture on the skin which can cause yeast, bacterial or fungal organisms to contaminate the skin, grow and if left untreated it will erupt as a hot spot.
The areas most affected by these allergies are the feet and belly of the allergic dog. Around the neck area and back. Symptoms are inflamed and stressed skin. Signs of a yeast infection are a greasy coat and odor.
Recommended products for dog allergies:
- Detoxification dog allergy remedy
- Flea-bite dermatitis remedy
- Skin and coat irritation and itching remedy
© 2006. Mariangie Gonzalez has a major in Animal Science and runs the day-to-day operations of her home-based business and website www.MindBodyAndPaw.com. Visit to learn how holistic pet care products and homeopathic remedies could prolong and improve your pet's life.