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 For
your dog pets to enjoy time with you, they must always be in good health. Like
you, if the pets are feeling pain they are unable to feel the mood of having
fun!
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 Like
people, dogs can suffer from allergies.
As in the human population,
the incidence of allergies in pets seems to be increasing. While
allergic humans may often sneeze, wheeze or even have serious respiratory
difficulties, allergic reactions in pets are mostly characterized
by skin problems, exacerbated by their primary symptom—itching and
scratching. Dog allergies fall into three main categories: flea
allergic dermatitis, atopy, and food allergy. Many pets can be affected
by one or more allergy.
What is food allergy and
what are its symptoms?
Food allergy is an allergic
reaction to one or more ingredients in a pet’s food. The most common
allergens are beef and milk products, cereals (wheat, corn, soya),
chicken and eggs. The exact cause of a food allergy is not known.
Perhaps a change in the pet’s immune system causes certain ingredients
to be perceived as “foreign,” initiating inflammatory mechanisms
to fight off the perceived “intruder.”
The most common symptoms
of a food allergy are itching, licking or chewing. Otitis Externa
(ear infection) along with other skin problems are also common in
conjunction with food hypersensitivity. Some pets may also have
diarrhea and other digestive problems. Symptoms can appear at any
age, whether a pet has just started a new diet or has been eating
the same food for several years.
How is food allergy diagnosed?
The only effective way for
your veterinarian to diagnose a food allergy is to put your pet
on a “hypoallergenic” or “exclusion” diet for a minimum of 8–12
weeks. Such a diet contains ingredients to which the animal has
not been exposed in the past. Because the source of protein causes
most allergic reactions, exclusion diets use proteins—often venison,
fish or duck—that are normally not found in regular pet food. An
exclusion diet may comprise home-prepared food or prescription commercial
hypoallergenic products.
If your pet has a food allergy,
there should be a significant reduction in the symptoms after the
recommended period on the exclusion diet. To identify all the food
allergens, your veterinarian will recommend adding a single protein
back into the diet every 1–2 weeks, while watching for a recurrence,
or worsening, of symptoms. If this happens, the veterinarian will
recommend removing the offending ingredient from the diet.
How is food allergy treated?
The best way to treat your
pet’s food allergy is to carefully monitor his or her diet, in order
to avoid flare-ups.
In rare cases, your veterinarian
may also prescribe antihistamines and corticosteroids.
Flea
Allergy Dermatitis
What is flea allergy dermatitis
and what are its symptoms?
Flea allergy dermatitis (FAD),
often called “flea bite hypersensitivity”, is a skin disease caused
by an allergic reaction to flea saliva. A
single flea bite can trigger
the disease’s intense itching. Dogs with FAD chew and bite their
backs, legs, bellies or tails. This often leads to “hot spots”,
or localized hair loss and skin infections. You may find fleas and
flea dirt (the flea feces look like black specks) on your pet, although
many dogs with FAD have very few fleas, since they are constantly
licking and chewing.
How is flea allergy dermatitis
diagnosed?
Your veterinarian looks for
the usual signs (scratching, skin sores, the presence of fleas and/or
flea dirt). He or she may also perform a skin test to confirm that
fleas are causing the problem, as FAD symptoms can resemble those
of other conditions, including external parasites (mites, lice),
infections and other allergies, that cause severe itching.
How is flea allergy dermatitis
treated?
The best way to treat FAD
is to prevent fleas from attacking your pet. Various insecticides
and insect growth regulators that eliminate flea infestations are
available. Your veterinarian can recommend the right product for
your pet. Daily vacuuming and frequent washing of your pet’s bedding
can also reduce your home’s flea population.
To break the “itch-scratch”
cycle that leads to skin infections, your veterinarian may prescribe
corticosteroids, antihistamines and essential fatty acids to relieve
irritation. Warm water baths and anti-itching shampoos and conditioners
also help.
What is most important to
realize is that there is no cure for FAD: your pet will always be
allergic to flea bites and you must be continually on your guard
to prevent further problems. Flea prevention is a must.
Atopy
What is atopy and what are
its symptoms?
Atopy, or environmental allergy,
is an allergic reaction to airborne substances like pollen, molds,
house dust mites and animal dander (skin or hair fragments). It
is most common in dogs, but some cats are also affected. The incidence
of atopy depends as much upon a pet’s genetic susceptibility as
exposure to the allergen itself. (An allergen is any agent causing
the allergic reaction.) Terriers, Setters, Retrievers, Dalmatians,
and Chinese Shar-Peis are particularly prone to atopy.
Itching, mostly around the
face, feet, lower chest and belly, is the primary symptom. Depending
on the cause, this may occur only seasonally (pollen) or year-round
(molds, dust mites and dander). “Hot spots”, other skin infections
and ear problems can develop. Frequent scratching due to chronic
irritation may lead to hair loss. These signs can be seen from 4
months to 7 years of age but are typically first noticed around
1–3 years of age.
How is atopy diagnosed?
Atopy is confirmed through
a process of elimination. Other causes of itching, such as fleas,
mites, lice, bacterial and yeast infections, as well as food allergies,
must be ruled out first. Your veterinarian will ask you for a detailed
history of your pet’s itching problem. Skin or serum (blood) testing
for different allergens may then be performed to help pinpoint the
exact cause.
How is atopy treated?
Atopy is a lifelong condition
and there is no known cure. However, there are a number of ways
to manage the problem :
- Anti-itch therapy, including the use of drugs, medicated shampoos
and conditioners.
- Removing the source of the allergy from the environment as
much as possible.
- Immunotherapy uses a series of injections to gradually accustom
your pet’s system to the allergen(s) causing the problem. Although
its effectiveness varies, it provides at least some relief for
around 75% of pets with atopy.
- If the atopy is relatively mild (for example, occasional itching
during the pollen season), you can use “Elizabethan” collars,
T-shirts and socks to reduce irritation by physically preventing
your pet from scratching or biting themselves.
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