Did you know that, like humans, dogs can develop allergies? As it turns out, dog allergies are not at all uncommon. Though fairly widespread, determining the cause of irritation to your pet can be difficult. As a good pet owner, you want your pet to live a comfortable life. Therefore, it's up to us to recognize common allergens, avoid them, and respond to our pets’ reactions.
Responding to the reaction can look different for every case. Sometimes, you’ll just need to eliminate the cause. In addition, sometimes you’ll need to use medication or test your pet’s blood or skin to discover what it is that they have an allergy to.
How Can I Tell That My Pet Has An Allergy?
Usually, the allergy will manifest on your pet’s skin. You’ll notice that their skin is overly itchy, red, or flakey. Maybe that’s normal for your pet. Moreover, your dog could just be an itchy dog. That’s why it’s important to know what is and what isn’t normal. At the same time, it’s also important to know that, just like with humans, animals can develop allergies later in their life.
Allergic reactions are not solely restricted to just showing up on your pets’ skin. They’ve also been known to also show up in your pet's breathing, causing them to sneeze or wheeze. You’ll notice that their breathing has become more labored.
In addition, dog allergies can give your pet gastrointestinal issues. Generally, food allergies are the cause of a gastrointestinal issue. In this case, your pet will suffer from uncommon consistency in stools, and more flatulence than is typical.
Interestingly enough, dog allergies can also cause behavior issues according to the American Veterinarian Medical Association. Behavior such as mounting, chewing, hyperactivity, even begging for good can all be signs that a dog's atopic dermatitis (chronic itching), is having a negative psychological effect on the dog.
What’s Causing My Dog's Allergies?
The most-reported substances that affect dog allergies are:
How Do I Treat My Dog's Allergy?
The best plan of action is avoidance or elimination of the allergen. If you know that your pet is allergic to a certain tree, don’t let them near it. If your dog is allergic to smoke, don’t smoke around them. If you haven’t been able to figure out what the cause of the allergy is, you need to check in with your vet to testing to determine what the allergen is. Dog allergies are no fun. It’s a good idea to check in with Cimarron Animal Hospital anyway, just in case the issues your pet is experiencing are something more serious.
