Dogs can have allergies to a variety of things, including food, fleas, soaps, and other environmental factors. Symptoms vary but may include itchy skin, paw or ears and digestive disturbances like vomiting or diarrhea.
The most accurate way to diagnose a food allergy is through an elimination diet trial. This is where you feed your pet a special hypoallergenic diet for a few months.
Symptoms
Allergies are a chronic condition that involve your immune system responding to allergens. This reaction can cause itchy skin, ear infections, breathing problems and even sneezing or coughing.
Allergens can come from food, ear infections, fleas and dust mites, among other things. They can also be airborne, such as pollen or mold spores.
Common signs of allergies in dogs include itching, scratching, licking and pawing at the skin or ears. Some allergies are accompanied by gastrointestinal symptoms like vomiting or diarrhea.
In rare cases, allergies can be life-threatening. This is called anaphylactic shock.
If you think your dog has allergies, get them tested by a veterinarian or a dermatologist. They may use a blood test to measure the amount of antibodies in your body that react with allergens.
There are a variety of treatments to relieve allergy symptoms, including antihistamines that can be purchased over the counter and corticosteroids that can be delivered as a nasal spray. Your doctor can recommend a treatment plan that’s right for your pet.
Diagnosis
Allergies occur when the immune system overreacts to a substance that triggers inflammatory reactions. This response is generally harmless but can lead to severe symptoms in some cases.
Allergens are proteins, usually from plant or animal sources, that trigger a specific immune reaction in the body. When these allergens come into contact with the skin, eyes, nose, mouth or respiratory tract, the immune system overreacts by releasing histamine and other chemicals that cause itching and swelling in the affected area.
Symptoms of dog allergies can be difficult to diagnose, but your veterinarian can perform a series of tests that help identify what may be causing them. Your doctor can use an intradermal skin test (skin testing) or a blood test to look for specific allergy-causing antibodies to determine the cause of your dog’s allergies.
The most effective way to treat an allergic reaction is by avoiding the allergen, such as pets or foods, that are triggering it. Avoiding these allergens can dramatically reduce your dog’s symptoms.
Diet
Food allergies are the result of antibodies reacting with antigens in your dog’s diet. They’re most often proteins like beef, dairy, chicken, eggs, and wheat gluten, but virtually any other food ingredient can cause an allergic reaction.
Allergens can also be environmental, such as seasonal pollen, dust mites, or insects. It’s a good idea to talk with your vet about these possible culprits and how to treat them if they exist.
In some cases, an elimination diet can help you identify the ingredients that are causing your dog’s symptoms. These limited ingredient diets typically contain a few protein sources that aren’t found in traditional pet foods, like rabbit, duck, or wild boar.
Supplements can also help support your dog’s immune system and reduce inflammation. Some supplements include omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, fish oil, probiotics, and more.
Prevention
Just like humans, some dogs are more prone to allergies than others. Genetic predisposition and environmental exposure early in life are both common factors in the development of allergies.
Fortunately, a good diet can prevent and treat most allergy symptoms in dogs. Choosing a hypoallergenic dog food, such as a limited ingredient diet (LID), is often the best first step to preventing and treating skin conditions in dogs with allergies.
In the case of an underlying allergy, your veterinarian may recommend an elimination diet trial. This requires your dog to eat an exclusive veterinary hypoallergenic diet for 8-12 weeks.
Symptoms of food allergies can be accompanied by other issues, including gastrointestinal problems and chronic ear infections. Unlike skin allergies, your pet’s GI issues aren’t usually seasonal. Gastrointestinal signs, such as soft stool or diarrhea, are common and a strong indication that there is an underlying allergy.
