CULLMAN – Various dog allergies can be a bother to you and your furry friend. Dr. Christi Chesnut at Holly Pond Animal Clinic and Dr. Susie Dickerson at Northside Veterinary Hospital have tips and suggestions about how to keep your dog treated for their allergy issues.
Dr. Dickerson and Dr. Chesnut agree that just like humans, dogs can be allergic to anything. Inside and outside dogs are all vulnerable to allergies. Allergies can include dust mites, weeds, flowers, fleas and even cats.
Dr. Dickerson said that sometimes dogs can be allergic to their food which can be tested by doing a food trial. She said that the most common things that dogs are allergic to in their food are beef, chicken and wheat. With a food trial, the dog will strictly get one source of protein for 12 weeks such as rabbit or duck. She added that in the case of having an allergy to fleas, the dog may continue itching even after the flea is gone because the allergy can stay in the dog’s system for several weeks. Dr. Dickerson advised owners to watch their dog and its itching habits for the sake of its comfort and to prevent the dog from losing its hair.
Dr. Dickerson said, “A really common sign of allergies in your dog is a reverse sneeze that indicates an upper respiratory issue.” Other signs are redness around the eyes and redness of the skin. Dr. Chesnut said that if your dog is itching or licking their feet, these could be indications that they may have an allergy.
She added, “We get 4-5 new dogs every day with allergies.” She said that allergies cannot be prevented, but can be limited by wiping your dog’s feet and stomach when you let them in from being outside. This gets the pollen and plant residue off of them that could cause allergies. Dr. Dickerson agreed, “There’s really no way to prevent it. It’s just the immune system of the dog.”
“If your dog is itching, you are going to want to help them. It’s not a quality of life for them to scratch all the time,” Dr. Chesnut said. It bothers us and it definitely bothers them. Dr. Chesnut has seen cases where the dog has not been promptly treated and has lost all its hair. “The worst case scenario is the dog can become practically bald because it has scratched so much,” she said.
Each dog with an allergy is treated on a case by case basis. Dr. Chesnut said, “The treatment for dog allergies can include pills, shots and shampoos. It all depends on how severe the case is. Check with your vet before you give your dog anything over the counter.” She added that dogs can have side effects just like humans, so you will want to make sure that the medication they are given is safe. Dr. Dickerson advised, “Do not give your dog your allergy medicine. The medicine given to dogs needs to be given at veterinary levels.”
Each of these veterinarian offices offers allergy testing at their facility. At Northside, the allergy test consists of taking a blood sample from your dog and sending it to a lab in California. There they will test it to see what your dog is allergic to. Dr. Dickerson said that the results are various and can include grasses, molds, dander and even people. She said that in one instance, the patient was allergic to wool so the owner had to move all the wool rugs out of her home in order for the dog to live comfortably. “If the allergy is something year round, sometimes there are shots that the owner can give their dog once a week,” Dr. Dickerson said. She is very excited about a new drug for itching in dogs. It is in high demand and has no side effects as opposed to steroids. “The few allergy cases put on that medicine do really well with it,” she said.
If you think your dog has an allergy, visit a veterinarian to get it seen about. Keep your dogs happy and healthy!
