Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Dog Allergies - What Causes Them

By Wayne Harley


Allergies are starting to be more and more common with humans and dogs, especially food and scent allergies. What are some clues and signals your dog could possibly be allergic to something?

Common dog allergy symptoms can include: Itchy, red, moist or scabbed skin Incessant scratching Infected ears Itchy, watery eyes Itchy back or base of tail (most often this is a flea allergy) Itchy ears and ear infections Sneezing Throwing up Diarrhea Snoring from an inflamed throat Paw chewing/licking/swollen paws Rubbing his face Non stop licking

The most destructive of these is scratching, since your pet can sometimes even scratch herself raw, which can potentially lead to secondary infections, excessive shedding, and hair loss.

What Can Dogs Be Allergic To? Tree, grass and weed pollens Cleaning chemicals Prescription medication Dust mites Mold spores Dander Feathers Rubber and plastic materials Cigarette smoke Food products Fleas and flea-control products Perfumes Fabrics Shampoo products

How to Tell What Your Dog is Allergic to Are your dogs allergies seasonal or do the allergies for your dog seem to happen all year round? If the symptoms are all year round, one method you can try is to switch out your dog's food. The most noticeable symptoms for dog food allergies are licking, scratching, and different types of skin problems.

Have you made a recent change in your dogs routine since the allergy problems started? You may need to sort through the above allergy list one by one and try to make changes until you have narrowed down the cause.

Remember, even though your dog might have the above issues, he may not have allergies. He may be suffering from any number of other medical conditions, such as fleas, worms, or hormonal disorders. Check with your veterinarian to be safe.




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