Allergies

Has your dog licked its paws raw or chewed on his/her skin to create red, irritated spots? Is your kitty cat scratching excessively and creating balding patches? If so, then your pet may be experiencing allergies, one of the most common health problems for pets.

Pets, just like their human caregivers, have allergic reactions because their immune system overreacts to some material (pollen, food ingredients, insect bites, etc). Once the pet is exposed to its allergen, the immune system begins to pump out large amounts of white blood cells, hormones, and other material called histamines into the bloodstream. While people tend to have a runny nose or watery eyes due to allergies, your pet may instead suffer from itchy, swollen skin, difficulty breathing, or a disruption of the digestive tract such as vomiting or diarrhea.

Pets with these kinds of allergic symptoms can be pretty miserable creatures. Allergies tend to be life-long, chronic problems. The good news is that there's a lot you can do to help your furry companions feel better. The first step is to identify the source of your pet’s allergy and limit its exposure to it.

Your pet’s allergies generally fall under one of four main categories:

• Contact Allergies occur when a pet’s skin comes in contact with the material he's allergic to; for example, if he rubs his face against a wool blanket and he's allergic to wool. The skin at the point of contact will be irritated--it may itch, become thickened or discolored, have a strong odor, and/or lose hair due to constant biting or scratching. Contact allergies are typically the easiest pet allergy to remedy - they're usually confined to a specific area of an animal's body, and the allergen shouldn't take too much work to discover. Unfortunately, it is the least common type of pet allergy.
  
  
• Food Allergies present a more challenging and complicated type of sensitivity to identify and address. Most animals are not born with allergies to food. The pet’s immune system develops an allergic response over time to some part of their diet, often one of the animal proteins or a grain like corn or wheat. Symptoms of food allergies include the itching, digestive disorders and respiratory distress mentioned above.
  
  Solving food allergies can be very challenging. You can attempt to identify what's causing your pet's allergic reaction by feeding him different diets, but the allergic effects of food can stay in the system for eight weeks. If you suspect that your pet may be experiencing food allergies, contact your veterinarian to tailor an approach specific to your pet’s needs.
  
  
• Inhalant Allergies are another common trigger for pets. Just like us, our pets can be allergic to the pollen and mold that fills the outside air during the spring and fall. Thankfully, inhalant allergies may be isolated to a season, just like humans with hay fever. Likewise, they may be sensitive to threats inside the home, such as dust mites, mildew, and mold. Inhalant allergens generally produce severe itching in pets concentrated in the ears, feet, groin, and armpit. As a result of constant chewing and scratching of the irritated areas, dogs in particular may develop hairless, red "hot spots" which cause them great discomfort.
  
  
• Flea Allergies are an extremely common problem for our pets, possibly the most common allergy of all. The terms “flea allergy” is a bit misleading, as the pet is not actually allergic to the fleas themselves, but to proteins that fleas secrete in their saliva when they bite. If a pet suffers from a flea allergy, a single bite may cause them to itch for over five days! It is critical that a flea allergic pet not be exposed to this pesky parasite. Consult your veterinarian to develop a strategy to minimize the risk of flea exposure and select a flea prevention product to provide optimal protection.

Protecting Your Pet from its Allergies

For pet owners and veterinarians alike, two of the most frustrating aspects of allergies are the inability to either 1) determine exactly the source of the allergen or 2) remove or prevent the pet’s exposure to the allergen in its environment. Work with your veterinarian to determine the best treatment, or combination of treatments, for your pet's allergy. Patience is important, as you may go through a series of trying a possible solution, waiting to see how your pet reacts to it, and moving on to another solution. With perseverance and dedication, you can help your itchy, grouchy pet feel comfortable again.

Written by:
Matthew J Heller, DVM & MS