Allergies are of of the most frustrating things any pet owner will deal with. Let's break down the causes of allergies and different strategies for dealing with them. Basically there are three causes of allergies; seasonal, contact and food.
Seasonal allergies are much worse during specific times of the year. Your pet may sneeze, have watery eyes, have "hot spots" and itch. These are usually inhaled allergies. Grass and tree pollen are major triggers. If your dog likes to swim in the lake and gets rashes and sores afterwards, it could be allergic to the allergic to algae & bacteria in the lake or getting hot spots because bacteria loves to breed in warm moist fur. Keep them out of the lake or have a groomer give him a shorter haircut that will dry faster. Veternary dermatologists can do allergy testing & prescribe de-sensitizing shots or drops that are extremely helpful.
Contact allergies usually show us on the feet or legs. Feet are in constant contact with everything in the dog's life so red stained paws that the dog licks & chews on are red flags for a contact allergy. Those are tough to diagnose because it can be caused by so many things. House hold cleaners, laundry soap, carpet fibers, bedding and lawn chemicals are all factors to rule out. Change one thing at a time. If your dog has a cotton bed, put a wool or synthetic fiber blanket over it. Give each change at least a couple weeks to a month before trying the next change.
Food allergies are the smallest source of allergy problems in pets. According to the American Veterinary Association, only 2% of dogs or cats have a true food allergy. These are usually characterized by severe diarrhea and/or vomiting. Some pets find multiple source protein foods to be "too rich" and in severe cases get irritable bowel syndrome. This also causes severe diarrhea so it is important to talk to your vet in either case. Food sensitivities usually cause itching typically in the ears and rear end. Be sure to check with your vet that it is not an ear infection or anal gland impaction. Because of the inflammation in the ears, it is common for your pet to get an ear infection caused by the allergy.
Try a food trail using a food such as Prey with limited ingredients or foods with single source proteins such as Diamond Naturals or Zignature. Fromm and Nutrisource also have single source protein varieties. Again, try one thing at a time to rule out the allergen. Look at the energy source also. In pet foods it is either a grain starch such as corn, rice or barley or a carbohydrate such as potatoes, sweet potatoes or lentils.
Spike's carries a broad range of health products to help your pet find relief from itching & burning skin and sneezing. Nature's Miracle No Chew and NaturVet Bitter Yuck will stop it from licking and chewing. Sentry Anti-Itch, Cortizone Spray and Hot Spot remedy; Theracyn Wound & Skin Care, Vetericyn Plus Wound & Skin care and Happy Goose Hemp Skin Healing Cream are just a few of the remedies. Shampoos include Espree Oatmeal Baking Soda, Pro Sense odor Eliminating Oatmeal and Sentry medicated.
Remember to try one thing at a time, keep a written log of when allergies happen & changes in enviroment, what you have tried and what the results were. Allergies are frustrating for the owner and painful for your pet. Spike's is here to help you. We even have treats specifically labeled for different allergy symptoms such as Achoo! My Allergies Really Suck! And Yikes! I'm Itchy & Scratchy.
