Dog Skin Allergies

Dog skin allergies are often food related. Dog allergy symptoms include hives, dry skin, diarrhea, and more. Ask the veterinarian for recommendations on the best hypoallergenic dog food for skin allergies.

When people develop allergies, like hay fever, their reactions are often itchy, watery eyes, and sneezing. Dogs, on the other hand, most often develop food allergies and react with skin problems (and sometimes stomach disorders).

These problems may range from itching and chewing, to poor coat texture or length, to self-mutilation and hot spots. You can use allergy pet products that will help your dog's itchy skin.

It seems that dog skin allergies may also make your pet react with chronic ear infections. To make matters even more difficult to diagnose and treat in dogs, thyroid disease may add to the problem and mask or confuse a correct diagnosis.

So that you will be able to overcome all of these frustrating symptoms, you must use a thorough and systematic approach. If you decide to take shortcuts, this will probably make you more frustrated and you will not get the desired results.

Remember, the best source of information to help your dog with allergies is your vet. Many vets realize the need for holistic treatment of allergies instead of the regular old standby of corticosteroids. Remember that you will find no magic pill to deal with allergies in dogs.

Unfortunately, there is no "cure" to the allergies - other than finding and eliminating the allergen - but you can provide your canine with relief through some systematic treatment options.

Dog skin allergies might not only be hard to diagnose but to discover the proper treatment plan as well. You must learn the best way to take care of the allergy and determine what symptoms may need emergency care.

A dog's skin allergies may be difficult for the owner to handle, but if you follow these tips it will enable you to help your pooch to ease the scratching, itching, pain and discomfort.

Dog Allergy Symptoms and Identification

To treat the allergy most effectively, you must determine the reason for your dog's skin allergy. Contact with the irritant or allergen is going to have to be prevented all together or at least be extremely limited.

If a dog's skin allergy comes about all of a sudden, it is usually caused by contact dermatitis. This is an allergic reaction that involves the skin when it exposed to an irritant, such as a spray that is applied directly onto the dog's skin or coat or a certain type of shampoo.

Other irritants may come from plant residue, household cleaners or chemicals such as laundry detergent and carpet powder. If your dog happens to have an allergy to fleas, a good-sized rash may result.

Treating Dog Skin Allergies

There are a number of things you can do to help alleviate the symptoms of a dog's allergic skin reaction. They include:

• To remove an external irritant, wash your pooch with a hypoallergenic soap (if you can't access that, use a diluted dish soap).
• Ask the veterinarian to prescribe medication such as topical hydrocortisone and/or histamine medications - these will help your pet feel better.
• Provide relief to your canine with oral medications.
• Eliminate or limit your dog's contact to the irritant believed to be the cause

When does an Allergic Reaction Turn into an Emergency?
Ask The Veterinarian to Help Diagnose Severity

A very small percentage of allergic dogs, when they experience an allergic reaction, can die. This occurs because the canine goes into anaphylactic shock.

Usually, contact dermatitis isn't the cause of such a potentially fatal allergic reaction. Typically, when you are looking at an emergency situation, the deadly allergic reaction found in dogs is the result of a vaccination, medication or a bite from an insect.

If any of these signs are present in your pooch - signaling an anaphylactic reaction - you must administer an anti-histamine medication and seek immediate veterinary attention:

• Swelling in the dog's paws and/or face
• Salivation and panting
• Difficulty breathing
• Vomiting
• Unconsciousness
• Seizure

Product Recommendations for Dog Allergy Symptoms

While treating the symptoms is not the same as identifying and treating the cause, once your pet has symptoms you can help them cope better with the itching, swelling and discomfort.

We recommend PetAlive Allergy Itch Ease for treating your dog's symptoms but only start treatment once you have found the cause of the allergic reaction (as treatment can mask the cause).

Allergy Itch Ease is a herbal remedy that temporarily relieves skin allergies and itch. Ask the veterinarian about your dog's allergies and treatments before treating your pet.

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