Treating Dog Skin Allergies

Experts estimate that one in seven dogs suffer from allergies. Dog skin allergies are a main reason owners take their pets to the veterinarian. Though all breeds can experience allergies, some breeds experience allergies more than others.

This large number of allergic reactions makes sense when one realizes a huge amount of chemicals and other toxins are used to create most modern goods & services. An additive or processing component you are completely unaware of could be causing your beloved pet anguish.

An allergy is an altered body reactivity to an substance. The allergen is the substance causing the reactivity. The body’s reactivity is the allergic reaction.

In humans, the most common allergic response is upper respatory symptoms. For dogs, allergies usually affect the skin.

There are four main categories of canine allergic reactions: fleas and other biting pests, particulates in the air which the dog breathes in, foods and medicines, and allergens which touch the dog’s skin.

Signs of a skin allergy include intense itching, continuous scratching, and sections of exposed skin which have been exposed by excessive scratching. A dog may also nibble at itself incessantly.

The best way to treat an allergy is to stop exposing the dog to the allergen. If your dog is allergic to lamb, feed him dog food with beef. Fleas can be harder to get rid of, but there are chemical treatments that will kill them. The hardest allergies to treat are those caused by allergens that the dog has to be exposed to, such as particulates in the air.

The most frequent allergy dogs experience is fleas. Some dogs are allergic to toxins in flea saliva. Fleas prefer to live on buttock and tail region of the dog, on the base of the legs, or the groin and belly. Allergic reactions focused in these areas are often fleas. Dogs will sometimes chew skin irritated by fleas until it becomes an open sore. Sometimes these sores become infected.

Check for fleas by standing your dog over white paper and brushing its coat aggressively. If small dark and light flecks drop onto the paper, your dog has fleas. These flecks are flea eggs and feces.

A veterinarian can also perform an allergy test on your dog to confirm a flea allergy.

To rid your dog of fleas, the best two methods are a flea bath or a cream or ointment which is rubbed on its fur and skin.

Some dogs also suffer from hives, which are small raised, irritated sections on the skin. Hives are esepecially problematic on hairy animals such as dogs. Hives are often associated with chemical allergies, especially in dogs which use non-organic shampoos or suffer a reaction to an anti-flea treatment. The best response is to rinse your dog reapeatedly, removing the irritating chemicals from its skin.

No one wants the animal they love to be miserable. Dog skin allergies should be treated by a veterinarian. If your dog is ravaged by skin allergies, get them to a vet ASAP.