What Are Those Dog Allergy Symptoms Trying To Tell You?
Allergies don’t just affect people, dog allergies are more common than you might think and can severely impact on the health of your dog. Dogs may be allergic to food, fleas, airborne pollutants as well as their own fur. Finding out what is causing the allergy is better than simply giving medication, which may have side effects. This may not be easy however, especially if your dog has multiple allergies.
Here are some dog allergy symptoms to watch for. Coughing, wheezing, a thin patchy coat, runny nose or eyes, lethargy and sneezing. So what causes allergies in dogs and how can we find and eliminate them?
A primary cause of canine allergies is fleas. However this is simple to eliminate. There are several good products on the market to eliminate fleas on dogs. Make sure you buy one and use it according to the manufacturers recommendation.
Food allergies are another very common occurrence. Dogs may become allergic to chemicals in dog food or to the actual ingredients themselves. Some ingredients in dog food cause allergies more frequently than others. Among these are eggs, fish, beef, chicken, corn and wheat. Of all these corn is probably the worst and unfortunately is very common in cheaper brands of dog food. Hypoallergenic dog food is available which omits most of the common allergens or you may choose to talk to your vet to see what he recommends.
Environmental allergies – your dog may even be allergic to his own coat, especially if he has thick or long hairs. Dogs can ingest a lot of hair when they clean themselves and this makes the allergy worse. Giving your dog a good wash every couple of weeks will remove excess hair and dander. Grooming him with a stiff brush once a day helps too.
Do you use chemical cleaners in your home? Dogs may be quite sensitive to these. Using chemical-free natural cleaners such as soda bicarbonate and lemon juice will improve the health of yourself and your dog and save money too. Mold can affect your home without you knowing it. Testing for and removing mold will improve the health of your entire family including your dog.
A natural way of providing fast relief from dog allergy symptoms such as itchy or flaky skin is to bathe your dog in water that has oatmeal dissolved in it. Dog shampoos that contain tea-tree, aloe vera or eucalyptus will soothe the skin and will temporarily relieve irritation.
Give your dog some omega 3 and/or primrose oils. These are known to improve most skin conditions in both humans and dogs.
Anti histamines are a rapid answer to most allergies if nothing else works. They may make you dog lethargic during the day, but are a safer option than steroids.
Dog allergy symptoms are a wake up call that all is not well with your dog’s health or environment. Finding the cause of the allergy is the hard part, but taking care of an allergic dog is relatively easy once you have identified the problem. If in doubt where to begin, a call to your vet will start you in the right direction.
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