Allergies in dogs; how can you help?

December 27, 2024

If your dog has allergies, they probably don't like it much. If you're like me, you feel really bad for them. But there are things you can do to make it all better.

 

Does your dog have an allergy?

Allergies in dogs can be a real problem in all kinds of areas. Whether they’re caused by something in the environment or something they eat, your dog can suffer some pretty uncomfortable stuff without your help. If your dog has an allergy, you’ll want to get it under control quickly.

Environmental allergies

Environmental allergies can be triggered by grasses, pollen, insect bites, or something else your dog comes in contact with. The result could be watery eyes and maybe itchy skin or hives. If they receive an insect bite that causes a reaction, they might have a swollen or red area.

These symptoms usually end shortly after you remove whatever the allergen is. Many times, an environmental allergy is related to season or location. In insect bites, the symptoms are temporary and don’t return unless the dog is bitten again.

One of the things that are supposed to help with skin irritation is coconut oil. It has antibacterial properties and is soothing. Read my post for more.

Is your dog allergic to something? How do you know if they are and what it could be? And more important; how do you make them feel better?

 

Food allergies

Food  allergies in dogs are triggered by something that they eat. If they  keep eating whatever that is, the allergy continues indefinitely until  you make the necessary changes in their diet.

Managing  a food allergy can be tricky. Locating the problem takes alot of detective work since many times, ingredients are mixed together, especially in  previously prepared food.

What does it look like when my dog has a food allergy?

Your  dog might have symptoms similar to those of environmental allergies or issues that don’t immediately seem like allergies. Since the allergy  comes from something that they ate, it can affect the whole body.

Here’s a list of some of the symptoms you might notice

• Itching paws, specific areas, or all over. Can develop into hot spots. Read more here.
• They could be chewing on themselves.
• Skin rashes, scaly or leathery skin, skin discoloration
• Eye discharge or red eyes
• Hair loss
• Chronic, frequent ear infections
• Secondary yeast or bacterial infections
• Digestive issues like vomiting, chronic gas, or diarrhea

The  chances are that you’ll probably see a combination of symptoms instead  of just one. While you can treat the symptoms as you see them, they’ll  just keep coming back unless you remove the problem.

If your dog has allergies, you'll need to take several steps to truly resolve the problem. The first step is to notice that something isn't right. Then a trip to the vet so you can discuss what you've noticed. Your vet will give you some guidance to help resolve the problems. Finally, you'll have to be diligent, watching for future reoccurences. Allergies don't go away, so your dog could be exposed again with the same results.

What do you do about allergies in dogs?

While  these issues aren’t usually life-threatening, they can make your dog really miserable. The first thing to do is to visit the vet to rule out  other issues that need treatment. Once the big problems are ruled out,  you and your vet can put together a plan for moving forward.

If  you or your vet suspect allergies, you’ll need to figure out the  culprit or culprits. In order to do that, allergy tests or food trials can be used to help identify the problem so it can be eliminated.  But where do you start?

Diagnosing allergies in dogs

If the problem is environment, allergy testing can help determine the problem. If you know what it is in the environment, you can usually decrease or eliminate exposure.

If the allergy is to a food or foods, it gets a bit more complicated. The  most common method for diagnosing a food allergy in dogs is to perform a  food elimination trial. This involves taking all possible allergens out  of your dog’s diet and maintaining a routine of simple ingredient  foods. This would be a handful of foods that have no added flavoring,  chemicals, or other substances that would subtly affect your dog. No  other treats or supplements with flavorings are allowed.

These  diets generally last for several weeks, until your dog reaches a  baseline. A general time frame might be 8 weeks. Once your dog is free  of allergy symptoms, you would slowly reintroduce a new food, one at a  time. As each food is added, you observe your dog for several days for  symptoms.

Studies  show that the likelihood of having allergies in dogs is influenced by  genetics. Since there is a genetic predisposition, if a dog has one  allergy, it is much more likely they’ll have others as well, so don’t  assume that only one food is the problem.

If  you’ve carefully limited your dog’s diet until your dog is  symptom-free, you can test a suspected allergen. If your dog is allergic  to it, the symptoms will come back and you’ll know it’s a problem.

Other  tests can also be used to identify an allergen, like a blood test or a  patch test. Although these tests might seem like the quickest way to  identify the problem, they aren’t as conclusive. That’s why, as  complicated and time-consuming as it is, a food trial might be more  effective.

Do you know how to recognize a possible allergy that your dog might have? If you pay attention, you will probably see signs that something isn't quite right. Your holistic vet can help you pin it down and provide guidance for make things better.

 

Most common food allergies in dogs

While  all foods can have the potential for allergies, some are more likely to  cause them than others. The top five culprits seem to be

• Beef
• Dairy
• Chicken
• Wheat
• Soy

The  more common the food is, the more exposure your dog might have to it.  Frequent exposure to a potential allergen can make an allergic reaction  more likely. In addition, foods with a higher protein level tend to  affect allergies in dogs because of the way your dog’s body reacts to  proteins.

Allergies  usually develop with time. Each exposure builds on the one before. You  might feed your dog a certain food for quite a while without seeing a  problem. But eventually, if your dog is allergic to it, the reaction  will be large enough that you’ll see it.

Helping your dog live with a food allergy

Allergies  in dogs can’t be cured. That means that you and your dog have to manage  them instead. If you watch their diet and add new foods carefully, your  dog might eventually be able to eat a fairly normal diet. Despite any  remaining limitations, they’re going to feel a whole lot better. The end  result will be a happy, healthy dog.

We’ve  had a couple of dogs that had some serious food sensitivity or allergy  problems. While it was a challenge, with work and patience, we were able  to help them feel better eventually. 

To read more about food allergies and your dog, check out Different Types of Dog Allergies and How to Treat Them from AKC.org. You can also read some of my posts, 

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