What Are Those Dog Allergy Symptoms Trying To Tell You?

Allergies don’t just affect humans, 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. Rather than simply administering medication, such as steroids, it would be better to find what is causing the allergy and remove it. However this is easier said than done especially if your dog has more than one allergy.

Dog allergy symptoms include wheezing, coughing, sneezing, vomiting, a patchy coat, runny eyes or nose and tiredness or lethargy. So what causes allergies in dogs and how can we find and eliminate them?

One of the main causes of allergies in dogs is fleas. Fortunately this is easy to control. 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.

Another common allergy in dogs can be found in their food. Dogs can be sensitive to chemicals in their food or to one or more of the ingredients. Some ingredients in dog food cause allergies more frequently than others. Among these are eggs, fish, beef, chicken, corn and wheat. Please note that corn is a serial offender and is often used in cheaper brands of dog food as a filler. 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.

Your dog may even be allergic to his own fur. This is particularly common for long haired dogs. When your dog cleans himself his swallows a lot of hair and this can make the situation 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. Use natural cleaning products or those without bleach or other harsh chemicals. 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. Natural shampoos containing eucalyptus, tea tree oil or aloe vera can also provide quick, temporary relief.

Mixing some omega 3 fish oil in with your dog’s food can dramatically improve skin conditions in some dogs. Evening primrose oil can have the same effect.

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. Discovering the cause can be a challenge, but caring for a hypoallergenic dog is easy once the problem has been identified. If in doubt where to begin, a call to your vet will start you in the right direction.

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