What are dog’s skin allergies?
Dog’s skin allergies refer to the immune system responding to an agent that it considers a foreigner. Allergies cause your dog´s skin to get dry and oily. This is accompanied by your dog licking and scratching incessantly. Dogs scratch with a certain frequency and this is completely normal. But when the scratching is too frequent to the point of harming themselves, then this could be a sign of skin allergies.
What are the causes of dog’s skin allergies?
Skin allergies can be caused by a number of situations. As stated before, these allergies are the immune’s system response to any material or substance that it considers a threat. For instance, if your dog comes in contact with ragweed, the dog´s immune system will see it as a threat and allergies will rise.
There are other agents that can cause an allergic reaction on your dog´s skin. These include environmental agents that directly affect the skin such as mites, fleas, pollen, grasses, weed, or flower. Some veterinarians believe that a rise in skin allergies could be an indication of poor dog breeding and improper dog food processing.
What symptoms should I look for?
The main symptom of skin allergies is itchiness. Watch if your dog is frequently licking, chewing, or scratching with their feet. The most common areas affected are ears, feet, face, and belly.
What should I do with my dog’s skin allergies?
One important thing that you need to know is that atopy (environmental allergies) cannot be cured, only treated. In fact, skin allergies are difficult to address. You can, however, take some measures to keep your dog from suffering them. Clinical research has shown that the best way to reduce the chances of dogs to get allergies is by feeding them with beneficial probiotic bacteria such as Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus bifidus at a young age.
Treatment options if your dog is suffering from allergies include:
• Antihistamines. Although, histamines are rarely the cause of itchiness. Your veterinarian might apply them combined with corticosteroids.
• Corticosteroids. These are injectable products that have a lasting effect. They should be used cautiously, though, and it is not recommended for continuous use.
• Vaccine. Allergy vaccines can help reduce the symptoms, even up to six months.
• Cyclosporine. This is a rather expensive medication. It is more effective than corticosteroids but can cause an upset stomach.
• Shampoos and conditioners. Use these with clean water. Use moisturizing shampoo and conditioner and avoid using a hair blower.
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