If your pup has allergies, they may be itching their skin all day, and even keeping you up at night with their licking and scratching. Part of the immune response is to release histamine, which results in a lot of inflammation.
This may become apparent in the upper respiratory system, digestive system, or very commonly your dog's skin. Inflammation causes redness and itchiness, and it disrupts the normal protective skin barrier. Your pet may display several of the symptoms above, or just one or two.
Any of these symptoms, especially if they happen frequently, are enough to consider allergies as a possible cause. And, it's best to visit your vet to properly diagnose and treat your furry friend. Not all dogs with allergies have the same condition. Symptoms can range from mild to severe, and they may affect several areas of the body.
There are many different types of allergens your dog can be sensitive to. Some dogs may have just one type of allergy, while others may suffer from multiple allergies. Dogs with environmental allergies are affected by inhaled allergens in the home and outdoors. This includes dust, dust mites, pollens from trees, grasses, weeds, molds, and more.
The list of potential allergens is very long, and may vary depending on which plants are found in your climate. Usually, symptoms occur due to inhaling these allergens, but direct skin contact with allergens can also cause symptoms.
Licking is surely a sign of excessive itchiness in dogs. Red, puffy eyes are a common symptom of allergies in humans. While dogs are not as often affected by these symptoms, some dogs will also exhibit these signs. Hair loss around the eyes is another symptom to watch for.
One or both eyes may be affected. Watery eye discharge is a possible symptom of environmental allergies in dogs. This sign may be the only sign related to eyes or may be seen along with eye puffiness or redness.
Sometimes the discharge may turn mucoid pus like and have a green or yellow colour to it. If you notice your dog rubbing their face up against surfaces such as the carpet, couches, or pillows, this is a clear show of their attempt to alleviate the itchiness.
You guessed it, face rubbing is also a form of itchiness in dogs. Some dogs will try and rub their entire body across one of these surfaces. Scooting aka bum scooching is another sign of itchiness related to rubbing of a body part to alleviate their itch. As allergies progress or persist, the scratching and inflammation of skin leads to trauma of hair follicles.
This leads to hair loss. Some dogs may even nibble and bite at their skin causing hair loss. This is often seen at the belly, legs, and tail area. Some dogs may generally have less hair on the body due to environmental allergies and related skin inflammation. Allergens such as pollen not only affect the skin but also cause inflammation in dog ears.
This can lead to red, irritated ears that may become infected. This will lead to smelly, stinky ears that are obviously red and inflamed. Some dogs may only have mild discomfort and may not show the dramatic sign of reddened, smelly ears. Instead they may exhibit milder head shaking initially. Dogs may shake their head because of the irritation in their ears and may not want you to pet them on their head.
Head shaking can be a sign of itchiness in the ears, or a sign of discomfort due to swollen ears, an ear infection, etc. Luckily, anaphylactic reactions are rare in dogs. Your dog may also develop hives or facial swelling in response to an allergen. Swelling of the face, throat, lips, eyelids, or earflaps may look serious, but is rarely fatal, and your veterinarian can treat it with an antihistamine.
The symptoms of allergies in dogs may vary depending on the cause. A dog that goes into anaphylactic shock, for instance, will have a drop in blood pressure followed by shock, which is very different from a skin condition.
Some of these symptoms could also be a sign of another condition. Make an appointment with your veterinarian to get an accurate diagnosis and to help your dog start feeling better. If you have ever undergone allergy testing, then you know that diagnosing allergies is often complicated. If your veterinarian feels that an allergy is a likely cause, he or she may propose allergy testing to try and determine the cause of the allergen that is causing the reaction.
However, keep in mind it may not always be possible to determine the cause of an allergy with testing. Food allergies are often diagnosed using an elimination diet. A food trial consists of feeding a dog a novel i. Flea allergy dermatitis is typically the easiest allergy to diagnose. The best way to treat an allergy is avoidance of the cause and allergen. This may or may not always be possible. For example, the best way to treat flea allergy dermatitis is to kill the fleas, whereas the best way to treat a food allergy or food intolerance is a change in diet.
In addition to any lifestyle changes that might be necessary, your veterinarian may also prescribe an allergy relief medication for your dog that will help control the signs associated with the allergic reaction, such as itching and any secondary skin infections that might have developed as a result of the irritant. If your dog has a severe allergic reaction, your best course of action is to get him to an emergency veterinary hospital as quickly as possible.
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