20% of Dogs Suffer from a Dog Allergy: Could Yours be One?

Think your pet could have a dog allergy?

Is he losing fur and scratching nonstop? You may be right.

Scratching and Hair Loss are only
Two Allergy Symptoms

Do any of these describe your dog?

There can be a lot of different symptoms for a dog allergy.

Some readers have told me their dogs even break out in hives when they eat certain foods.

If you have a suspicion that your dog is sick,you're probably right.

In fact, In fact, Veterinarian Dr. Andrew Jones says dog allergies are one of the most common reasons he sees pets.

Obviously, your vet can run some tests for you.

But there's a lot you can do yourself and maybe you won't even have to submit your dog to those scary (and expensive tests!).

Let's look at the symptoms again.

7 Symptoms of a Dog Allergy

•heavy shedding, or shedding in just specific areas
•dry, itchy skin
•ear infections or stinky, smelly ears
•chronic hot spots
•chewing on self to the point of self mutilation
•poor coat
•stomach upset
•paw chewing

Now these are pretty generic symptoms. They could mean a dog allergy or they could mean nothing. Even the vets have a hard time telling the difference.

It's really up to you to pay attention and make some changes. But don't worry, you can do it :)

You know your dog better than anyone so you know if your dog is showing unusual behaviors or not.

STEP 1:

Track your dog's behavior by taking detailed notes. Are there particular times he seems especially uncomfortable? Right after a walk? Right after mealtimes? Make a note.

Write down anything that seems to bring on the symptoms--food that's eaten, change in environment--everything you can think of.

STEP 2: Date them.

Then, you'll have solid info for the vet.

It's not only food allergies that can bother Lucy. Though vets say that's about 15% of dogs but growing.

Let's take a closer look at all 5 of the potential allergens.

The 5 Types of Dog Allergies

Food Allergy

Some common food culprits for dog food allergies are
•corn
•wheat
•soy
•dairy
•beef, lamb or other meats

Corn and Wheat are often, but not always, the culprits in a food allergy.

Your pet can also be allergic to the beef, chicken or other protein source.

But corn and wheat allergies are showing up as common allergens the same way they're showing up for people. They're cheap fillers in pet food and a build up of them in your pet's body can cause an allergic reaction.

It's the same if you develop a wheat allergy or some other food allergy.

Check the label on your pet's food. Read about Dog Food Manufacturers and the Big Lie.

If corn or wheat is listed as one of the first ingredients in the list, that means they are primary ingredients.

Change the food and go for one with a high quality meat source as a primary ingredient. Look for one without corn or wheat and feed it for two-three weeks and see if your pet improves.

Don't forget to leave out all treats with these grains too!

Take Notes! If you change food, list the dates you started feeding the new food, ingredients, brand names and if you noticed any changes in your pet's behavior or appearance.

Tracking down a dog allergy will take some work. But it's worth it for your best friend's health.

If your dog has a food allergy, once you isolate the cause you'll be amazed at the difference in your pet!

On the other hand, if you change food a couple of times (include a grain free food) and your pet is still scratching her leg off or having tummy issues, you may not have a food allergy on your hands.

Flea Allergy

Who woulda thought? One of the most common dog allergies is to fleas?

Hmm...Actually, the dog isn’t allergic to the fleas, he’s allergic to the flea’s saliva.

Symptoms can be similar to food allergies, they include itching, redness and swelling.

But it’s the dog scratching himself that is likely to cause the hair loss and scratches to the skin rather than the allergy itself.

Hot spots can also form, these are red, round sores where the fur has fallen out and your dog is chewing nonstop.

There is a skin allergy test your vet can do that can test your dog (or cat) for a flea allergy.

If Fido has a flea allergy, he and his home will have to be treated de-flea’ed. Easier said than done.

Anyone who has ever had to deal with fleas knows the challenge of thoroughly cleaning everything over and over. Including your pet.

You'll need to wash everything possible in very hot water and take to using a flea comb daily on your dog. Here are some natural flea prevention strategies.

Bacterial Allergy

Dogs have varying species of Staphylococcus (Staph) bacteria on them normally. Usually, this doesn’t cause a problem for the dog but occasionally, some will develop an allergy to it.

The symptom is hair loss and you'll see patterns that look like ringworm on their skin. This is a dog allergy that needs to be treated with antibiotics. It's an infection.

Contact Allergy

Just like it sounds, this is a dog allergy that is caused by something touching the skin.

Anything that touches your dog's skin can be the culprit. Collars or bedding, topical medicines, or anything else that touches your dog regularly can be cause. I've heard of dogs allergic to wool (their bedding) and cotton (more bedding).

You might see this as reddened, itchy skin on your dog. Small, pus-filled welts are not uncommon.

Like the food allergies, you may have to experiment a bit to isolate the problem. If you dog has his own bed you might try covering it with a towel (duct tape it on the bottom so it actually stays covering the dog bed).

Take off her collar when you can, don't apply any medication to her skin. Try this for two-three weeks and observe.

See what happens. Take notes so you'll have something to share with the vet.

Inhalant

Your dog is breathing something that is making him sick.

It could be dust or mold or something else. This is harder to figure out but if you've tested for the other allergies and your pup is still having problems, you can work with your vet to determine the cause to this one.

Your Dog Doesn't Have to Suffer.

Most dogs exhibit allergic symptoms if at all, when they’re young (up to four) so if your pup is older and you haven’t seen any symptoms, hopefully they’ve been spared this discomfort.

If you think your dog has a dog allergy, the hard part is diagnosing it. Observing, taking notes and going to your vet well informed is the best thing you can do. And, sometimes, a complete diet change "cures" the problem all on its own!

Once the diagnosis is made you can help your pet have a happier, allergy-free life!

If you want to know more about preventing a dog allergy, please sign up for Dr. Jones fr*ee ebook about vaccines. Veterinarians are starting to believe these could be contributing factors.

Good luck!

P.S. Please remember, this website is not meant to provide a diagnosis to your pet but merely to provide some general information. Jennifer Phillips April is not a veterinarian or other medical professional. Please see your medical professional for a professional opinion.