Have you noticed that your dog is scratching, scratching, or biting its own body more frequently than usual? Are these signs more evident since the warmer weather arrived? Do you notice any odd indications that could be related to your dog’s eye or ears? Like humans, dogs can develop allergies to pollen, and they may exhibit symptoms any time of the year. Summer, spring, and autumn are typically the seasons where pollen allergies can cause the most discomfort for pets with allergies.
Take a look at these symptoms of allergy to pollen in dogs. If your dog exhibits any of these signs, take them to your veterinarian and have them examined. Suppose the symptoms do not go away or continue to recur. In that case, you may want to consider visiting an expert in pet skin care to identify and treat your dog’s pollen or other allergies to the environment.
What is an allergen?
Allergies are a situation that causes hypersensitivity or over-reactivity in your immune system, a specific substance known as an allergen. Most allergens are proteins found in insects, plants, or food items.
“With allergies, the immune response can be harmful to the body.”
Inhalation of the allergen, typically over months or years, triggers the immune system. In turn, additional contact with the exact or similar allergen can trigger an overreaction. The immune system typically protects dogs from infections and diseases, but in the case of allergies, this immune system can harm the body. The idea of allergies is a normal immune reaction to a harmless foreign substance.
The immune reactions that are involved in allergies are highly complicated. Most reactions involve allergen protein molecules that can combine with antibodies in the blood and attach to a specific type of cell known as mast cells. Mast cells can be found in various tissues across the human body. When antibodies and antigens interact with the mast cells, mast cells release potent chemical compounds, like histamines, which cause local inflammation, like swelling, redness, and itching. The inflammation can cause many symptoms of an allergic reaction.
What are food allergy symptoms, and how do they treat them?
Food allergies can occur in dogs at any moment without warning, even after you’ve been feeding them the exact product for a long time. Since food allergies are one of the main reasons for allergic dermatitis for dogs, it’s essential to provide your pet with a healthy diet and alter the food you give at intervals to prevent overexposure.
The most frequently cited food allergy causes are eggs and wheat, fish, pork, dairy, and beef. Itchy ears, armpits, paws, and digestive problems often accompany vomiting or diarrhea.
Your veterinarian may suggest testing for food allergies and recommend an elimination or hypoallergenic diet.
Types of Allergies in Dogs
Here are some of the various kinds of allergies dogs might suffer from.
Flea Allergies
A reaction to fleas is among the most prevalent skin condition that is observed in dogs. One or two fleas every week are enough to cause the dog in question to become itchy. The saliva of fleas is believed to be the allergen responsible for the itching.
Seasonal/Environmental Allergies
Sometimes referred to as Atopy, environmental or seasonal allergies can be caused by chemicals in your backyard, home, or wherever your dog is.
The allergens can be inhaled like pollen and absorbed by pores when your pet licks them. The most common triggers (allergens) for allergic reactions are pollen, animal or plant fibers, dust mites, and mold spores.
Food Allergies
They are also referred to as adverse food reactions to food. Dogs can develop an allergic reaction to a specific food at any time during their lives, regardless of whether or not they’ve consumed these brands or other types of food in the past.
Food Allergy Treatment
If your dog is allergic to food, medicines like steroids and Apoquel can offer some relief to your pet; however, the most critical aspect is to stay away from harmful ingredients. Make sure you check the ingredients of your treats as well! If you follow the proper diet, your dog will not have any allergy-related symptoms. Probiotics and supplements with fatty acids could also prove beneficial.
There isn’t a single “best” dog food for allergies. However, dogs who are allergic to a wide range of substances may need the use of a hydrolyzed diet. These diets, which usually require the prescription of your veterinarian, will break down the proteins into small pieces so that your dog’s immune system doesn’t be able to recognize them as threats.
Dog Allergy Testing
The first step in determining the reason behind your dog’s symptoms is to conduct a thorough examination by your vet. Alongside searching for skin parasites that are external to your dogs, such as mites and fleas, Your veterinarian may want to perform some diagnostics to determine the kind of infection is present.
After identifying and treating external parasites and infections, your doctor may examine the possibility of testing for allergies. Once your veterinarian believes that allergies are the root cause of skin irritation/infections and discomfort, they may recommend testing for specific allergens. You can look for numerous things when determining the cause of your dog’s allergies. Creating allergies for your pet. The most common dog allergens are in the following categories:
Contact allergy can be caused by various types of grass and plant species, dust molds, and mites
Many dogs are very allergic to bites from fleas
Food allergies can include different kinds of proteins
The inhalant allergic (Atopy) Allergens that are inhaled
Are there any holistic solutions to treat dog allergies?
In addition to bathing treatments and bathing therapies, other things like bathing treatments and Omega-3 Fatty Acids that I have in my head would be on the holistic aspect of the spectrum. It is not recommended to apply essential oils or other things similar to them directly to your pet as they can irritate their skin. If you discover something you might like to try, the best thing you can do is to contact your veterinarian. The worst-case scenario is that you might discover something in the bottle that says, “I’m not totally comfortable with this product, but maybe let’s try this one.”
Preventing and treating allergies in your pet
Once we’ve established what your pet is allergic to, it’s essential to stay clear of those substances whenever possible. Dust is one of the allergens that are more difficult to avoid than others. However, there are methods to reduce your pet’s exposure.
Some pets suffering from environmental allergies could benefit from bathing twice a week. A frequent bathing routine could cause your pet’s skin to lose its natural oils. It is important to consult us on shampoos that help nourish your dog’s skin.