Allergies occur when an animal responds abnormally (literally over-reacts) to some everyday substance, called an allergen, like pollen, mold, grass, animal hair, feathers, house dust or fleas and other insects. These substances cause an allergic reaction when inhaled, swallowed, or contact the skin. Certain food items can also cause allergic reactions.

YES! Any pet can develop allergies. An overwhelming 30% of all skin irritations in the dogs are caused by allergic reactions. The clinical signs of allergies may be seasonal and often correspond to the rise and fall in the levels of tree and grass pollens or heightened periods of mold activity, particularly, in the moist or warm climates. Food or insect allergies are usually non-seasonal.

The underlying biological reactions to allergies are the same in humans and pets. The outward signs, however, are different. Allergic humans suffer from nasal and sinus congestion, sneezing, coughing, wheezing, headaches, runny eyes and occasionally skin rashes with itching. Although dogs can show similar symptoms, it is much more common to find skin problems with intense itching. Reactions to food allergens may also cause itching or vomiting and diarrhea.

Signs of allergies begin with redness and itching of the face, feet, ears and rump areas. As the disease progresses the itching can involve most or all of the body. Self-mutilation can lead to bacterial skin infections, accompanied by hair loss, foul odors and other changes of the skin. Remember, not all of the signs described can always be attributed exclusively to allergies. For this reason, it is important that your pet's skin problems be accurately diagnosed.

The best form of treatment would be to keep the pet away from the particular allergen, but in most cases, this is difficult, if not impossible. Combinations of prescription drugs, supplements, shampoos and diets do quite well at controlling most symptoms, especially for seasonal problems.

Hyposensitization to the offending allergen(s) after extensive testing to determine what your pet is allergic to is another form of treatment. Injections are prepared containing specific amounts of offending allergen(s) to be administered on a regular basis. This allows the animal to build up a tolerance to the allergen(s).

A newer form of therapy involves using a drug called Atopica, an immune modulator that helps your pet’s body not over-react when it encounters an offending allergen. Success and safety of this drug is proving to be very good.

Pets with non-seasonal allergies may be allergic to basic food ingredients. Most every commercial food contains some of the same ingredients that can cause allergies. New and specialized foods are now readily available to help both diagnose and treat these kinds of problems. These include IVD Limited Ingredient Diets, z/d by Hills, and several others.

REMEMBER: Your pet is unique, and the type of medication, proper doses, and frequency of giving the medication may change or vary over time. Regular exams, testing and careful monitoring at home is essential for long-term success.