Understanding Allergies in Dogs
Can dogs have allergies like we do?
They can, and they can be allergic to the same things that we can be.
What kind of allergies can dogs suffer from?
Dogs can suffer from environmental allergies, which is called atopy. They also can be allergic to their food, to fleas, and sometimes contact allergies to things they touch.
What steps will a veterinarian take to diagnose a dog with allergies?
Most of it we can determine by history, meaning what you're telling us as far as when their symptoms started, what they're doing, and the age that they are. There are also several tests that we can do to see what they are allergic to.
What aspects of my dog's health can be affected by allergies?
Mostly with dogs and the allergies that we're talking about today, it is skin and ears. They can also have some itchy, runny eyes, itchy throats, and some GI issues, but mostly today we'll talk about the skin and ear symptoms from allergies.
Can allergies in dogs cause behavioral changes?
They can if they're itchy enough that it's affecting their stress level. Sometimes they can be just like we could be a little bit ornery if they are super itchy and uncomfortable.
What are some common dog allergy triggers?
Seasonal changes, or at least here in North Carolina when everything's bathed yellow with pollen, are typical triggers for our patients with environmental allergies or atopy. Things like blooming trees, grasses, and flowers are usual triggers for environmental allergies.
How can I tell what the source of my dog's allergy is?
If we're talking about environmental allergies, the best way to do that would be for us to refer you to a dermatologist. We do have a dermatology clinic here in Charlotte. They will do the same test they do with people, where they do an intradermal allergy test. They'll shave their side and do what's called the wheel and flare test, where they inject tiny bits of different allergens to assess the dog's response. There's also a blood or serum test that we can do, which we have available here, and that will help us determine if they have an immune response to different environmental allergies as well. We can also determine if a dog has a food allergy by doing an elimination diet trial. None of the allergy tests, the blood or intradermal, will work well to identify a food allergy. So still, the best way is to do an elimination diet where for about 10 to 12 weeks we feed them a strictly hypoallergenic diet, either one that we prescribe to you or homemade that we help you formulate, and see if their symptoms clear up after that.
Do I need to see a veterinarian if my dog has allergies?
Yes. Usually, you will be prompted to bring them in because they seem super uncomfortable or they're keeping you up at night, chewing their feet, scooting, doing any of the things that itchy dogs will do. But yes, absolutely. If they seem itchy or uncomfortable, or their ears are painful, anything like that, I would recommend a visit so we can give them something.
Are seasonal allergies common in dogs?
Seasonal allergies are the most common allergy. Usually, about 70 to 80% of dogs with allergies are going to have environmental ones, and that's typically to things like trees, weeds, grasses, cats, molds, different dust, storage mites, and things like that.
What is immunotherapy and can it help with my dog's allergies?
Immunotherapy is when we go back to the intradermal allergy test or the blood test to see what environmental allergens your pet is allergic to. Immunotherapy is what we think of as allergy shots. You're basically making a vaccine of sorts to give them to train their immune system to not overreact to the things that they're allergic to.
What should I do if my dog has an allergic reaction?
If your dog is having an allergic reaction of any sort, I would just recommend bringing them to us. If it's in the evening or over a weekend, contact an emergency veterinarian. But anytime you're concerned that it's an allergic reaction, definitely let us know.
For any questions whatsoever about allergies, please feel free to reach out to us at Central Providence Veterinary Hospital at (704) 318-2228, or you can email us at [email protected]. Our staff would love to talk with you!