Common dog allergies and their treatments
You will find that dogs suffer from different kinds of allergies, like food allergies, skin allergies and even allergies from environmental allergens. What is more challenging when it comes to dog allergy is that symptoms are of various types, and they often overlap. Herein, we discuss the various allergies that dogs suffer from and the appropriate natural treatment options.
Types of dog allergies
Dog allergies can be of various types, prime among them are
- Skin allergy
It is a common type of dog allergy wherein the allergen is a flea bite or food substance. Insect bite allergy can be an exaggerated response to stings or bites of specific insects such as spiders, ticks, fleas, deer flies, blackflies, horseflies, ants, bees, mosquitoes, wasps, and bees. Flea saliva is unarguably the most common allergen that triggers flea allergy dermatitis. - Inhalant allergy
The main inhalant allergens include tree pollen, grass pollen, molds, house dust mites, mildew, and weed pollens. Symptoms may include bronchitis in dogs but it usually manifests as itchy skin, the condition is known as inhalant allergic dermatitis. While symptoms can be controlled, a permanent cure is not possible. You can conduct skin tests to identify the allergens and try to protect your pet from getting exposed. But since most allergens are environmental, the allergy is likely to come back. Bathing your dog with hypoallergenic shampoo may soothe the itchy and inflamed skin. Bathing will also rinse out allergens on its coat. - Food allergy
This can occur as a reaction to any protein or carb in their food, more often in response to dairy foods, wheat gluten, beef, chicken eggs, lamb, chicken, and soy. This type of allergy will not respond well to medical treatment or corticosteroids. You must identify the responsible allergen and eliminate it. You can use an elimination diet that has to be continued for 8-12 weeks to eliminate all possible culprits. You can’t give your dog treats, table food or flavored vitamins during this period of testing. - Contact allergy
This is most rare for dogs and this type of dog allergy is the result of contact to allergens directly. Examples include pesticides in gardens, synthetics in carpets or pyrethrins in flea collars. The symptoms are itching at the point of contact, especially stomach and feet. You have to remove the allergen to solve the problem from recurring.
Natural treatments
A food allergy can be avoided by making changes to your dog’s diet while a flea allergy can be tackled by killing the fleas. Besides, your vet may prescribe medications to soothe symptoms. Quercetin is a flavonoid that adds color to vegetables and fruits and has antioxidant properties. Bromelain and papain break down proteins and increase quercetin absorption. Besides these, you can give oat baths to your dog, unless he or she has a yeast infection. This helps to reduce itching and removes allergens on its coat. Aloe vera contains anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal properties, which makes it excellent for treating dog itches and burns. Thyme also has flavonoids and antioxidant properties for treating skin infections between your dog’s toes. Chickweed gel is great for treating hot spots and itches because it has anti-inflammatory properties. Apple cider vinegar may be used to rinse your pet’s paws to get rid of allergens and pollen which tend to gather here. This also helps in fighting rashes and itches triggered by yeast infection. Finally, coconut oil has lauric acid and reduces yeats production, promoting healthy skin.
