Miss Daisy
Canine Reporter

As a dog, I have had my share of allergies that were very uncomfortable with itching and scratching. I have chewed my skin raw with no hair left on my tail and became exceedingly irritable.

Other symptoms include anal itching, shaking of my head, ear inflammations, licking front paws, rubbing faces on carpeting and rarely vomiting, diarrhea, flatulence, sneezing, asthma like symptoms, behavioral changes or seizures.

I can feel your pain.

Below is information that can help your owners give us relief.

The most common is itching of the skin, either localized (one area) or generalized (all over your dog).  A normal dog experiences only minor irritation in response to flea bites, often without any itching.  However, just one bite may cause such intense itching that the dog may severely scratch or chew himself, leading to the removal of large amounts of hair.  ”

Your dog’s reaction, however, usually produces severe, generalized itching.  This is a non-specific approach, which does not treat the allergy, only the complications of the allergic state (itching).  In addition to removing surface antigens, bathing alone will provide some temporary relief from itching.

For most dogs, a realistic goal is for the itching to be significantly reduced in severity; in some dogs, itching may completely resolve.  A therapeutic approach is recommended for the middle-aged or older dog that has year round itching caused by inhalant allergy.

The main symptoms of food allergies in dogs include facial itching, chronic hot spots, limb chewing, belly itching, recurrent ear infections and dry, itchy skin.  These problems may range in poor coat texture or length, to itching and chewing, to hot spots and self-mutilation.  The itching may be most severe on feet, flanks, groin and armpits.

Corticosteroids. These compounds reduce itching by reducing inflammation.  They tend to reduce inflammation that may lead to skin sores but are not as effective in reducing itching. If the signs of atopy occur for less than three months out of the year, oral medications (like cortisone) then may be used to control itching.

Many people don’t suspect food allergies as the cause of their dog’s itching because their pet has been fed the same food all its life and has just recently started having symptoms.  Inhaling animal dander may cause allergic reactions, including sneezing, watery and itching eyes, hives, coughing and constricting of bronchial tubes, making breathing difficult.

Proteins in dog saliva and skin dander are what cause the miserable itching, swelling, and sneezing.  They can be developed due to flea collars, plastic food bowls, pet sweaters, plants, grass or wool bedding and they manifest through swelling, redness, itching and hair loss.

Prednisone is often prescribed for these dogs to get the itching under control while the antibiotic deals with the bacterial infection.  When late fall comes, the itching usually stops and hair begins to grow back.  In fact, the most common cause of itching in the dog is atopy (inhalant allergy).

On the downside, Airedale’s coat should be trimmed by a profession al, as they require their hair to be “plucked” or it will cause unhealthy skin problems, severe irritation, itching and of course, dander.

The itching produced by a ragweed allergy is the same as that produced by oak pollen allergy.  In other words, an individual animal or person can be allergic to many different things with the end result (itching) being the same.

However, if fleas are crawling around on your dog, the itching will increase.  Although getting rid of all of your dog’s fleas will not stop the itching, it will make it much easier to control the itching successfully.  In addition, other food allergies, contact sensitivities, parasitic, and metabolic causes of itching will usually not subside completely until the underlying cause is identified and eliminated or modified.

If your dog is itching and scratching, has excessive shedding, a dull coat, chronic weight loss, bad breath, or joint pain, it is most likely rooted in dog allergies or poor nutrition.

If your dog has an allergy to grass or tree pollen, then the symptoms will show up seasonally, as they do in their human counterparts, and you will most likely see watery eyes, itching of the skin and licking at the paws.

Prevention is better than a cure for dog allergies, and will save time, money and relief for all.

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