Allergy | Causes, diagnosis, treatment

Skin allergy, manifested as allergic dermatitis may affect dogs of all breeds and ages. It appears as a reaction of the immune system to external factors, called allergens, which are perceived as enemies, therefore the body’s protection system is trying to destroy them. In fact, those substances such as pollens from weeds, birch trees, pampass grass, foods, dust, mold, or mites are harmless, but there’s no way you can communicate that to your immune system.

In humans, allergies are mediated by IgE antibodies, but there’s no evidence that this is the same mechanism that triggers allergy in dogs, cats or other animals. Anyway, in the process of defending itself from the enemy allergens, the body develops unusual and sometimes violent reactions, one of them being the atopic dermatitis, manifested as eczema, hives, rashes, crusts, vesicles, shedding in irregular patterns, scaly areas, increased skin pigmentation or severe itching.

The causes of dogs skin allergy can be multiple. Start by suspecting a flea allergy. It is the easiest to eliminate, as a simple anti-flea treatment would also free your dog from the allergy symptoms. When you are sure your dog is flea-free, you can think of other causes for allergy such as:

• Allergy to parasites such as intestinal worms, mites or ticks. There is efficient medication against these parasites, so a simple visit to the vet would help you eliminate this cause.
• Food allergies: a dog can develop allergic reactions to proteins in foods. These are usually diagnosed by elimination diets. You need to take your dog to the vet, because you cannot do it properly at home, therefore the specialist advice is necessary.
• Contact allergies: it is possible that your dog is allergic to some household detergents you are using, especially to the floor cleaner solutions or floor and furniture polish.
• Bacterial allergies: we all have bacteria living on our skin, and usually there are no problems, it’s just a symbiotic relation. Dogs also have bacteria living on their body. Sometimes, they may develop allergies to the excretions of these bacteria, thus manifesting allergy symptoms, usually skin allergies. You can try an antibacterial shampoo for dogs, to see if the symptoms cease.
• Drug allergy: if you’ve recently given medication to your dog and you’ve noticed allergy signs immediately after the treatment started, you may suspect a drug allergy. Stop the treatment and go to the vet who prescribed it. He will know what to do, and perhaps he’ll give you an alternative drug to treat your dog’s condition without endangering his health.

Skin allergy in dogs is usually easy to notice, because of its obvious manifestations. If you see such behavior in your dogs, don’t wait until it’s too late, go to the vet and see if he can give you some skin treatment as quickly as possible. Allergies accentuate with repeated exposures to allergens, so you may end up with severe health problems in your dog.

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