Food Allergies in Dogs

It has only recently been discovered that canines, in a similar manner to us, can experience allergies to a certain food or foods from a certain food class. Food allergies in dogs are among the five most often found types of canine allergies, and though the dog is usually born with the illness, food allergies in canines may occur anytime during the remainder of their life.

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The Symptoms and Causes of Food Allergies in Dogs

Dogs will occasionally suffer reactions to the diverse forms of foods they feed upon. Quite often, they just have indigestion that can effectuate diarrhea and vomiting. A food allergy is not the same as that though, rather than simply bringing about a stomach ache, it will incite scratching in canines in addition to the previously cited warning signs of food allergies: vomiting, swelling and diarrhea in dogs. A dog's itching may bring about peeling skin, eczema, hot spots and possibly loss of hair. In a few dogs, additional indications of food allergies might involve a drop in weight, hyperactivity and quite possibly anger.

In a canine with food allergies, the immune system overreacts to a specific element that it usually accepts inciting an allergic response. Food allergies in dogs are typically brought on by proteins found in dairy foods, wheat and sugars after being fed scraps from the table. Although proteins are the most likely cause of a dog's food allergy, any kind of food or food ingredient can incite an allergic reaction.

How to Identify Food Allergies in Dogs

Only a few years ago, an elimination diet was the sole means available to figure out whether or not a dog was inflicted with a food allergy. The animal would be fed a diet of hypoallergenic dog food that didn't contain the same substances found in the preceding diet for roughly 2 or 3 months. Nowadays, diagnosis can be completed by a veterinarian utilizing a simple food allergy test that involves laboratory work done on a sample of blood extracted from the dog.

Remedies for Food Allergies in Dogs

The lone cure is by avoiding the food or food component that is causing the food allergy. The suggested kind of food for canines coping with an allergy to food is hypoallergenic dog food that is made up of all-natural ingredients. This type of dog food can be served to your pet for the remainder of his life with no fear of the canine's food allergy reappearing.

Due to the canine's itching, you will probably need to treat skin conditions as well. A vet will generally propose getting skin lotion and antihistamines. Since the use of antihistamines for canine allergies can cause negative side effects, a holistic cure for food allergies in dogs is preferable. There are numerous herbal and homeopathic treatments being sold that have been evidenced by canine owners to provide great results.

Post Resources

• The Symptoms of Food Allergies in Canines and Forms of Treatment
• The Warning Signs of Food Allergy in Dogs and Methods of Treating It
• The Warning Signs of Food Allergies in Dogs and Treatment Options
• The Symptoms Of A Food Allergy In Dogs And Ways To Treat It
• The Signs Of Food Allergies In Dogs And Ways Of Treating It

Dog Itching

The actual health-related terminology often mentioned by vets for extreme dog itching is pruritus. Itching in dogs generally isn't cause for alarm, however, if it gets to be extreme it may perhaps be a sign pointing to a far more severe condition. There are several diverse skin problems in dogs that can perhaps be the reason for the scratching and itching. If a canine's itchy skin is contributing to the occurrence of additional skin issues such as soreness and reddening of the skin, skin abrasions and hair loss, or you observe the dog chewing at his or her paws, then the canine should be taken to a veterinary clinic for an examination for these are all signs of a more severe skin condition. If it isn't treated, the animal's scratching could lead to infections. Even though any breed of dog may develop pruritus, Westies, Poodles, Cocker Spaniels and Golden Retrievers appear to have a greater frequency of occurrences than most other breeds of canine.

The Reasons Behind Dog Itching

Itchy skin in canines takes place as a result of a chemical response that takes place at or just below the surface of the skin. In the event it is extreme, it's typically a clue that the canine is coping with at least one of several skin problems of a more significant nature.

Intense dog itching could be an indication of these skin problems in dogs:

• Flea allergies are the most popular cause of dog allergies. As a flea bites your pet, it drops a minute amount of saliva beneath the skin which causes a chemical reaction that causes scratching and itching in dogs.
• Seasonal allergy is also a typical cause of itching in canines. These allergies are like asthma and hay fever in humans. As the canine breathes in allergens like dust, pollen and molds, it brings about an allergic reaction from the animal's immune system. This form of allergy can also lead to respiratory troubles as well as triggering a canine's itching and scratching.
• Another kind of allergy that is less common but is a source of scratching and itching in canines is a food allergy. A food allergy is triggered by the animal consuming food or a food ingredient that it's allergic to.
• We can also add dog mange to our list of skin conditions in dogs that can cause itching. Scabies, medically known as sarcoptic mange, is triggered by a mite digging directly under the surface of the skin. The mite feeds on materials at or beneath the canine's skin producing uncontrollable and ceaseless itching.
• Bacteria and yeast infections might also be causing a dog's itching and scratching problems. Infections are normally brought on by lesions and cuts which are not adequately taken care of. Ear mites often bring about this form of skin problem in dogs.

Diagnosing Skin Problems in Dogs

Figuring out why a dog is scratching has typically turned out to be very difficult for a lot of dog owners and veterinarians. To diagnose the cause of the difficulty, several examinations and treatments might possibly need to be performed meaning the diagnosis might take anywhere from a couple of weeks to a number of months. Based mostly upon the canine's symptoms and medical history, a vet will run a number of laboratory exams which typically include drawing samples of blood, skin scrapings, taking culture samples and performing a biopsy of the skin.

How to Treat Dog Itching

Even if the rudimentary source of an animal's itchy skin is still not known, there are remedies offered to restore the dog's skin and put an end to the itchiness. A vet might possibly propose the use of antihistamines, shampoos, skin creams or possibly even immunotherapy in less serious instances. In the more severe circumstances, he may possibly advocate treatment utilizing steroids. Steroids are known to cause undesirable side effects like urinary incontinence, excessive panting and dehydration, and sustained use may perhaps bring about the development of Cushing's disease or diabetes, so if you do decide to try them, heed extreme care. Most canines may well need constant help for their skin problem.

All-natural Dog Itching Remedies

A lof of small animal clinics are currently recommending natural itching dog remedies as a safe and soothing type of therapy. It's an alternative to using corticosteroids and other sorts of medicines that might cause adverse side effects. You can choose from a number of safe and successful holistic canine skin treatments that offer patients some needed relief by revitalizing the dog's coat as well as purging and treating the dog's skin.

Post Resources

• Diagnosing Itching And Scratching In Canines And Locating Remedies
• The Potential Causes Of Itching And Scratching In Dogs And Ways Of Treating It
• The Possible Causes Of Scratching In Dogs And How To Treat It
• The Reasons For Itchiness In Dogs And How To Treat It
• The Causes Of Scratching And Itching In Dogs And Locating Treatments

Flea Dermatitis in Dogs

Flea allergy, otherwise called flea dermatitis in dogs, is the most popular sort of allergy seen in canines and is caused by the bite of a flea. It is the leading reason for itching in dogs, and it just takes the bite of a single flea to induce an allergic reaction on the dog's skin. Flea allergies in dogs may leave the animal scratching for anywhere between a couple of hours to a number of days and could take as long as 3 days to a week to surface after the first flea bite.

The Causes of Flea Dermatitis in Dogs

Fleas are only observed on a dog when they feed. Just like a mosquito, fleas will bite your pet and draw in blood for nourishment. When fleas do this, they inject a wee amount of saliva under the animal's skin which could be comprised of roughly 15 different allergy causing substances. If the canine is sensitive to any one of the allergens that have been injected by the flea, it will cause an allergic response which causes the dog scratching and itching. About 50% of all dogs will come down with flea allergies, and even though it is more often found in older dogs, puppies could likewise become afflicted with flea dermatitis.

Diagnosing Flea Dermatitis in Dogs and Recognizing Its Signs

Dog owners generally do not realize that their dog has fleas because of their relatively tiny size and considering how hard fleas can be to control. Making the task of diagnosing flea allergies a lot more difficult is the fact that it merely takes one individual flea to induce a flea allergy and signs might not be seen for nearly a week later than when the bite of the flea occurred. It doesn't take an infestation of fleas to bring about flea allergies in your pet. Signs of flea bites in dogs frequently include continuous scratching and itching or biting of the coat and skin, inflaming of the skin, rashes, and reddening of the skin. As a consequence of the continual scratching, hair loss across the animal's posterior, primarily in the region from the middle section along the backbone to the start of the tail and in their hind legs region, is also a pretty sound indication of dermatitis. A veterinarian can also detect flea allergies employing modern blood and skin tests to look for specific allergy causing substances and to eliminate other possibilities including fungal, yeast and bacterial infections.

Flea Treatment Starts With a Sound Flea Control Program

The initial step to any successful sort of flea treatment involves getting rid of dog fleas both on your pet and in his local environment. Even with a perfect flea extermination program established, it is not unusual for canine's to still experience an occasional bite from a flea. Dogs that spend a lot of time outside could be a harder challenge.

Steroids and Desensitization as Flea Dermatitis Treatments

A veterinarian might advise using desensitization as a technique of canine flea dermatitis treatment. It necessitates giving the dog a shot with limited measures of flea antigen over a certain period of time, maybe for the remainder of the dog's lifetime. This method of treatment is generally a success in about half of the cases, and might become really expensive over the long term. Antihistamines and traditional medication, such as corticosteroids, are also usually used by the vet to alleviate flea dermatitis. These drugs can often provide relief for flea allergies; but, it's been proven that there are significant side effects associated with taking corticosteroids. In the end, this variety of treatment may be more harmful than beneficial.

Holistic Relief for Flea Dermatitis in Dogs

Attributable to the side effects associated with the use of steroids, an increasing number of dog owners are turning to natural remedies for flea allergies in dogs. There are many all natural ingredients utilized in these holistic remedies that are not only safe for your pet, but effective. German Chamomile has been utilized to soothe and cleanse the skin for many centuries. A few other herbs have also been proven to contribute to enhancing total skin health and contribute restoration and soothing qualities to the skin, and include Witchhazel, Cleavers and Marigold.

Post Resources

• Warning Signs and Help for Treating Flea Bite Allergies in Canines
• Warning Signs and Treatment Options For Flea Allergies in Dogs
• Signs and Effective Methods to Avoid Flea Bite Allergies in Dogs
• Clinical Symptoms and Effective Methods to Stop Flea Allergies in Dogs
• Signs and Information for Treating Flea Bite Dermatitis in Dogs