What Are Those Dog Allergy Symptoms Trying To Tell You?

Allergies don’t just affect people, dog allergies are more common than you might think and can severely impact on the health of your dog. Dogs may be allergic to food, fleas, airborne pollutants as well as their own fur. Finding out what is causing the allergy is better than simply giving medication, which may have side effects. This may not be easy however, especially if your dog has multiple allergies.

Dog allergy symptoms include wheezing, coughing, sneezing, vomiting, a patchy coat, runny eyes or nose and tiredness or lethargy. How do we determine what is causing your particular dog’s allergy? And, more importantly, how do we det rid of it?

One of the main causes of allergies in dogs is fleas. Fortunately this is easy to control. There are several good products on the market to eliminate fleas on dogs. Make sure you buy one and use it according to the manufacturers recommendation.

Food allergies are another very common occurrence. Dogs may become allergic to chemicals in dog food or to the actual ingredients themselves. Foods that most commonly trigger allergies are corn, fish, eggs, wheat, beef or chicken. Of all these corn is probably the worst and unfortunately is very common in cheaper brands of dog food. Hypoallergenic dog food is available which omits most of the common allergens or you may choose to talk to your vet to see what he recommends.

Environmental allergies – your dog may even be allergic to his own coat, especially if he has thick or long hairs. When your dog cleans himself his swallows a lot of hair and this can make the situation worse. Giving your dog a good wash every couple of weeks will remove excess hair and dander. Grooming him with a stiff brush once a day helps too.

Your dog may even be allergic to the chemicals used to clean your home. Use natural cleaning products or those without bleach or other harsh chemicals. Another cause of allergens in the home may be mold. This can be tested for and eliminated which will improve the health of your whole family.

A natural way of providing fast relief from dog allergy symptoms such as itchy or flaky skin is to bathe your dog in water that has oatmeal dissolved in it. Dog shampoos that contain tea-tree, aloe vera or eucalyptus will soothe the skin and will temporarily relieve irritation.

Mixing some omega 3 fish oil in with your dog’s food can dramatically improve skin conditions in some dogs. Evening primrose oil can have the same effect.

For severe allergies, anti-histamines can provide immediate relief. However there may be side effects such as lethargy.

If your dog has allergy symptoms, it means that something in his environment is upsetting him. Finding the cause of the allergy is the hard part, but taking care of an allergic dog is relatively easy once you have identified the problem. Always ask your vet for advice if you do not know where to start.