From the desk of Sharda Baker.
Hello and welcome everyone!
This is Sharda with another dog allergies newsletter for you.
Today we will be looking at the different types of dog allergies in this newsletter but since this topic is a bit long, I will be chopping it up to 3 different newsletters so that you can slowly digest the information presented.
So for today, let's start with this certain dog allergy.
DOG ALLERGIES - SNIFFING UP DOGGY INHALANT ALLERGIES
INHALANT DOG ALLERGIES
The environment contains allergens which can cause mast cells in the skin and basophils in the blood to release antibodies containing histamines, leukotrienes, and serotonin. These are what cause the dog's allergy symptoms.
CAUSES OF INHALANT ALLERGIES
If your dog inhales grass pollen or ragweed pollen, it can be a reason for allergies in dogs. Your dog will show signs of dust and pollen dog allergies by scratching himself, biting himself, licking his paws, shaking his head and rub his face on the ground when pollen is in the air.
Some of these inhalant allergies are only seasonal. For example, some dogs may deal with grass pollen only in the spring and summer. Whereas, ragweed pollen could be a problem in late summer and early fall.
When pollen grains are in the air and the inhalant allergies occur, the dog will bite and scratch his body, shake his head, lick his paws, shake his head, and rub his face on the carpet or grass for relief.
Inhalant dog allergies can also be caused by household dust, mold spores, and other irritants. In these situations, the inhalant allergy is not seasonal, rather year-around.
PET MEDICATION FOR INHALANT ALLERGIES
You can treat your dog of inhalant allergies by giving him cool baths with shampoos or rinses with the ingredients aloe vera, eucalyptus, or oatmeal. These ingredients are soothing to the dog's skin. His skin will begin to heal as the allergen goes away.
You can also alter your dog's diet by including more dog vitamins such as Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids and there are even dog food for allergies. Read the dog food's packaging labels to ensure these are included.
Giving your dog a healthy diet containing vitamins and minerals will help improve his overall health, including his coat and skin.
In more extreme cases of inhalant allergies, there are pet meds like, antibiotic and drug therapy treatments that can be given. Talk to your vet about what options are best for your dog. Also, be sure to keep your home—and especially the areas of the house where your dog spends most of his time—very clean. Vacuum the floors and furniture frequently and dust everything.
Also make sure that you keep his bedding clean and fresh at all times. Some dog owners treat their pet with pet medications like antihistamines such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl), clemastine (Tavist), or chlorapheniramine (Chlortrimetron). However, don't give these to your dog unless you have spoken with your vet about the proper dosage.
If you proceed with this route, it is important to point out that your dog's allergies may not fully recover from these options. Therefore, you may have to experiment to find the solution that works for him. In extreme cases, when nothing else seems to work, a vet may recommend a pet medication called prednisone (or other type of steroid). This will interfere with the immune system so the dog's body won't consider the allergens as invaders.
Steroids should ONLY be used according to the vet's recommendations.
Excessive use of steroids can cause dog health problems like liver problems for the dog. For older dogs, it can create a form of Cushing's disease. Other side effects of steroids are that it can cause the dog to have an increase in appetite and thirst. This can lead to frequent urination, which can cause more aggression for some dogs.
So always remember to consult your vet first before you try any pet meds or feed dog food for allergies. Dog allergies can be a serious problem for your dogs that can make his life very uncomfortable.
If you signs of this condition please consult your vet right away.
I hope that you learned a lot from today's dog allergies newsletter update.
All the best and take care
Warmly,
