As we already know the dog is man’s best friend, therefore, it is not surprising that dog owners care so much about their dear friends. We already know that in many ways dogs are like people, they get sick, they feel, they get depressed, they get excited, they need to exercise, and of course they can also suffer from allergies.
Yes, dogs can also have allergies, and we must know this and take it into account in order to give them all the care they deserve. Think that if you have an allergy (and if you don’t have it, it’s similar to feeling upset like having a cold), your dog also feels bad.
If you are wondering how to know if my dog has allergies, then I recommend that you continue reading this article where we are going to show you everything you need to know about it and be able to take care of your friend as best as possible.
What types of allergies do dogs suffer from?
The first thing we need to know is the types of allergies that dogs can suffer from, and this will depend on the things that cause allergies. In principle, these allergies can be grouped into four different types.
On the one hand, we find allergies that are caused by having inhaled it from the environment in which it is found or has been found. This is the case of allergies caused by pollen, some chemical product, or even dust, among others.
Food is another big group of allergies in dogs. Your dog may be allergic to a specific component of the food or instead to a specific type of food. In this case, you should not forget about the foods that are considered toxic for dogs, among which we highlight chocolate, pork fat and sugar in general.
Dogs can also suffer from tactile allergies, that is, the allergy is caused by touching something in particular. For example, when coming into contact with insects, plants, reactions to certain shampoos, or even certain chemicals, among other causes.
Finally, we must point out an allergy typical of dogs, which is that dogs can be allergic to licking fleas. Yes, if the dog is allergic to this type and has fleas, then licking them will cause an allergic reaction.
What symptoms can allergies present in my dog?
In this case we are going to differentiate the symptoms according to the type of allergy that the animal presents. In the event that our dog is allergic to something that it inhales around its environment, the symptoms may consist of our dog feeling irritation and itching in the eyes, ears, legs, and especially in the snout. You will see how it hits its paws trying to get rid of the itching, as if we were scratching ourselves when something itches.
On the other hand we find the symptoms of food allergies; in this case it may happen that our dog has vomiting and diarrhea or even rashes.
The symptoms of allergy to fleas can cause itching, rashes, irritation and redness of the skin of our dog. In this case, it is very necessary that you constantly brush your dog and notice any anomaly when petting it.
Other types of symptoms that may indicate an allergy problem in our dog are: sneezing, sores, redness of the skin, inflamed eyes, eyes with rashes, inflammation or the appearance of lumps on the body of our dog, skin rashes, loss of weight loss, loss of appetite, discouragement, excessive hair loss, constant tears in the eyes, etc.
What to do if my dog has allergies:
First of all, once you detect one or more of the above symptoms or some others not included in the previous list, you should go to your trusted veterinarian, as he will be the only one who can ensure what is really happening to your partner doggy. Once the vet detects what is happening to your dog and examines it completely, he will be able to determine the most appropriate treatment for what is happening to your faithful companion.
You must keep in mind that in the case of dogs it has not yet been possible to demonstrate that home remedies work, so do not try to cure your dog on your own and get the really effective treatment for your dog, for this you will take into account the symptoms, the diagnosis, the weight of your dog, as well as the level of severity that the allergy has reached.
If the allergy is not treated as soon as possible by an expert on the subject, it can get worse in a very short time, and any allergy that is really serious could even lead to death.
How do I know if my dog has allergies?
Now we are going to give you some tips so that you can look at the symptoms and also find out what may be causing it.
First you should know that there are some allergy tests that are performed by analyzing a blood sample from our dog. You must bear in mind that these tests usually contemplate some of the most frequent elements, but do not include all the options, as for example in the case of food allergy analysis. In addition, without a clue to the possible allergy, it will be much more complicated than this test of positive results.
Food allergies are the most frequent there are, since there are more and more dogs that cannot tolerate some components found in typical dog food.
To find out if our dog is really allergic to food, what you have to do is feed him only and exclusively hypoallergenic feed for two months. These feeds are grain-free, and if you use them as the only source of protein and food for your dog, you can find out if your dog is better and stops having vomiting and diarrhea or eczema. Think that quality hypoallergenic feeds are a little more expensive, but they are worth much more than the cheapest ones.
In case your dog is allergic to a plant or some natural element, it will be easy to recognize, since if your dog has itching, discomfort or other symptoms after playing, running or sniffing around grass or plants, then you will easily know what these elements are that cause allergies.
In the case of inhalation allergies, it can also be observed if your dog begins to sneeze or his eyes become inflamed or red when he is in a “contaminated” environment, for example, in an environment with tobacco smoke, during the summer season. The spring when pollen is floating everywhere, or even if there are any chemicals in the air, such as insecticides, hairspray, etc.
With this brief guide we wanted to clarify your doubts about how to know if my dog has an allergy, so remember how important allergies can be and how important it is to treat your dog as soon as possible to prevent his allergy, its symptoms, pain and discomfort becomes much more severe.
