Dog Allergies: Vet-Approved Medicine, Treatment & Remedies

Dog Allergy Symptoms

Common dog allergy symptoms include:

• Itching

• Rashes

• Sneezing

• Coughing

• Scratching at the ears or head (sometimes accompanied by ear infections)

• Runny nose or watery eyes

Dog Food Allergies

The most common food allergens for dogs include chicken, beef, dairy products, wheat, eggs, and soy. Symptoms can appear within minutes to a few hours after eating the allergen or may take several days to weeks. To identify potential allergies it is important for you to record what your dog eats and any symptoms that appear. If you suspect a food allergy consult with your veterinarian who can recommend an elimination diet and/or skin testing or other tests.

Common treatments for dog food allergies are antihistamines and prescription medications like steroids or cyclosporine (Atopica), which suppresses the immune system. Over-the-counter options include fish oil capsules (omega fatty acids) and coconut oil (anti-inflammatory properties). These remedies can help reduce mild symptoms of an allergic reaction but should not be used as a substitute for veterinary care. If you’re concerned that your dog has an allergy, see a veterinarian right away!

Dog Seasonal Allergies

• Take your dog to the vet if you suspect seasonal allergies. If a pet allergy test isn't in your budget, there are other ways to determine if your pet is allergic. Symptoms such as itchy eyes and ears, swollen paws, seeping sores from scratching, an itchy bum (scooting), coughing or wheezing are all signs of allergies.

• Keep your dog away from things they're allergic to. Sounds obvious, but if you know what your dog is allergic to—whether it's grass, dust or pollen—the best way to control their allergies is by keeping them away from the allergens.

• Give them medication as directed by the vet. Many vets recommend medications such as antihistamines or medicated shampoos and conditioners that can help with symptoms of seasonal allergies in dogs.

• Watch out for environmental allergens like stagnant water when walking outside in the summertime. Areas where pets tend to be exposed more regularly include areas where stagnant water collects after heavy rains like ditches or puddles (ponds included). The most common culprits are weeds and molds that grow in these areas of high humidity and moisture levels which cause an increase in airborne allergens during dry periods when wind helps spread them around easily.

Environmental Allergies

Environmental allergies can be triggered by pollen, trees, grass, fleas and other insects, molds and dust. Sometimes it's difficult to pinpoint what has caused your dog to have an allergic reaction. If you are unsure of what is causing the allergy, your veterinarian may recommend a food trial where you feed only one type of protein for several weeks to see if that improves your dog's symptoms.

If he does not respond positively to the food trial, then a different cause must be considered. In this case, your veterinarian will likely do skin or blood tests (or both) to try and narrow down what may be causing the signs of itching or inflammation in order to help determine which course of treatment would work best for your pet.

Medications used:

• Antihistamines – These medications can reduce sneezing and help with mild cases of itching; they do not treat all signs associated with allergies.

• Corticosteroids – These are prescription drugs that can either be injected or given orally; they are typically very effective at treating acute and chronic skin allergies but have side effects such as increased thirst and urination as well as weight gain when used long-term.

Contact Allergies

Contact allergies are caused by direct contact with something that causes an allergic response. Examples include:

• Chemicals

• Soaps

• Flea collars

• Grooming products

Symptoms

The symptoms of contact allergies can be mild or severe depending on the dog's sensitivity and the substance they have come into contact with. The most common symptom is itching, redness, and hair loss in the area where your dog has touched the offending allergen (e.g., flea collar, soap). If your dog scratches themselves repeatedly to relieve their itching, they may cause skin infection, which will require treatment from a veterinarian. Your vet may prescribe antihistamines to reduce your dog's discomfort from the allergy itself, but won't be able to treat the underlying cause of it until you identify what trigger is causing their reaction and remove it from their environment entirely.

When your dog has allergies, it can be hard to tell what's causing them. Talk to your vet about the best treatment for your dog.

• Dog food allergies: If you suspect your dog has a food allergy, it's important to talk to your vet. The most likely culprit is an ingredient he's been eating regularly—often corn, wheat or soy. Work with your vet to identify the trigger, then change his diet and keep him on a basic meal plan for at least 12 weeks. Once he's allergy-free for that time period, you can slowly add back in his regular food and treats one at a time to see if any cause an allergic reaction.

• Dog seasonal allergies: Seasonal allergies are caused by pollens and spores that are inhaled during certain times of year. Symptoms usually occur between April and October (or August through November in Australia), but can be present year-round if your dog is exposed indoors to mold spores or dust mites.

• Environmental allergies: Like humans, dogs can suffer from environmental allergies caused by pollen from grasses and trees; ragweed; mold spores; or dust mites found in areas such as carpeting, upholstered furniture and bedding. You'll know it's not fleas if your pup starts itching after going for a walk in the park or lying on the carpet—not after spending time outdoors or rolling around on the grass. It may also be hard to tell that there are no fleas because many dogs who have environmental allergies also have secondary bacterial skin infections from all the scratching, which causes them itch even more!

• Contact allergies: Dogs can be allergic to substances they come into contact with through their skin—even things you might not expect like wool, plastic food bowls (yes!) Or even leather collars! They may get red bumps where they touched something irritating like poison ivy plants growing near trails where they walk outside every day so watch out for these warning signs before heading out on hikes together this summer season!