As the pollen counts go up and we suffer from "hay fever," animals, particularly dogs, also begin to show signs of allergies. While most people suffer from respiratory problems such as runny eyes and nose, difficult breathing, or sinus headaches, dogs and cats have a completely different set of symptoms. When dogs and cats suffer from allergies, they primarily are affected in the skin by itching - sometimes intense itching which can lead to hair loss, open sores, and infections.
The same substances that cause allergies in people cause allergies in pets. These include grasses, molds, leaves, trees, food ingredients, bacteria, insect bites (fleas) and other substances. One of the differences in treating allergies in pets as opposed to people is that over the counter antihistamines are generally ineffective in controlling the symptoms and therefore prescription medications and professional advice is indicated.
There are basically three ways to deal with allergies.
1. Medications are given to alleviate the symptoms.
2. Avoidance of the substance that is creating the allergic reaction.
3. Hyposensitization
The most common and potentially the most abused method is to give medications to alleviate the symptoms. Since antihistamines are generally not very effective alone, many times the primary category of drugs that are used are the corticosteroids - either alone or in combination with other medications. While these drugs are usually very effective, they are very powerful and must be used with caution and only on the continuing advice of a veterinarian. Anithistamines, fatty acid supplements and corticosteroids can be given in various combinations to help control the itching and to minimize the side effects. There are also shampoos and conditioners designed to alleviate the itching but are generally only minimally effective. They can be used along with other medications to give the pet some additional comfort.
Another way to deal with allergies is to identify the offending substance or allergen and to avoid it. This is easy when we are lucky enough to find an allergen that can be avoided such as a particular food ingredient. However, in most cases, when allergy testing is performed, there are many substances that are contributing to the problem and avoidance is often impossible. Pet owners can try avoidance food trials to try to identify if the allergy symptoms are the result of a particular food ingredient. Be aware that many foods contain the same food ingredients and simply switching brand names does not mean that you are feeding different ingredients. Many pets are actually allergic to the ingredients in some food that are being sold as an alternative food for allergies! Your veterinarian is the best educated person to help with this process. Ask for advice.
The third way and perhaps the best for long term results is to identify the substances that are causing the allergic reaction through allergy testing. Once the allergens are identified, a vaccine that is customized for the individual and their specific allergies is produced. Regular and periodic injections are then given to hyposensitize the pet and to minimize the allergic reaction. These injections are actually very small amounts of the substances that cause the allergic reaction. As these dosages gradually and steadily increase over weeks and months, the patient will develop a tolerance for those substances that create the reaction. This process is familiar to many people because the incidence of allergies in people is approximately the same as the incidence in pets and people are already familiar with hyposensitization from a friend or family member. These injections are very effective in the majority of the cases but the owner needs patience as results may take months to become evident.
Just as people can be allergic to insects such as bee stings, dogs and cats can be allergic to insects. What this means to a pet owner is that a pet that is allergic to the bite of a flea will have a very exaggerated reaction to the flea bite because the pet is actually allergic to the "venom" of the flea. Dogs and cats that suffer from flea allergic dermatitis have a double problem - they are bothered by the fleas themselves and the bite of each flea produces an allergic reaction which intensifies the discomfort. Obviously, pets that are allergic to fleas must be kept as flea free as possible as well as receive treatment for the allergic reaction. Many times the allergic reaction continues after the fleas are eliminated from the pet. For pets that are allergic to the bite of the flea, most veterinarians will recommend a flea control product that is effective in controlling and repelling the adult fleas from the pet. One of the newer products that is now available called Advantage is ideal for this situation. Depending upon the intensity of the allergic reaction, the pet may also need to be treated for allergic dermatitis.
Allergic dermatitis is extremely common in pets in this area for the same reasons that people have allergies. The Ohio River valley has an abundance of substances that create allergic reactions in our local environment. Since allergies in pets creates a bothersome and sometimes intense itching reaction, it is advisable to get the pet under some control before the pet itches itself or licks itself to the point that the hair is missing and the skin is injured.