Dogs are more like us than we think. While many of us sneeze and take over the counter medication to fight off seasonal allergies – our dogs can suffer from the same affliction. First time owners may be surprised to learn that our four-legged companions can have, and develop, allergies throughout their lifetime.
However, allergies in dogs are not as cut and dry as they can be in humans. Even seasoned dog owners can be stumped when it comes to identifying and treating their dog’s allergies. While each allergy case is nuanced, there are some universal signs and treatments that can get you started on the right path to managing your dog’s allergies.
Allergy symptoms in dogs
Environmental allergies can be easier to spot and address because they effect the outside of the dog. Whereas food allergies can cause a lot of internal upset and symptoms.
If you suspect your day may have an allergy of some sort, be on the lookout for any of these symptoms which may indicate an allergic reaction:
- Hives
- Itching
- Red, irritated skin (in between paws, ears, etc.)
- Sneezing
- Runny, watery eyes
- Persistent licking
Some of these symptoms could be related to other issues, but always check in with a vet.
Diagnosing allergies in dogs
To diagnose an allergy or allergies in your dog, your veterinarian will be a bit of a guessing game. Narrowing down an allergen source can take some trial and error before getting it right, and sometimes the result can show broad categorizations like grass, clay dirt, etc.
First, your vet will do a physical exam – their will trained eye and can quickly pick up topical environmental allergies. To go a step further, your vet maypull blood or perform a skin test on your dog to look for any reactions to common allergies. Skin and blood tests are not always definitive in their results but provide a foundation for which your vet can build a treatment game plan around.
Treating allergies in dogs
For skin and environmental allergies, some veterinarians may offer injections like Cytopoint or oral medication like Apoquel to help ease symptoms. These can also be treated through topical solutions like corticosteroids and medicated shampoos.
There’s also the tried-and-true method of giving your dog an antihistamine to help with any lingering effects of allergies. Always clarify dosage with your veterinarian and if allergies are severe in nature, seek immediate help.