Dog Allergies - Learning More About Dog Allergies

Name: Veterinary Services
Brand: Phoenix Mobile Veterinarians

How common are allergies in dogs?

Allergies in dogs are unfortunately pretty common. Typically, about 25 to 40% of our clients' animals have allergies of some form.

Dr. Mark Caldwell
Phoenix Mobile Veterinarians

What are some common dog allergies?

Dog allergies can range from food to environmental factors. In Arizona, we have nice weather year-round, which means something is usually blooming. Consequently, environmental allergies can occur all year long, in addition to food allergies.

How do allergies impact the health and well-being of my dog?

Allergies cause inflammation, increasing the potential for infections and pain. Keeping allergies under control can significantly improve the overall quality of life for these animals.

What are some signs and symptoms of allergies in dogs?

Allergy signs in dogs can vary dramatically. They may include irritation on the feet and between the toes, ear infections, itchiness, rashes, infections, and hives.

How can I diagnose my dog's allergies at home?

You can observe signs consistent with allergies at home, but a true diagnosis should be made by speaking with your veterinarian.

How will a veterinarian diagnose allergies in my dog?

The veterinarian will discuss the clinical signs observed at home and during the exam. They will check for redness on the skin, chronic ear infections, and any recent changes in diet that could be causing the symptoms.

How are dog allergies treated using anti-inflammatory therapy?

Anti-inflammatory therapy helps treat inflammation and can block the itch sensation in dogs. Various medications are available that serve these purposes.

How is shampoo therapy used for dogs' allergies?

Shampoo therapy helps remove contact allergens like pollen from the fur. Medicated shampoos may also have anti-inflammatory properties.

What is hyposensitization or desensitization therapy for allergies?

Hyposensitization therapy involves gradually exposing the dog to small amounts of the allergens they are sensitive to. Over time, this can help their body develop an immunity, reducing allergic reactions.

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Dog Allergies - FAQs 1

Dr. Mark Caldwell
Phoenix Mobile Veterinarians

How will a veterinarian test my dog for allergies?

So a veterinarian, when we test a dog for allergies, it's actually a blood test. And so we pull the blood and then we send it off to the lab.

How soon will I get the dog allergy test results?

So typically it's going to take about two weeks to get the lab results back, but it's going to be a very comprehensive test and it's going to tell us food allergies as well as environmental allergies that the dog has.

What are the common treatments for dog allergies?

So the only true treatment for allergies that we have is actually desensitization therapy. But more commonly what we do is we actually have allergy management and the versions that we have of that are actually an injection. Typically you give that a shot about every four to eight weeks. And then we also have a pill form as well that can help treat those allergies or at least manage them appropriately.

How are flea and insect bites on my dog treated?

So flea and insect bites, well if it's a flea, well first off we need to make sure that we actually treat the flea infection and that's something that we'll actually prescribe for you when you come into the hospital. Now as far as treating the bites themselves, we do have some anti-inflammatory medication that we can treat for that. And in rare cases those can actually have an infection too, in which case sometimes we need to prescribe an antibiotic.

Can I give my dog Benadryl for allergies?

So you can give your dog Benadryl for allergies. The problem with Benadryl is that without really going too far into detail, there's four main types of allergies that dogs have. And the type that Benadryl treats is really actually best for people. Dogs actually get a different type of allergy. And so can Benadryl work? Yes, and it can help in a couple different ways. And we do use it in veterinary medicine, but it's not the primary means that we have for management of allergies in animals.

Are there any holistic options for dog allergies?

There's not going to be any holistic options that I truly recommend. There's a lot of information online about them, but I really do recommend the options that we have through the veterinary hospital.

Is there anything I need to do in my home environment for my dog's allergies?

So just kind of the basics, you know, like I said, there's two different types of allergies that we have in general categories. We have a food allergy and we have an environmental allergy. If you've spoken with your vet or if you have concerns about potential environmental allergies, just remember contact with the outside world is where we tend to see these signs. So if your dog comes in and they're covered in pollen or dander, take a wet cloth and just try to wipe off their back. If you see that they're licking or bothering their feet a lot, make sure you just get a damp rag and just kind of clean in between those toes a little bit. As far as food allergies is concerned, speaking with your veterinarian about potential food trials and diet trials can be a good option, but really that's going to be the big things and just making sure you have an overall relatively clean environment that the animal's living in.