Tip! If your immune system is too weak to fight off the allergies, you will end up suffering for a good part of the year. Your immune system may be weak for a couple of reasons.

Between 15% to 20% of all dogs in the United States suffer from allergies. As in humans, allergies may manifest in different ways producing varied symptoms in your pet. Knowing the signs of allergy suffering will bring your dog faster relief and happier days. This article is intended for informational purposes only. As with any pet related medical issue, always consult your veterinarian if you suspect a problem.

Food Allergies

Dogs can develop allergies or food sensitivities at any point during their lives. Often, dogs eat the same type of food for years, so their diet may be overlooked. The most common problem causing foods include:
? Soy products
? Beef
? Chicken
? Corn
? Wheat
? Pork
? Milk
? Whey
? Eggs
? Fish
? Lamb
? Chemical Preservatives
? Artificial Sugars

Tip! These substances are well-known for causing allergies. Different factors determine the levels of these substances on a regular basis.

Symptoms of Food Allergies often include:
? Itchy Skin
? Ear Inflammations
? Ear Scratching
? Frequent Licking or Biting of Paws
? Anal Itching
? Face Rubbing
? Head Shaking
? Loss of Appetite
? Coughing

Remedy:
Once food allergies have been determined to be the cause of your dog’s symptoms, eliminating the potential allergens from your pet’s diet is the first course of action. Begin by excluding foods which are known instigators (see list above). Look for either a commercial product which contains ingredients your dog has not eaten before or prepare home-made food for your dog consisting of two parts starch to one part protein. Suggested protein alternatives include duck, salmon, venison, or rabbit. Potatoes are suggested as an alternative starch. All ingredients should be served boiled and fed in normal proportions to your dog’s regular diet. Once prepared, the food can be individually packaged, frozen, and then used as needed. Home cooked diets are generally nutritionally incomplete and should only be used temporarily during the test period.

Tip! Ironically, however, pets also are commonly afflicted with stubborn allergies that are a source of much distress–and expense–for their owners. And, very commonly–just as with their owners–medical interventions that mainly focus on treating the symptoms are quite ineffective.

One item at a time, begin adding ingredients present in your dog’s former food to his new food. If symptoms reappear, the food allergen should be easily identified. During the test period, make certain your dog eats only the new food. Eliminate treats, dog bones, table scraps, rawhide, chews, vitamins, etc. Once the offending food has been identified, look for a commercial food which does not contain that ingredient.

Atopic Dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis, or canine atopic dermatitis, is an allergic skin disease generally caused by an immune hypersensitivity to environmental substances such as mold spores or dust mites. Indications your dog has this sensitivity generally present themselves by the age of two. Food and flea allergies, as well as parasitic infections, should be ruled out first as their symptoms are similar to atopic dermatitis.

Tip! Unfortunately, food allergies are blamed for close to 200 deaths every year. Scientists say that allergies have to do with genetics.

Symptoms of Atopic Dermatitis include:
? Excessive Grooming
? Licking or Chewing of the Paws, Stomach, or between the Toes
? Change of Stomach Skin Color to an Irritated Red
? Ears which are Red or Hot to the Touch

Remedy:
Skin allergy testing can be conducted by your veterinarian to determine your dog’s specific allergy.

Flea Allergy

Caused by the saliva secreted by the flea, a flea allergy is the most common form of dog allergy. Sometimes the bite of a single flea may cause your dog to launch into fits of self-chewing and biting lasting for five to seven days.

Tip! Dog allergies can include skin allergies, dog food allergies (particularly corn and soy), house dust and dust mites, ragweed, molds, pollens and others.

Symptoms of Flea Allergy Include Severe Biting & Chewing of:
? The Tail and Surrounding Area
? Stomach
? Inside hind legs

Remedy:
A skin test can be performed to confirm your dog is allergic to flea saliva. Once a flea allergy has been confirmed, a strict control regimen should be initiated. Flea control products are safer now than they once were with options ranging from topical solutions to pills, shampoos and sprays. Garlic and Brewers Yeast have also been touted to keep fleas away as have weekly topical applications of lavender and eucalyptus oils. However these solutions have not been scientifically confirmed.

Whatever remedy you choose, consult your veterinarian first. Overly strong flea killing preparations may cause your dog more harm than good. Additionally, regular dog grooming (through your dog’s coat and down to the skin) will help find and eliminate fleas and flea droppings.

Tip! Many medicines are available to fight allergies. The doctor only can prescribe medicines for some though most of them could be bought over the counter from a drugstore.

Inhalant Allergy

Inhalant allergies are substances in the environment which cause your dog’s immune system to react, releasing antibodies containing histamines, serotonin, and leukotrienes. Pollens from trees, grass, ragweed as well as mold spores, chemicals, dust mites and wood chips in pet bedding may cause your dog substantial discomfort.

One clue to diagnosing this allergy is timing. Is your dog’s allergy seasonal or year round? If you know to what your dog is allergic, avoidance is the best remedy. To help mitigate possible allergens, use dehumidifiers to reduce mold, air conditioners during pollen season, air cleaners with HEPA filters for dust and pollen residue, and vacuum frequently.

Inhalant Allergy Symptoms Include:
? Biting and scratching at the body
? Red or Irritated ear flaps which are hot to the touch
? Head shaking
? Rubbing the face
? Severe scratching or biting of the flank, groin, paws and armpit regions

Tip! Another strange thing about allergies is that they are never predictable. They might disappear for no apparent reason and reappear when one least expects them to.

Remedy:
Providing your dog relief may come in the form of a cool bath with colloidal oatmeal, aloe vera, eucalyptus, or a medicated shampoo. However these will only provide your dog temporary relief and will need to be repeated frequently.

Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids are natural anti-inflammatory agents which have proven successful in approximately 20% of dogs tested. Omega 3 fatty acids are found in fish oils such as Cod and Omega 6 fatty acids come from plants containing gamma-linolenic acid - such as evening primrose. Antihistamines have also proven effective in dogs with allergies with one short-term effect being lethargy or tiredness.

Corticosteriods (steroids) are substances which interfere with the function of the immune system and reduce itching by reducing the inflammation. They also affect all the organs in your dog’s body and should be used under medical supervision for short periods of time or in small doses.

Blood tests and intradermal skin testing can also be performed to judge specific reactions to allergens.

Contact Allergies

Contact allergies are the least common of dog allergies. Items such as flea collars, grass, shampoos, plants, chemicals, and wood chips may cause allergic reactions. By eliminating the irritant, symptoms should disappear.

Tip! Harold Miller used to suffer from allergies until he took it upon himself to get educated. While Harold still has the occasional bout, he has learned many ways to improve his allergies and as a result enjoys serving as a contributing editor at allergyrelief101.

If you think your dog may suffer from allergies, keep a journal. Make notes as to the symptoms, their severity, and when they occur. This will help your veterinarian pinpoint the problem and help your dog achieve a speedier recovery.

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M. H. Molock is the owner of dogclothes-apparel.com, an online dog clothes and accessories store. She also writes extensively on animal and pet issues. For more pet information and tips, subscribe to her free newsletter at http://www.dogclothes-apparel.com.

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Tip! Unfortunately, food allergies are blamed for close to 200 deaths every year. Scientists say that allergies have to do with genetics.

Utilizing homemade dog treat recipes may be the best alternative to dog owners whose pet has severe allergies. Although some dogs have no food allergies as all there are many dogs that are either severely allergic to one or two specific ingredients and other dogs have allergies to many ingredients. Buying dog treats for dogs with allergies can be a difficult task. You have to examine the labels carefully to ensure that you the dog treats do not contain any ingredients that can cause an allergic reaction in your dog. This can be difficult because sometimes it is hard to determine what is included in the dog treat and there may be derivatives of the ingredient that your dog is allergic to that can be hard to identify.

Homemade dog treat recipes are one of the safest ways to provide treats to dogs with allergies. When you use homemade dog treat recipes you are cognizant of each and every ingredient that goes into your homemade treats. You can modify the homemade dog treat recipes to exclude any ingredients that your dog is allergic to or you can find homemade dog treat recipes that do not include these ingredients in the first place.

Tip! Ironically, however, pets also are commonly afflicted with stubborn allergies that are a source of much distress–and expense–for their owners. And, very commonly–just as with their owners–medical interventions that mainly focus on treating the symptoms are quite ineffective.

Todd runs a website where you can find all sorts of homemade dog treat recipes. Over 140 homemade dog treat recipes available at: http://homemade-dog-treat-recipes.com

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Tip! Ironically, however, pets also are commonly afflicted with stubborn allergies that are a source of much distress–and expense–for their owners. And, very commonly–just as with their owners–medical interventions that mainly focus on treating the symptoms are quite ineffective.

Process of elimination is the best way to solve allergies, especially if you have loving pets around.

Living with 9 cats and one dog all my family members were not prone to allergies, possible the minor itching of the eye from petting the cat, but that was solved by washing ones hands.

One evening my husband had this terrible sneezing attack and his body started to itch as well. We’ll Poor Hilda our grey tabby cat was getting the evil eye from my husband. I knew that her days were numbered on our bed. Eventually my husband sneezed himself to sleep with a little help from the over the counter allergy medicine.

The next day I started the process of elimination and checked all the cleaners to see what was in them and found a high content of perfume in the clothes detergent my husband had bought on sale. I immediately went out and bought a perfume free detergent and washed all the clothes and sheets with that. In a matter of a few days the allergies stop. Hilda was back on our bed purring away. So please check out the perfume content in all your cleaners and detergents before finding new homes for your precious pets.

Tip! If your immune system is too weak to fight off the allergies, you will end up suffering for a good part of the year. Your immune system may be weak for a couple of reasons.

Happy Cleaning

Maria Brittis is a full time mom and Fuller Brush Distributor.
On her spare time she fundraises for the low cost spay and neuter assistance program in South Carolina, Visit her websites: http://www.fullerbrushhome.com and http://www.ilovepets.org

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