Common Allergies found in Dogs and How to Prevent Them

Last Updated on November 18, 2022 by Dogs Vets

Common Allergies found in Dogs and How to Prevent Them

Dogs, much like humans, occasionally suffer from allergic reactions to specific stimuli.

The immune system detects a threat and leaps into overdrive: even when the threat in question isn’t as harmful as the reaction would suggest.

What are the most common allergens?

Dog owners need to worry about several different kinds of allergens in particular. Fortunately, there are ways that we can guard against them, often without spending a great deal or going to a huge amount of effort.

Food allergies

Since dogs need food to survive, food allergies can be extremely troublesome. You don’t want every mealtime to become a dangerous lottery, which makes it important to identify the particular food that’s triggering the reaction.

Beef, soy, eggs, chicken, wheat, dairy and lamb might all be the culprit.

Certain breeds are more prone to allergies than others. These include bulldogs, cocker spaniels, retrievers, and several varieties of terrier.

Once you suspect that your dog is allergic to a food, you can try to test for the allergy with a skin and blood allergy test, or by putting your dog on an elimination diet. This involves gradually reintroducing foods until the symptoms begin to reappear.

Once this is done, you can shop for the appropriate brand of sensitive dog food. While you’re experimenting, you might cook your own dog food – that way, you know exactly what’s going into every batch.

Skin allergies

Certain substances can cause an allergic reaction by merely coming into contact with a dog’s skin.

Certain kinds of shampoo, dust, pollen, tobacco smoke, mildew, standing water, insect bites – they might all be guilty to some degree or other.

Then there are several common varieties of garden and house plants that might cause the problem. Juniper, primrose and oak have all been blamed for dog allergies.

One of the best ways to avoid reactions of this kind is to avoid the sorts of situation that triggers the reaction.

If you’re in the habit of taking your dog on long walks through the woods, then it might be a good idea to keep them on a tight lead – however much they might protest.

Acute allergic reactions

In some cases, an allergic reaction is a medical emergency which should be treated as soon as possible. Often, it’s impossible to determine whether the problem is mild or serious. As such, it’s better to err on the side of caution and contact your vet. That’s the conclusion of the PDSA.

Sneezing, itchiness, and rashes are all common. Vomiting and diarrhoea, rapid heart rate, and breathing difficulties are all evidence of anaphylaxis. If you spot these, don’t delay: see the vet as soon as possible.

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