Animal Allergies – Dog’s Get The Sneezes As Well You Know
Not many people realize this but dog’s can suffer from allergies the same as humans do. In fact, it is estimated about 20 percent of dogs in the United States alone suffer from sort of allergy. Flea allergy dermatitis is the most common allergy among our doggy friends but there are others such as atopic dermatitis, food allergies and inhalants allergies.
Symptoms vary much the same as they do in humans but most commonly they are marked by constant itching and discoloration of the skin, coughing, sneezing, wheezing, mucus discharge (commonly occurs in inhalant allergies), nausea, lethargy, vomiting and diarrhea (most commonly in food allergies).
Your local pet supply store should be able to help you with over the counter medications for the most common allergies but care should be taken and a vet should always be consulted first. An allergic reaction may not be an allergic reaction at all but instead may be indicative of a more serious condition. A vet will be able to tell you whether this is the case or not. Also, if it is a severe reaction an over the counter may not be enough to treat it and a prescription remedy may be required. Sometimes there may not even be an allergy. Finding this out will save you time and money as you don’t want to medicate your pet unnecessarily.
If you are concerned that your animal does have some type of allergy, a visit to the vet should be in order. The doctor is able to perform tests that will determine if there is an allergic reaction, the severity of the reaction, and the correct course of treatment. If it’s a food alleryg you will of course need to restrict the animals diet to eliminate those foods. The vet will be able to discover if the reaction is one that exists because of a food allergy. If the dog has flea allergy dermatitis, which is an allergic reaction to the saliva of fleas rather than the actual fleas themselves you will need to stick to a strict flea prevention regimen.
Detecting and treating allergy conditions can help your best friend live a comfortable life, just as humans do with their allergic reactions. Try not to diagnose the condition yourself, but instead rely on professional advice. You and your animals will be the better for it.
Leigh likes to write about a variety of subjects. For some other examples check out Girls Christmas Dresses at http://www.girlschristmasdress.net
