This article focuses mainly over the dogs skin, skin problems and some solutions. There are several problems that can occur related to skin with your dog like fleas, ticks, mange, mites and various kinds of allergies. All of them require specific consideration and treatment. E.g. Some types of mange are treatable and some may not be. As demdectic mange is treatable if you notice it at its early stages. For fleas or ticks there's just one simple treatment, get rid of them, and treat with some antibiotic to heal any woulds or infection.
But allergies are different considerations all together as you need to find the exact problem causing the allergy. It may be a simple allergy or even a complex one. Allergies in dogs are common. Signs such as itchy skin, nasal and eye discharges and sneezing, and/or digestive upsets and/or skin lesions may indicate an allergy is present. Many skin diseases seen in dogs are caused by an allergy. But sometime these allergies are difficult to spot as every dogs body reacts in a different way to these.
Reasons why alergies occur in dogs?
Allergies usually occur when the immune system of dog is activated by some foreign organism, it depends how sensitive your immune system is. Allergies can develop all of a sudden and even by some substances with you never had reaction in the past. Allergies can be chronic or episodic as well. Allergies can cause following effects on dogs.
Dermal: itching of skin, can be either in patches or even the entire body. Common symptoms are welts, bumps, rashes.
Respiratory: These include running nose, discharge from eyes, cough, difficulty in respiration.
Digestive : This may include diarrhea, vomiting, indigestion.
Systemic : These include facial swelling, swelling of the airway, swelling of the feet, sudden drops in blood pressure, arrhythmia, seizure and death.
Typical symptoms of allergies
- Nasal discharge
- Discharge from eye ( Ocular discharge )
- Itchy skin, bumps, rashes
- Swelling of face or other body parts
- Reddish skin or dry skin with flakes
- Wheezing, difficulty in breathing
- Muscle tremors
- Diarrhea
- Hives
- Vomiting
- Seizure
There are numeral things that can be causing your dog to itch or wipe out its hair. If the the itch is persisiting for long time then consider following things.
- Diet: Your dog's food may be causing his allergies. Although this is least likely, with only 15% of dogs being allergic to food, it is still possible. The dog could have a sensitivity to something in his food, such as the proteins, wheat, soy, or corn. Many dogs are allergic to wheat gluten, which is used as a filler in many dry dog foods. Mold, also, grows on wheat, corn, and peanut hulls which can suppress the immune system and cause itching.
- Mold: In humid areas or in unventilated kitchens and bathrooms, mold spores could be causing the skin allergy. If your house has ever flooded or if your basement frequently gets wet, you'll want to watch out for black mold (Stachybotros), which can sicken your dog and even cause fatality.
- Animals: Your dog may be allergic to other animals in the house, such as a cat, bird, or other furry pets, especially pets that have contact with the outdoor world, who can bring in other allergens such as pollen.
- People: Just like allergens that can be found on cats, people carry allergens that flake off and can irritate your dog. It's actually pretty common with about 40% of dogs with an allergy to people.
- Grass: Yes, some dogs are allergic to grass and other outdoor allergens. You will commonly see this allergy during the spring months.
- Insects: Mosquitoes, fleas, ticks, and other insects will typically cause skin allergies during the spring and summer months. When the insect bites the dog, the saliva of the insect will cause a reaction under the skin, causing it to become inflamed and itchy.
Treatment for Skin Allergies
- Diet: Try changing the diet for 6 weeks, and see if there is a change in your dog's itching. You may want to change the protein source; for example, if the food is currently beef based, try turkey or venison. You may also consider changing to a diet that doesn't have any soy products or wheat.
- Mold: Keep the humidity low in the house; fix any leaks that you may have in the home, such as in the basement in particular; use exhaust fans when taking a shower in a bathroom with poor or no ventilation. You'll also want to clean out the mold, meldew, and dust wherever you find it; check out your air conditioning system to make sure that there's not any rust buildup in the condenser pan; and pour a few tablespoons of bleach down the pipes every few months to keep them clean.
- Animals: Bath other animals regularly, even cats. Your cat has an allergen in his saliva, so when he licks himself, and the saliva dries, it flakes off, free to float around your home and in your carpets. Use HEPA air filters that can trap the allergens floating around in your home.
- Insects: Use a permethrin fogger in your yard, such as Raid Yard Guard, making sure to spray shady areas and areas of tall grass. Also, consider talking to your vet about flea and tick products such as Frontline, Advantage, and Advantix.