When we say ‘dog allergy‘, what are we talking about? Humans who are allergic to dogs, or dogs who are allergic to something else? Humans, maybe?
The answer is that the term can be applied to both.
The human sufferer
In the human sufferer, symptoms might include sneezing, wheezing, a runny nose, itchy, watering eyes and assorted skin swellings. Pet allergy can arise because the human body is reacting adversely to components in the animal’s fur, skin, saliva, urine. All of these contain proteins liable to cause a reaction in anyone susceptible. Such an allergy can affect eyes, airways and skin and they manifest themselves in the form of rash and/or lumps. The trouble is that allergens are not easy to avoid.
To get a definitive diagnosis, doctors will want to carry out skin tests and take blood samples.
There are various treatments for the condition, ranging from anti-histamine medication, to eye drops, nasal sprays and even cortico-steroids.
Scratching, licking, chewing
Allergy symptoms in dogs tend to show up in undue scratching, excessive licking and chewing the feet. Understandably, this can make the dog irritable. Our first reaction to the sight of a dog scratching is usually that he has fleas. For most owners, parasitic infection is the first thought that comes to mind. But it may not be the right one.
He could have an allergy.
Dogs can be allergic to fleas, food, air pollutants, dust mites, even the grass on which they frolic in the springtime.
The symptoms in dogs are not unlike those in humans… sneezing, wheezing, coughing, discharging eyes and nose. Sometimes there is an unpleasant odour from the ears and occasionally even gastro-intestinal problems.
What is an allergy?
So what exactly is an allergy?
An allergy is when the body’s immune system has an adverse reaction to foreign substances which are normally harmless, but which produce a violent reaction in the sufferer. This can result in asthma, hay fever, migraine and some types of skin irritation, the most well-known of which is probably eczema.
Very distressing
Allergy treatment largely depends on the nature of the allergy and can include medication, diet and any form of therapy geared towards sorting out the problem in the sufferer’s immune system.
For some types of skin allergy (in dogs as well as in humans) all that is needed might be a special, clinically-prescribed shampoo.
Allergic reactions can be very distressing.
The best advice for anyone who thinks they – or their pets – have an allergy (dog allergy or otherwise) is to seek professional help.
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