We share many things in common with our furry friends, one of them unfortunately is allergies. Just like human allergies, dog allergies are a result of an immune system reacting to an allergen, a substance that usually harmless but which in allergic animals causes the immune system to overreact. Commonly the immune system’s irritation is manifested through the skin. Hence, an allergic dog will experience redness, itching, skin infections, and hair loss.

Consider this too: allergies can affect our treatment of dog arthritis, so it is worth understanding them.

Dog Skin Allergies

A dog skin allergy means that an allergen is irritating the skin. the most common causes of skin allergies are fleas, bacteria, and substances in the dog’s environment. Although dog allergies may have different causes, they do have similar symptoms. that is why it’s important for your allergic dog to be examined by a vet so that the correct allergen can be identified (if possible) and the proper treatment can be recommended.

Flea Allergies

Fleas themselves are a problem since they are parasites that suck blood from their hosts, but when your dog is exposed to their saliva over time, sensitivity towards it builds up. This will eventually lead to a skin allergy. aside from the presence of fleas in your dog’ s fur, another warning sign is the existence of a “hot spot,” an area of skin that has been scratched and chewed upon by the dog to the point that it has become infected.

Once your dog has been diagnosed with a flea allergy, treatment is easy but ongoing. First, fleas must be eradicated. This can be done by using special shampoos and medicated sprays or spot-on treatments. To prevent future flea infestations, a clean environment is a must. To deal with the inflammation and itch, frequent cool baths are a simple but quite effective. Antibiotics and anti-inflammatories may be needed.

Bacterial Allergies

When there is an open sore or a break in the skin, bacteria can infect the area and cause a serious health problem for a dog. Symptoms of this type of allergy include red blotches and skin infections. Antibiotic treatment is needed to control bacterial allergies.

Contact and Atopy Allergies

Contact allergies occur when a dog’s skin comes into contact with outdoor and indoor allergens. Atopy allergies are caused by environmental allergens that are inhaled by the dog. Although these allergies are caused by different allergens, steroids are commonly used to treat them, as well as antibiotics and shampoos.

Allergies and Dog Arthritis

Allergies are often treated with anti-inflammatories called steroids (cortisone). Arthritis is often treated with non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). This is important because a combination of steroids and NSAIDs will be harmful for your dog. in this situation, one of the drugs will need to be stopped and it is usually the NSAIDs.

If you find that your dog is no longer able to take NSAIDs for dog arthritis there are other ways to control the disease. using joint supplements and pain killers becomes very important. Look our for my upcoming e-book which addresses just this problem.