Could my pet be allergic?

There are many reasons why your pet may be itching, scratching, licking, chewing, rubbing, have damaged skin, intestinal and ear problems. It could be that your pet has parasites, infections, is allergic to food, fleas, or even to ingredients in shampoos, carpets, lawn chemicals, or insecticides. Other contact allergens can be wool products (pets might sleep on or rub up against) and laundry detergents. Pets can also have allergies to seasonal pollens, outdoor and indoor moulds, and dust mites. Dust mites and moulds are common in all homes and if your pet is sensitive to these allergens it can lead to a year-round disease. Allergy to these environmental allergens (pollens, mites, mould, dander), also called atopic dermatitis or atopy is the most common type of allergy, affecting 1 in 5 pets.

If your pet shows signs of allergy it is important to seek treatment as soon as possible. If left untreated it can become more serious and lead to complications, such as skin and ear infections, thickened, red and/or darkened skin, hair loss, odour and even intestinal problems, like vomiting and diarrhoea. It’s important to talk to your vet about getting effective, long-lasting treatment.

triggers

Environmental-allergyEnvironmental allergy (atopic dermatitis or atopy)

This is the most common type of allergy. It occurs when a pet is allergic (or excessively reactive or hypersensitive) to environmental airborne substances, for example, pollens of trees, weeds and grasses, house dust mites or storage mites, dander from other animals or moulds present in the house. The most common sign is itchy skin, often involving the face, armpits, belly and feet. Ear irritation and infection as well as skin infections are common. Pets may have intestinal problems too.

food-allergyFood allergy

This occurs when a pet is allergic (or excessively reactive or hypersensitive) to something in its diet. It is very difficult to differentiate the signs of food allergy from environmental allergy since they are basically the same, with itching the most common symptom. Most of the time pets that are allergic to food are also allergic to environmental allergens and vice versa. With food allergy, intestinal problems can be more frequent, such as vomiting, diarrhoea, increased bowel movements or loose stools.

flea-allergyFlea allergy

This is an allergic reaction to flea bites that cause inflamed and itchy skin, hair loss and scabs. The hind end, tail base and thighs are usually affected more than the front of the body or the head. However, lesions can develop anywhere on the body.

contact-allergyContact allergy

Contact allergy happens when your pet comes into direct contact with something that irritates the skin. This can be a chemical or material, such as fabric, plastic or cleaning product.

bacterial-infectionsBacterial infections

When your pet’s skin is inflamed and irritated due to scratching from allergic skin diseases, or their immune system is compromised, it creates conditions where bacteria can multiply, leading to infection. Signs of bacterial infections include red skin, crusts/scabs, rash and pimples. If your pet’s allergy is not diagnosed and treated, these infections will occur and complicate the situation.

yeast-infectionsYeast infections

This is a type of fungal infection that is often seen in pets with allergic skin disease. Folded areas of skin such as face and lip folds, ears, under the neck, between the toes or paws, and under the tail are often affected. The skin is often greasy, red, thickened, and has an odour. Yeast infections can be very itchy.

hot-spotsHot spots

These are focal areas of intense irritation that lead to redness and oozing. They can appear very quickly and cause discomfort.

Did you know that pet’s allergy is a vicious cycle?

When your pet has an allergy to food, fleas, or something in the environment, there are several things that happen within the body. Scratching, licking and chewing results from exposure to allergy “triggers” and a frustrating cycle of itching starts that often continues and may get progressively worse. Your pet may continuously scratch, bite, chew or lick specific areas. A red rash or hot spots on the skin may appear, along with skin inflammation.

Early allergic itching, while annoying and bothersome, may be sporadic and mild. But left untreated, it quickly progresses and becomes more severe and persistent—interfering with everyday activities and potentially leading to other health problems, such as skin and ear bacterial/yeast infections. So, it’s best to control allergy right from the start—before this vicious cycle begins—and additional health issues arise that are difficult to manage and further add to your pet’s discomfort.

Unfortunately many of these cases are not diagnosed and treated since symptoms can be mistaken with behavioural acts. Most common symptoms are itching and scratching. Licking and biting paws, over-grooming, rubbing their face against the floor or furniture are also very common. It is important to know how to identify if you dog or cat may be allergic.

Read more about how to recognise if your pet has an allergy

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IF YOUR PET HAS ALLERGY SYMPTOMS YOUR VET CAN HELP

Key facts to remember:

  • Allergy is a very common disease in dogs and cats
  • Be aware of any sign that might be indicative to allergy. Most of these signs can be considered normal behaviour so request an allergy check up with your vet
  • It is important to identify which allergens are the source of the allergy so they can be avoided and your pet can be treated
  • The first choice for treating allergy is immunotherapy, a custom-made, all-natural treatment which is safe, effective and gives long-lasting itchy relief.

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