Everyone knows that humans have allergies. While we’re busy sneezing and coughing, we may not realize that our dogs can also suffer from allergies. We may not understand any dog allergy symptoms in our pets.
In fact, it has been documented that 20 percent of all dogs in the United States suffer from some form of allergy.
On the other hand, we may believe that our dog has allergies. After we have made this diagnosis ourselves we head to the pet store and medicate them ourselves.
Before we either neglect to medicate or over-medicate our dogs, it is important to understand more about dog allergies.
Dog Allergy Symptoms
As a concerned pet owner who loves their dog, it is important that you do some research to determine if your dog has allergies or not. It would be terrible if your little doggy was suffering from some type of allergy and it stays undiagnosed.
There are some things that you can do at home to make a preliminary check to see if your doggy is having any allergic reactions.
Take a look at your dog’s skin. Some allergies can damage the skin and make your dog scratch. Using an anti-itch spray can help resolve this.
If you see some discoloration of the there, it may be a reaction to an allergy they have. Another great indicator is if they are scratching the area frequently.
If you start to notice your dog coughing, sneezing, and wheezing frequently that may be an indication of allergy. This type of dog allergy usually starts because they are allergic to something they’ve inhaled.
Since inhalants are airborne, it is especially important to take action so that you can remove whatever is in the air. Airborne particles are often inescapable to your dog, which is why you must be on the lookout.
A dog that is lethargic and appears to have stomach trouble may have some type of food allergy. Signs of a stomach problem include vomiting and diarrhea.
Medication
If you assess your dog and determine that they are having an allergic reaction, there are some easy measures you can take. If you go to a pet supply store they will be selling over-the-counter allergy medications for you dog. The sales people at the store should be ready and willing to help you make your purchase.
If those medications do not work or the allergic reaction appears to be pretty severe, you should definitely take your pet to the vet. We all specialize in something, and a vet specializes in making your dog healthy.
What we think is a simple allergy may turn out to be something far worse. Alternatively, what we think is something awful and life threatening may turn out to be nothing.
Veterinarian
Even if you are right about your dog’s allergies, the symptoms may require a prescription strength medication. Just like your over the counter allergy medication may not be strong enough for you.
You don’t want to give your dog medicine he doesn’t need. This is another great reason to visit the vet. Over-medication is an unnecessary and could cause more harm than good to your dog.
When you’re at the vet’s office they will perform several tests to determine if your dog has allergies. These tests will be able to tell exactly what your do is allergic to and how severe the allergy is.
Depending on what was discovered, they will provide the appropriate allergy treatment.
If you’ve ever found relief from your own allergies as a result of taking medicine, you should know how much relief the dog will have when he is given the proper medicine.
Even though there are many over the counter medications out there, it is not our job to diagnose and treat a possible dog allergy.
It would be a big mistake if you made an incorrect diagnosis and your poor little pooch has to suffer through it.
