DOGS AND ALLERGIES

When your dog starts Itching, scratching, licking, biting, rubbing, chewing, gnawing then you know they are generally having an allergic reaction to something. That something can be several things and it’s for you to try to work it out.

Allergic reactions can be triggered by a few things in the environment. These can include food, grasses, pollen, mould, dust mites, cigarette smoke, feathers, chemicals, pests (fleas, dust mites, bees), medicines and more. 

A dog can react in several ways including being itchy, inflamed, upset stomach, and even diarrhoea.

Many types of dogs are prone to having allergies and these can be tough to address.

Let’s look at what to do first after the vet visit. Keep a diary. This is important as you can note things like food given, walks taken, air fresheners used etc etc. This will really help so you can see when the reaction starts.

Let’s look at the normal allergic reactions the dog will do. Scratching, Feet chewing, Licking, Runny Eyes, Sneezing, Hives, Ear Infections, Red skin, Itchy back or tail, Hair Loss, Vomiting, Diarrhoea and rubbing their face.

Some are caused by the environment, some by food and some are hereditary. It’s always better to be proactive rather than reactive whenever possible when allergies are a concern.  As the old saying goes - Prevention is better than the cure.

What will you be doing about it now you know what they can be allergic to?

Lets come back and address each possible cause.