Common Canine Allergies and Treatments

Dogs can get canine allergies, just as people can have allergies. There are three categories of allergies that dogs can have: food allergies, contact allergies and inhalant allergies. This means sensitivity to food ingredients, something the dog touches or something in the air can trigger itching, gastrointestinal discomfort or sneezing and wheezing. There are ways, however, to give your dog canine allergy relief.

Food Allergies
Food allergies are rare in dogs, yet they do occur. They can cause itching, gas, stomach upset, vomiting and diarrhea. This happens when certain ingredients trigger a reaction. The dog can have intense scratching because there is a rash under his fur, and hair loss can result. Treating a food allergy, once its diagnosed, involves eliminating the food ingredient from the dog's diet. Identifying the cause can be challenging; in the case of a food allergy, it is done by selectively eliminating foods from the dog's diet until the symptoms disappear. 

Contact Allergies
These occur when something touches the dog's skin and causes a reaction. The most common is a flea allergy. Dogs that are sensitive to flea saliva will develop intense scratching and biting around the head, neck and tail area, as they try to relieve the itching. Hot, inflamed areas on the skin and bald spots can occur.

It is also possible for a dog to be allergic to something in his blanket or collar, causing a localized allergic reaction where the dog was touched. Removing the trigger, including treatment and preventative treatment for fleas, if needed, will resolve contact allergies. It may be necessary to soothe the dog's skin with creams or give her a bath with a medicated shampoo until the symptoms clear up.

Inhalant Allergies
Dogs can be allergic to dust mites, pollen or other inhaled substances. If it's pollen, the dog will experience seasonal itching around the feet, groin, legs and armpits. If the dog has a dust mite allergy, the symptoms may be year-round, depending on exposure.

Allergens can be diagnosed through tests at the veterinarian's office, such as a RAST blood test for allergens, or an intradermal serum skin test, which involves injecting a tiny amount of different allergens into the dog's skin surface to check for a reaction. This is useful for identifying the source of an allergy.

Eliminating the cause of the allergy is the best route to relieving it. In the case of pollen, limiting the dog's time outdoors when pollen counts are high can help, even though it's not an easy rule to enforce. There are also homeopathic remedies that can strengthen the dog's immune system against infections and potentially reduce allergic reaction symptoms. Remedies vary, so ask your veterinarian for specific recommendations.