Skin Allergies in Dogs

Did you know that us doggie furbabies can have allergies too? We usually don’t have stopped up and runny noses like you human folk, but we get skin problems that can cause us to itch like crazy. Then we chew at it and naw on it trying to make that infernal itching stop! But, this just causes bigger problems.  We can also get what ya call hot spots and hair loss from dog allergies. My sister Sallie, or “Sweet Pea”, as my lady likes to call her has some really bad allergies. My lady says they are worse for her and for Sallie this year.

Just look at this sore on Sallie’s side. She has them on her leg and butt too! Now that’s what I call a pain in the butt?! But, seriously these happened from her diggin’ and chewin’ at herself cause of the crazy itchin’!

Signs of dog allergies:

For you human folk out there if your furbaby is a diggin’, scratchin’, lickin or a bitin’ themselves they might just have allergies. All this diggin’ can cause it to become red, inflammed and irritated. Another sign common with skin rashes and allergies in dogs is hair loss in those spots. Furbabies are also prone to ear infections from allergies.

Common kinds of skin allergies in dogs:

Atopic (or inhaled) Allergies

These are allergies caused by somethin’ furbabies breath in the environment. We can be allergic to the same things you human folk are such as: pollens, molds, and dust mites that we are around everyday.

Contact Allergies

Did you know that there is such a thing as furbabies being allergic to grass?  Say what??? I mean really! Now that could cause some real problems in the playin’ and pottyin’ department! Anyway, grass allergies can cause extreme itching for these poor furbabies!

Parasitic Allergies

You know them nasty little boogers called fleas? Well, they itch enough in their own right, but for furbabies that are allergic to their saliva it’s awful! The itchin’ can be so bad that they break their skin open from the scratchin’. Once this happens it can become infected. I had a round of these little boogers before I met my lady and I don’t want to see anymore! I don’t think any of us will be meetin’ any ’cause my lady puts somethin’ on us each month to keep them bugs and critters away from us 🙂

Food Allergies

Just like human folk, dogs can have  food allergies too. It can be somethin’ in the dog food ingredients like chicken, pork, beef, fish, milk, eggs, whey, corn, soy, wheat or the preservatives. I’m a guessin’ it would be pretty hard to figure this one out.

Diagnosis of skin allergies in dogs

To get a proper diagnosis, it will require a visit to see them folks with the white coats at the vet’s office. Personally, I don’t like ’em! Ever time I’ve been to see ’em they have stuck and poked me with sharp things. Where I come from that ain’t very nice. But, it seems they are the ones with all the answers. So be prepared, your furbaby might get poked too. They gotta make sure it is an allergy and not some kind of infection or somethin’.

Treatment of Skin Allergies in Dogs

Of course the best treatment would be to remove what they are allergic to if you can find it. But, just like with human folk, this may not always be possible. I mean if it’s in the air – ya gotta breath! A nice cool bath with some medicated shampoo also helps give a little bit of relief. Hey, a nice cool bubble bath on a hot day sounds good to me too!

However, that vet guy will tell ya the best treatment for your furbaby. Since Sallie’s seems to be just in certain spots he said to give Sallie Benadryl every day and gave my lady some antibiotic/steroid spray for them sores. It helps keep ’em from itchin’. They said there wasn’t no cure and all we could do was treat the symptoms. Well, if them vet people are so smart and have all the answers why can’t they find the cure to them allergies?

My lady says it is frustrating because there isn’t much she can do and she don’t like seeing her “Sweet Pea” sick. I think “Sweet Pea” likes all the extra attention! Shoot, I wouldn’t put it past her to be gettin’ into them allergy things on purpose!