While it has become common to watch out for the signs of life-threatening food allergies in young children, it still comes as a surprise to some dog parents that their four-legged companions can also suffer from food allergies.

Just like in humans, a food allergy occurs when a dog’s immune system mistakenly believes a specific food is harmful. The dog’s immune system responds with antibodies, which triggers a series of dangerous symptoms.

Many seemingly random symptoms can be signs of a food allergy in a dog.

These Symptons Include

• Chronic ear inflammation
• Itching
• Paw biting
• Poor coat quality
• Obsessive licking

Other symptoms more closely mimic symptoms seen in humans with food allergies, such as:

If you notice any of these symptoms in your dog, it is extremely important to have them checked out by a vet to determine if the symptoms are indeed signs of a food allergy.

The more the dog is exposed to the allergen, the more severe the reaction will become. Even if your dog is only irritated by the symptoms initially, they could be life-threatening the next time they eat the problem food.

Kinds of Foods to Watch Out For

Dogs can be allergic to nearly any specific food ingredient. However, there are certain meats and grains that are more likely to cause an allergic reaction in your dog. These include:

If your dog is allergic to one ingredient, she’s likely allergic to other ingredients as well.

To isolate which foods your dog is reacting to, your vet will likely put your dog on an elimination diet, followed by a food challenge. This is done by solely feeding your dog one or two foods, such as ground turkey and sweet potatoes. Once you’ve established that your dog doesn’t have a reaction to these two foods, you can start the food challenges.

Gradually, more items are added in, until you notice that your dog has an allergic reaction. This will clearly identify which allergens your dog is reacting to, and you can then create a diet avoiding any triggers.

Environmental Allergies

If you find that your dog is still suffering from an allergic response, no matter what combination of food you give, then it’s likely your dog is not allergic to a particular food but may suffer an allergy to something else present in the environment, such as pollen, dander, a specific fabric, or a medication.

While it may seem overwhelming to care for a dog with food allergies, it is much simpler today than it was in the past. Many more foods are available, offering a wide variety of protein and grains that your dog may not react to, such as kangaroo, venison, potatoes, or oatmeal. With a little care and education, you can keep your dog safe, happy, healthy, and well fed.

Does your dog suffer from food allergies? How did you find out? Tell us all about it in the comments.

The post Most common food allergies in dogs appeared first on Cesar's Way.

Do Dogs Get Seasonal Allergies?

• Itchy skin
• Red nose
• Hair loss
• Sleepiness
• Swollen, itchy paws
• Excessive rubbing or licking of affected areas
• Ear infections

https://www.smartypawshealth.com/blogs/all/how-to-tell-if-your-dog-is-suffering-from-seasonal-allergies

 

Immune Health

A direct and intentional focus on your dog’s immune health is another major way to combat seasonal allergies. Since seasonal allergies play out in the immune system, an internal health approach to the issue is an essential part of the mix.

 

Vitamin supplements can really round out your pet’s diet and provide a long line of benefits. Vivamune is a once-daily chew with immune-supporting properties and, no side effects unlike most allergy medication. OxC-beta, the proprietary active ingredient in Vivamune, supports the immune system bringing it back into balance and helping dogs with seasonal allergies naturally.

 

There are very few supplements for dogs that support the immune system directly. Therefore, medications dampen the immune response so that there is no response – OxC-beta supports the immune system so that there is a normal response.

 

Talk to Your Vet About Your Dog’s Seasonal Allergies

If at any point you notice that your dog has changes to their skin, fur, or something that seems off, you should reach out to your vet to get an official diagnosis. Once your vet determines the allergies, they will develop a treatment plan.

How Are Seasonal Allergies Diagnosed in Dogs?

Your veterinarian will order a skin or blood test to identify what triggers your dog’s allergies. It is best practice not to diagnose your dog but leave that to your vet. If you feel your pup has seasonal allergies, your vet will be happy to help with that process.

 

https://www.smartypawshealth.com/blogs/all/how-to-tell-if-your-dog-is-suffering-from-seasonal-allergies

What Steps Might the Vet Suggest to Alleviate Allergies?

Before you try any over-the-counter meds, make sure to consult your vet to ensure proper dosage. Some dogs react differently, and it’s good to remember that humans and animals will respond differently to meds such as Benadryl.

You can try some natural remedies if you are unsure about using the medicine without a prescription. You can try giving fatty acid supplements that can help soothe irritated skin. Giving your dog regular baths using hypoallergenic shampoos to remove pollen and grass can be helpful to reduce allergies. Pet owners have tried other remedies: tea tree oil, fish oil, other oils or an oatmeal bath.

 

https://www.smartypawshealth.com/blogs/all/how-to-tell-if-your-dog-is-suffering-from-seasonal-allergies

 

 

The post 3 Tips On Combating Your Dog’s Seasonal Allergies appeared first on Cesar's Way.

If your dog is frequently scratching, you may suspect a problem with fleas. But fleas are far from the only cause of skin irritations and itches.

Insect bites and stings are fairly common on dogs. Some cause minimal to no symptoms, while others can cause a life threatening allergic reaction. The most common signs of an insect bite are redness and swelling at the site of the bite. In more severe reactions, hives may appear along with swelling of the face and muzzle. If a dog is sensitive to proteins in the insect’s venom or saliva, you may see more obvious signs such as vomiting, difficulty breathing, and in some cases, death.

Flying insects such as bees and wasps are active in the spring and summer. When sniffing an insect, dogs are often stung on the muzzle. A sting in the mouth is frequent when a dog snaps at or bites a bug. If a stinger is visible, remove it with tweezers and apply of a topical antibacterial ointment is beneficial.

The majority of spiders in North America are not poisonous, but bites can still cause localized swelling and pain. However the brown recluse, black widow and hobo spider are poisonous and bites can be very serious. The brown recluse as well as the hobo spider’s venom causes localized tissue necrosis (death) leaving a dark ulcer that is slow to heal. Black widow spider bites may cause minimal swelling at the site, but can cause intense pain and even paralysis lasting up to 48 hours.

Ticks not only can cause swelling at the site, but can carry diseases. Exercise great care when removing a tick. If you are squeamish, spray the ticks directly with a dog approved tick spray and let the tick die before removal. Using tweezers or a tick scoop, grasp the tick by the head and pull straight up. Do not pull the tick by the body as this may release bacteria into the bloodstream and leave the head and mouthparts still in the skin. The best defense against ticks is prevention. There are several good flea and tick products on the market and your veterinarian can recommend a good one.

Dogs that suffer from flea allergies often bite at their tail and scratch frequently. Hair loss (alopecia) is often seen around and on top of the tail due to the intense itchiness (pruritis) caused by an allergic reaction to the fleas saliva. By spreading the hair or using a flea comb, you may see fleas or black specks that look like dirt. Pick up some of the black specks with a moistened cotton ball and you’ll notice a red color because fela dirt is actually digested blood. In flea allergic dogs it is important to treat the dog for fleas and treat the home for fleas in order to relieve an itchy dog.

There are several good products on the market that kill fleas and ticks. It is important to choose a product that kills fleas before they have a chance to bite as it is the saliva that causes the allergic reaction and an itchy dog. I have always had good luck with products.

Regardless of the cause of the allergic reaction, you can try several over the counter treatments. Antihistamines such as Benadryl (Diphenhydramine) can be given at a dose of 0.5 – 1 mg / lb of body weight every eight hours as needed. Drowsiness is the most common side effect. If the irritatedarea is localized a topical product such as hydrocortisone cream can be applied. If the area appears infected, a triple antibiotic ointment like Neosporin may help.

If you do not see improvement within a few hours after the Benadryl or if the allergic reaction is severe or continues to get worse, seek professional veterinary care as soon as possible. Dogs who have noticeable facial swelling, difficulty breathing, pain or intense itching should be seen immediately.

The post What Makes My Dog Itch? appeared first on Cesar's Way.

Hypoallergenic Dogs May Not Be Allergy Free

If you are allergic to dogs and thinking about getting a hypoallergenic breed, you might want to read this. A new study suggests that hypoallergenic dogs might not in fact be so allergy friendly.

The study, published in the American Journal of Rhinology and Allergy, claims that hypoallergenic dogs may be no different than regular dog breeds when it comes to triggering allergic responses. In fact, recent research has shown that these “hypoallergenic” dogs may have more allergy-causing protein in their fur than other breeds.

The recent experiment was conducted by Detroit’s Henry Ford Hospital, and was led by Christine Cole Johnson, chair of Henry Ford’s department of public health sciences. Johnson and her team selected 173 homes to include in the study.

The researchers collected dust samples from the floor and carpet of a baby’s room in each of these homes exactly one month after a newborn was brought home. All of the homes had one dog each and 60 different breeds were involved in the study overall, 11 of which were considered to be hypoallergenic dogs.

After all the samples were collected, the team tested them for the primary dog allergen known as “Canis familiaris” or “Can f 1.” The study revealed that there was no significant difference between allergen levels in dogs that were said to be hypoallergenic and the rest of the dog breeds. Also, the homes where the parents said that the dogs were not allowed in the baby’s room showed allergen levels that were slightly higher in hypoallergenic breeds than non-hypoallergenic breeds.

Johnson shared her team’s findings in a statement in a journal news release: “Based on previous allergy studies conducted here at Henry Ford, exposure to a dog early in life provides protection against dog allergy development. But the idea that you can buy a certain breed of dog and think it will cause less allergy problems for a person already dog-allergic is not borne out by our study.”

Although the researchers admit that their study may have had some limitations — the amount of time that a dog spent in the baby’s room was not recorded and the sample size was too small to make any generalizations about specific breeds — they maintain their stance that parents should not purchase a specific breed of dog based on hypoallergenic classifications.

While the study brings new opinions on hypoallergenic dogs to the table, many breeders are claiming that they’ve witnessed families with dog allergic members take home hypoallergenic breeds with positive results.

What are your experiences with owning a hypoallergenic breed? Do you agree with the above research?

The post Hypoallergenic Dogs: Not So Allergy Friendly? appeared first on Cesar's Way.

My poor pug has been honking on and off for a couple of days. I know this is reverse sneezing. My question is: Is there anyway to get her to stop honking? I try to rub her neck and nose, but she keeps honking. I feel so bad for her. Is there anything I can do for her?

Thank you,
Mary Hilland

Dear Mary,

Backward sneezing happens as a response to anything that irritates the back of the throat. It usually does not cause any serious problems, but it can be annoying. Once the honking starts, the best thing to do is soothe and calm the dog.

The honking usually gets worse during allergy season or when the air is very dry. In most cases, you can improve the condition by using a vaporizer for dry air or Benadryl for the underlying allergies. In severe cases, your vet may need to use prednisone, but this is rarely needed.

Dr. Weaver

The post How to Help a Dog Stop Reverse Sneezing appeared first on Cesar's Way.

We have a cocker spaniel, and he has huge allergies. He has trouble breathing all of the time. We tried inhalers and breathing treatments. It seems to help for a few minutes but, after that, it is down hill again. He is allergic to a lot of things, but we keep that under direct supervision. Is there anything we can try to help his breathing problems?

Thank you so much,
Tasha

Dear Tasha,

Dogs with severe bronchitis or COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) are a constant battle. The goal is to maintain a good quality of life, realizing that a cure is not an option. These dogs usually require ongoing prednisone treatment with periodic chest x-rays and courses of antibiotics to treat secondary pneumonias. At some point, you should have a BAL (broncoalveolar lavage) with culture and cytology to be sure that you have the right diagnosis.

The inhalers help some with the bronchospasm, but this is not as significant in dogs as it is in humans, so your response is relatively common. Treating the underlying allergies could help but usually will not prevent the episodes. Although it only helps sometimes, I always do a 4 – 6 week course of Doxycycline which will kill certain lung organisms. This is a very complex illness, and if you feel your dog is not getting a good enough quality of life, you might want to ask for referral to a veterinary internal medicine specialist.

-Dr. Weaver

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