Pet Allergy Treatment
Just like humans, allergies are quite common in pets. They include food allergies, skin allergies or even allergies to fleas and ticks. Is your pet scratching, chewing or licking excessively? Are you noticing discolored fur or hair loss? While it is often hard to tell if a dog or cat is being playful by rolling around or if they’re actually extremely itchy, these can all be symptoms of allergies in pets. Believe it or not, at Passion Fur Paws, about ten percent of all allergy cases that we see in dogs stem from allergic reactions to their food or treats!
If your pet is experiencing any excessive itching, skin rashes, repetitive ear infections or persistent gastrointestinal distress, please give us a call and we will discuss different tests to figure out what will make your pet the most comfortable in the long run.
What Are Pet Environmental Allergies?
Environmental allergies occur when there is an exaggerated immune response to an allergen. An allergen is a protein that comes from exposure to things like tree pollen, grass pollen, dander and flea saliva. Your pet can develop antibodies to an allergen and then overreact to it. This leads to skin inflammation and itchiness.
You’ll notice a lot of scratching and biting in order to alleviate this itchiness. Unfortunately, it typically results in even more skin issues, such as red, puffy skin, bleeding, sores and permanent skin damage.
This overreaction of the body's immune system to the allergen can lead to extreme discomfort and secondary issues such as infection, which can get pricey! Let us talk you through the options to avoid these break outs in future instances to keep a happier, healthier pet!
How Do You Diagnose and Treat My Pet’s Environmental Allergy?
Looking for a vet near you who performs allergy testing? Passion Fur Paws may start out by performing blood work, skin scrapes and/or may send out blood or skin samples to a lab for more specific testing to determine your pet's allergy. If we feel it is needed, we may refer you to a veterinary dermatologist for a more thorough assessment if it is in the best interest of your pet.
Once we know what your pet is allergic to, we can consider desensitization therapy using medications or injections. Environmental allergies can also be treated with medication or medicated baths for symptomatic control. We will discuss your pet’s unique condition and work with you to determine the best treatment.
What Is a Food Allergy?
Food allergies are quite common and occur in your pet when there is an overreaction of the immune system to a particular ingredient in their diet. This can cause a variety of uncomfortable symptoms including gastrointestinal issues, chronic ear inflammation, diarrhea, gas, constant paw licking and more.
How Do You Diagnose and Treat My Pet’s Food Allergy?
With food allergies, we typically see that common culprits are dairy, beef, wheat, egg, chicken, pork, and fish. Unfortunately, these ingredients are all very common in dog and cat foods along with fillers like sweet potato and wheat, which could also be the cause of your pet’s allergies. If we suspect that your dog or cat has a food allergy, we may recommend a dietary elimination trial using a specific food for a period of time. This is not simply a change of food. Rather it is considered a diagnostic test and should be performed under the supervision of a veterinarian.
As it often happens, dogs and cats may very well be allergic to more than one thing, which makes planning an appropriate diet more difficult. That said, we will determine the best food to trial based on your pet’s age, general health, previous diet and the symptoms they are exhibiting. We may recommend a food that is composed of a hydrolyzed protein, which is a protein that is broken up into tiny molecules that the immune system is unlikely to recognize as the “problem ingredient.” In some cases, we may recommend an elimination food trial using a single protein source.
To learn more about pet allergies and treatment or to make an appointment, call us today at 970-485-1916.
