Your dog starts to eat its paw and scratch its head, or start scratching the couch postfully. What happened? One of the first things people look at is the food. Pet owners ask themselves why a pet would al of the sudden develop food allergies.
Confusing symptoms is one of the ways pet allergies differ from food alergies. Skin irritations can be caused from food, other allergens, and even come from other conditions.
The real concern should be on the reason for the itching as opposed to simply identifying the itch cause.
Environmental allergies can have many causes
Some pets develop itches and skin problems from things they encounter or experience. As an example, one of the most common triggers of an allergy reaction is pollen. Molds, mites, and grass can also be triggered.
Some of the cases may be more difficult to identify than others. One example may be a dog that starts constantly licking its paws after going outside. It can also be the case of constant itching only during a particular season. Whereas, a different pet may experience troubles throughout the year because the cause is something that is present indoors.
Other signs may be the development of red skin and continuous ear irritation caused by excessive licking. These may be accompanied by bald spots on the pet.
Animal Dermatologists in Vancouver should be consulted if skin issues seem to be persistent and originate from undetermined causes. Food allergies in pets have similar symptoms to environmental allergies, so identifying them can be difficult.
For example, pets can develop food allergies at any time, even after many years on the same food. As with environmental allergies, allergic reactions to food can cause itchy skin, chewing and scratching at the ears, and chronic ear infections. A reaction can also cause a pet to develop digestive problems and have diarrhea.
Since food allergies have similar symptoms with many other allergies and symptoms alone are not enough evidence to say the pet has a food allergy, your vet will consider the pet’s overall symptoms and history and take into account the pet’s diet, the places where the pet is exposed to allergens, and if the symptoms you see the pet exhibit change with the seasons.
How about fleas?
Fleas are very likely to have allergic dermatitis. Itchy skin, even in the absence of seeing fleas, indicates the presence of fleas if your pet is very sensitive to flea bites.
Using heartworm prevention and flea control are the basics of routine pet care. If your pet continues to itch and you use good flea control, your vet wil check for other possible causes of your pet’s itch.
But how do vets figure this out?
There is no single test to answer all allergy questions. When deciding which steps to take next, food allergies are simpler to rule out in most pets than environmental allergies. Your vet may recommend performing a food elimination diet. Unlike conventional wisdom, these diets are not as simple as buying different food. In order to gather the results of the diet, they must be followed with a high level of dietary restriction and should be supplemented only by approved treats.
If your pet is afflicted with environmental allergies, a different approach must be taken. Your vet will take the pattern of the symptoms you have shown and rule out other possibilities before taking the next steps. Because of this, it is often better to avoid changing your pet’s food yourself.
When should you seek help?
Scratching is a natural behavior, but scratching that causes the skin to become raw or irritated is a fact that you should be concerned about. An appointment should be booked for your pet if your pet is suffering from persistent itching, has frequent ear problems, is suffering hair loss, has open sores, or is showing clear discomfort and behavioral changes due to itching. Early care can help reduce the risk of a minor skin problem becoming a wider infection.
FAQ
1. Can a dog develop food allergies?
Yes, food allergies can develop even if your dog has been on the same diet for several years.
2. Does itchy skin mean an allergy?
Not at al, that itchy skin can be caused by several other skin problems and a large variety of other skin infections and parasitic infestations.
3. Should my dog’s food be changed?
I *strongly* I recommend you cal your vet before doing that.
4. Can cats have allergies?
Cats can have allergies, too. In fact, cats may develop allergic skin problems through excessive grooming. Instead of visible scratching, cats may show symptoms through obsessive grooming.
Help for an Uncomfortable Pet
Watching your pet itch on a daily basis can be a frustrating experience for any pet owner. The cause may actualy be a variety of problems that include food, environment, or parasites. An experienced veterinarian can determine your pet’s problem and the appropriate course of
treatment.
Alpenlofts Veterinary Hospital will help pet owners resolve their pet’s itchy skin and develop a comprehensive approach to their pet’s care and medical treatment.
