Dog Allergy Symptoms Are A Warning You Need To Listen To

Dogs can suffer with allergies as well as people. There are certain dog allergy symptoms that can alert you that your dog is having a reaction to something in his environment. It could be something he has eaten, something that is eating him or it may just be something in the air.

The most common allergy to affect dogs is an allergic reaction to fleas. Symptoms of a flea allergy are easy to spot. Constant scratching and biting of the dogs coat around his tail or hind leg area are a sure indication of fleas. Fortunately this is relatively easy to overcome. Simply shampoo your dog with a quality anti-flea shampoo regularly. You will have to be persistent with this until the flea life-cycle has been broken.

A good natural way to soothe an itchy dog is to bathe him in a solution of oatmeal or aloe-vera. It may be a good idea to invest in a flea collar to prevent re-infestation and don't forget to treat his bedding at the same time.

Dog allergy symptoms from food are not as easy to deal with. These include mainly vomiting and diarrhea. The most common allergens in a typical dog's diet are soy, corn, wheat and dairy - all the foods he's not really supposed to be eating! Try cutting these ingredients out and see if the symptoms improve. You may have to prepare your dog's meals for a while if you can't find a high protein commercial brand in the shops. Your vet may be able to organise an allergy test if you are unable to find the source of the allergy through any other means.

Other causes of dog allergy symptoms include pollutants in the air. This may be dust and mold inside the house or pollen and dust outside. Regular vacuuming and cleaning will keep the dust down inside, but it's not possible to control the air outside the house. On bad days your dog may be better off inside, or you could ask the vet for some antihistamines which will lower your dog's sensitivity to a range of allergens.

Last on the list of potential dog allergy symptoms are those from contact allergies. Similar to contact dermatitis in humans, dogs may develop a rash when exposed to the allergen. Some possibilities are wool, soap powder and even plastic. Common sense may be used here by simply substituting a low allergenic material, such as glass or metal for a higher one, such as plastic and rinsing your dog's bedding to rid it of any traces of detergent.

As you can see, allergy symptoms in dogs are very similar to those in humans and the remedy in most cases is much the same. Allergies, if caught early should not cause any damage to your dog's health, but if left untreated can cause ill health and even death in extreme cases. Always consult your vet if your dog is showing any symptoms that can't be easily explained.