One of the most common appointments I see is for itchy and scratchy dogs, and even some cats. Allergies. How frustrating. Not only for the poor dogs and cats affected, but also for the pet owners, and also for the Veterinarians. There’s no sugar-coating this subject - allergies stink.
Allergies come in two forms: Environmental and Food. Environmental allergies are more common than food allergies, but both are difficult to manage. I could write ten posts or more on this subject, but we’ll just try to cover some of the basic information in this one post.
First, environmental allergies. Some pets will struggle with this only in the spring, others only in the fall, others will struggle year-round. To have environmental allergies means that your dog or cat is allergic, or highly sensitive, to something in their “environment.”
This could mean inside or outside. Outdoor allergies are easier for my clients to understand, because some of them have seasonal allergies as well. When the grasses, pollens, trees, molds, or flowers are in bloom, your pet may start to sneeze, scratch, develop a skin or ear infection, develop an odor, and have an overall red appearance to their skin. Most people don’t know that the underlying cause for most ear infections in dogs is an allergy. Yes, swimming and rolling in the snow - anything that causes the inner ear to get wet and stay wet for a prolonged period of time - can exacerbate this problem, but usually there is an underlying allergy to blame. For those pets whose symptoms are primarily in the fall months, usually once the first hard frost comes in the northern states, the pet will get a lot of relief.
Okay, so we’ve discussed that the outdoor grasses, trees, molds, etc, can cause problems, but what inside the house can cause problems?
The biggest indoor allergen for dogs and cats are dust and storage mites. You and I can’t see these little critters; only a microscope can find them. You can be the best cleaner in the world, and your home will still have dust and storage mites. These live in our mattresses, pillows, on surfaces, etc. Oftentimes when I do allergy testing on dogs, this will be the primary allergen listed on the pet’s report.
Next, let’s discuss food allergies. There are a lot of misconceptions out there regarding food allergies in pets.
So many clients would come to me stating that their pet has a “grain” allergy and therefore the dog is on grain-free food. NOPE. This in fact, is very rare. It is MUCH MUCH MUCH more common to be allergic to the protein in the diet than the grain. We are talking beef, chicken, lamb, soy, etc. As a side note, it is very important to feed your dog a food that DOES have the grain in it. An ongoing study at Cornell University has found that a number of large breed dogs being fed grain-free diets are developing heart disease. These grains are incredibly important in your dog’s diet.
What can we do for allergies? The answer is that there is no single magic bullet for allergies. Often pets will be on a myriad of medications, shampoos, or diets to “control” the allergies.
Allergies cannot be “cured,” they can only be managed. And, these treatments need to be continued for the life of your pet. Some seasons/years may be better or worse than others, but the allergy will continue throughout your pet’s life. This is where the frustration comes from many pet owners. Yes, allergy treatments can be expensive, and yes, you will need to see your Veterinarian often.
For environmental allergies, your Veterinarian may discuss antihistamines as a first line of defense. An example of this would be Benadryl.
Only the mildest of allergies are helped by an antihistamine, but it’s a nice place to start. Always discuss any over the counter medication with your Veterinarian prior to giving it to your pet. Some antihistamines can have deadly side effects; your Veterinarian knows which are safe and the correct dosage. Another thing your Veterinarian may discuss with you is steroid treatment. These are very inexpensive, work very well, but do come with a number of side effects. Pets on steroids may drink more, urinate more, eat more, gain weight, have hair loss, and over time the liver can be affected. I love steroids, but think they need to be used for the shortest time necessary, and at the smallest effective dose that helps the pet’s symptoms. 
Atopica, an immune system modifying drug, is another oral medication that has helped countless dogs with allergies, but is quite expensive. A newer option to the drug market is a drug called Apoquel. It is fantastic, but it is also expensive. Pets with allergies have done tremendously on this Apoquel. Finally, another newer medication given by injection every 4-8 weeks is a drug called Cytopoint. This has also been a game-changer for dogs with allergies. For cats with allergies, our options are somewhat limited. Steroids work well, but can cause diabetes in cats if given for too long. Atopica has worked very very well, but as you just read, is more expensive.
Food allergies are typically managed by a change in diet. While this may sound easy, it is quite difficult for a number of reasons. First, this is a very STRICT diet change. Again, most allergies are due to the protein in the diet, so we need to change the protein to a new or NOVEL protein.
Often this is Venison, Bison, Rabbit, Kangaroo, or simply a Hydrolyzed diet (where the protein - even chicken - is broken down to the amino acid level) so the body doesn’t recognize it as a protein anymore. When a pet is on a novel or hydrolyzed diet, the pet owner also needs to be very careful about what treats the animal is given. If you are spending a lot more money on a novel protein diet for your pet, but then give them chicken jerky as a treat, you’ve just wasted all of your time and money on trying to treat your pet’s allergy with a new and expensive food. Multiple pet households can present a huge challenge if one pet has a food allergy and the other pets do not. Separating pets at feeding time, picking up bowls, and not sharing toys can become very challenging at home. If your Veterinarian recommends a diet trial, there are many great foods out there, most made by Science Diet, Royal Canin, or Purina.
In addition to oral medications or a diet change, some pets also need to be on a short or long course of antibiotics or ear medication during an allergy flair.
Skin infections and ear infections are common and recurrent with allergies. Also, your Veterinarian may recommend a medicated shampoo as part of your pet’s treatment plan. These shampoos often have anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and calming ingredients that can really make a difference in your pet’s comfort level, and can shorten the treatment course with other medications.
Finally, let’s discuss allergy testing. This can be done in a couple of ways. The easiest way is by drawing blood from your dog or cat and sending it to a special lab to complete the allergy testing. This is only useful for environmental allergy testing. This is not useful for food allergy testing. Even though these companies offer food allergy testing by blood draw, I do not recommend spending your money on it. I’ve even tried to talk a client out of it, but she was adamant. When I called the testing company to ask a couple questions about their various allergy tests, the Veterinarian there even asked if I was sure I wanted to order the test. Once the allergy blood test results are returned, recommendations can be made as to which allergens to treat for. A specialized treatment can be made for your pet with their specific allergens. This can be administered by injection or by squirting the medication under the tongue to help "desensitize" your pet from what they are allergic to.
The gold standard for allergy testing is Intradermal Skin Testing with a Veterinary Dermatologist. This is very similar to human allergy testing. The Dermatologist will shave a relatively large patch of fur on your dog or cat’s side and will then inject a tiny amount of various allergens under the skin to see where a red inflamed area develops. This will tell them what allergens your pet is allergic to. This testing gives very accurate results, but is more costly than the blood testing.
For food allergy testing, the only reliable method is doing a strict diet trial for 6-8 weeks. During this time we slowly convert your dog or cat from their current diet to a hypoallergenic diet (new protein or hydrolyzed protein) over the course of 2 weeks. Then, for the next 6 weeks, the only thing your pet eats is the new, special diet. No treats, no human food, nothing else. Usually, if your pet was allergic to the protein in their current diet, you will see dramatic improvement over the weeks on the new diet.
While there are a number of other causes for an itchy dog or cat (to be covered in other posts) this is one diagnosis your Veterinarian may consider. Call them today to schedule an examination for your pet to help them feel better faster!
Allergies come in two forms: Environmental and Food. Environmental allergies are more common than food allergies, but both are difficult to manage. I could write ten posts or more on this subject, but we’ll just try to cover some of the basic information in this one post.
First, environmental allergies. Some pets will struggle with this only in the spring, others only in the fall, others will struggle year-round. To have environmental allergies means that your dog or cat is allergic, or highly sensitive, to something in their “environment.”
Okay, so we’ve discussed that the outdoor grasses, trees, molds, etc, can cause problems, but what inside the house can cause problems?
Next, let’s discuss food allergies. There are a lot of misconceptions out there regarding food allergies in pets.
What can we do for allergies? The answer is that there is no single magic bullet for allergies. Often pets will be on a myriad of medications, shampoos, or diets to “control” the allergies.
Allergies cannot be “cured,” they can only be managed. And, these treatments need to be continued for the life of your pet. Some seasons/years may be better or worse than others, but the allergy will continue throughout your pet’s life. This is where the frustration comes from many pet owners. Yes, allergy treatments can be expensive, and yes, you will need to see your Veterinarian often.
For environmental allergies, your Veterinarian may discuss antihistamines as a first line of defense. An example of this would be Benadryl.
Food allergies are typically managed by a change in diet. While this may sound easy, it is quite difficult for a number of reasons. First, this is a very STRICT diet change. Again, most allergies are due to the protein in the diet, so we need to change the protein to a new or NOVEL protein.
In addition to oral medications or a diet change, some pets also need to be on a short or long course of antibiotics or ear medication during an allergy flair.
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| Courtesy: Heska |
The gold standard for allergy testing is Intradermal Skin Testing with a Veterinary Dermatologist. This is very similar to human allergy testing. The Dermatologist will shave a relatively large patch of fur on your dog or cat’s side and will then inject a tiny amount of various allergens under the skin to see where a red inflamed area develops. This will tell them what allergens your pet is allergic to. This testing gives very accurate results, but is more costly than the blood testing.
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| Courtesy: Animal Dermatology and Allergy Specialists |
For food allergy testing, the only reliable method is doing a strict diet trial for 6-8 weeks. During this time we slowly convert your dog or cat from their current diet to a hypoallergenic diet (new protein or hydrolyzed protein) over the course of 2 weeks. Then, for the next 6 weeks, the only thing your pet eats is the new, special diet. No treats, no human food, nothing else. Usually, if your pet was allergic to the protein in their current diet, you will see dramatic improvement over the weeks on the new diet.
While there are a number of other causes for an itchy dog or cat (to be covered in other posts) this is one diagnosis your Veterinarian may consider. Call them today to schedule an examination for your pet to help them feel better faster!
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