Dog allergy symptoms are usually similar, regardless of the cause of the allergy, and this doesn’t help when trying to figure out the cause of the problem. However, there are little pointers to keep in mind if you think your dog has an allergy, which can be used to determine a probable cause.
Dogs are no different than humans when it comes to allergies, and dog allergy symptoms are very similar to ours: sneezing, itching, and watery eyes. However, humans generally have a rough idea of what is causing our allergy, and we also know we have one, but your poor dog has no idea what is causing that terrible itch.
She sure can’t tell you, so let’s take a look at the most common dog allergy symptoms and how they can be used to determine what’s causing them. “Maybe” is used because allergies to dogs are notoriously difficult to diagnose, but the dog itself might help.
Itching, redness, and scratching
The itching is caused by irritation of the skin and causes the dog to scratch the affected area. This turns it red and perhaps even inflamed if the dog starts biting and gnawing on the irritation. As inflammation sets in and the immune system kicks in, the dog can get really agitated and distressed. The skin can break down and be subject to bacterial contamination that causes pustules to form.
There are two main causes of these dog allergy symptoms: contact allergens like fleas and food allergies. It is not so much the ‘flea bite’ that causes these symptoms, although it can be irritating, but the saliva of the flea. A flea bite is not an allergic reaction, but many dogs will have an allergic reaction to the flea’s saliva, which is used to prevent blood from clotting while the flea feeds.
Other contact allergens include detergents, hair (even human hair), and some airborne allergens that land on the skin such as pollen, dust mites, and other types of dust; they affect dogs the same way they affect humans. The behavior of dogs suffering from any type of irritating itch is to scratch and rub their fur against the floor, particularly a carpet or something slightly rough. Dogs sometimes sit and walk with their front and back legs on the ground when they have an itchy backside.
Unfortunately, food allergies in dogs can cause the exact same symptoms, but what is being said here is that a dog may also vomit, have loose stools, or abnormal behavior can often coincide with a change in food. If you notice this and change the food back to normal, then the problem should go away. Alternatively, try only canned food, preferably organic if you can afford it, and that should cure a food allergy.
Running eyes, licking paws
Just like humans are affected by pollen, hay fever is also a form of allergy to dogs. Their skin can become irritated so they can scratch with most of the above symptoms, but what is being said here is that female dogs are more affected than dogs and their eyes tend to water just like humans. Not only that, but another of the specific symptoms of dog allergy is licking their paws.
They do this to relieve itchy paws, and you need to examine your feet carefully because ticks and fleas can pick up off the lawn and of course dogs don’t usually wear shoes so they can get all kinds of infections when they do. they are outside, not just allergens. However, when walking in clover fields, or even among daisies and buttercups in your garden, they may experience severe itching from pollen, in which case their eyes will not get wet, but will be seen to lick their paws excessively and, sometimes even biting them.
So while it is difficult to establish the exact cause of dog allergy symptoms, you can reduce it by keeping your eyes open and observing your dog’s behavior. You can usually tell a contact allergen from a food allergy, and hay fever can often be diagnosed based on the time of year, your dog’s exposure, and the way his eyes are wet or licked. The paws.
However, if you are unsure and your dog suffers and shows extreme symptoms of canine allergy, you should act safely and visit the vet.