Pet Allergies
Dealing with pet allergies can be a long and confusing process. Diagnosing the allergies in the first place can be hard. Maybe they are itchy, but only sometimes. Maybe they have weepy eyes during the spring. Maybe they get irritated red paws. Maybe their ears are crusty and smelly. All of these can be signs of allergies! There are two main ways to look at allergies as well, whether they be an environmental or dietary allergy. Allergies can be tested through allergy panels with your vet or third-party sensitivity panels. These can help simplify this process, but are often costly.
Environmental allergens
These types of allergens can be hard to pinpoint because there are so many varieties and may only occur seasonally or conditionally. Common environmental allergies can include the same we deal with: grass, pollen, pests, chemicals, etc. Most of these will manifest with general itchiness and/or eye discharge. Seasonal allergy support can be given during peak periods which may include over the counter allergy tablets like NaturVet Advanced Allergy Support or Vet’s Best Seasonal Allergy Support. Various mushrooms have been shown to be beneficial in combatting seasonal allergies. Certain plants produce quercetin, namely nettle, and can also help naturally combat allergies. Properly treating your pets for pests can also avoid the dreaded flea allergies my dog is subject to. Environmental allergies are mostly impossible to eradicate so managing them is the best we can often do here.
Food Allergens
Food allergens or insenstivities are even more common than environmental ones. They are typically caused by proteins in a food item that enduce histamine response or even digestive inflammatory response and can result in itchy paws, ears, and mouth. They may develope yeasty ears and skin after prolonged exposure to their allergen. Food allergies or insensitivities can also cause digestive upset like diarrhea or vomiting.
The first steps to solving food allergies is to narrow down what the allergy may be. Starting with an elmimination diet using limited ingredient foods (also known as LID) is the best, which limits the amount of ingredients in their diet. Using process of elimination we can better understand what may cause flareups. Common pet food allergens include chicken, beef, grains such as rice or corn, peas, and potatoes. Stick with one recipe such as Acana’s Duck & Pear Limited Ingredient Diet and using only duck based treats may help us confirm that the allergy is or isn’t to duck or pear, or any other ingredient listed on the back panel. Rotating through these LID foods will give us a bigger palette to work with, eliminating foods that cause allergy responses as we go. Allergy symptoms can typically take 2 weeks to leave the body, so as we work through different proteins this is important to keep in mind.
Many pet owners struggle for years to find something that consistently works, but being thorough and commited is the key. Some pet parents may find kibble just doesn’t work because of the sheer amount of ingredients in every recipe, even in a LID food! Raw feeding can be especially advantageous for dogs with allergies. The unprocessed, natural ingredients in raw diets frequently contain fewer additives and preservatives that may trigger allergic reactions. Furthermore, the high-quality proteins and nutrients present in raw food can potentially support a healthier immune system, which may help alleviate the severity of allergy symptoms. Many dog owners have reported noticeable improvements in their allergic pets' skin, coat, and overall well-being after switching to a raw food diet. Come in to HPS to talk about all of our Raw Food options or on how to transitition your pets diet!
Allergies are a dreaded and difficult part of pet ownership and finding solutions can be long winded. Hopefully this article can help those of you struggling with them to find a solution. As always, we are more than happy to help with this process as well.
