Tips On Treating Dog Allergies
Tue ,02/03/2010Allergies in dogs cause them to scratch themselves and lick the area of inflammation until sores develop on their skins. Due to the constant itching and scratching these sores become infected and pus formation occurs in them. In severe cases, dogs suffer from loss of hair. There are various options available to you in the form of both symptomatic relief and specific medication.
If you find your dog with allergic symptoms, try bathing it with cool water on a regular basis. You can provide additional relief by using eucalyptus and aloe vera based shampoos. You can also feed your dog a diet rich in minerals, vitamins and fatty acids to help in the healing process.
Several medicines can be used to treat allergic symptoms such as antihistamines or steroids like prednisone. Antibiotics can be used to treat infections. However, prolonged use of this kind of medication can lead to complications such as low immunity or liver related problems. Therefore, check with your veterinarian before giving your dog any of these medicines.
A popular option nowadays is to give your dog shots to prevent allergies from developing. However, these shots are expensive and may take even anything between a week to a year before starting to show results.
There are several other ways in which you can protect your dog from allergies. Atopy, which is caused by mold or pollen, can be kept at bay by vacuuming and cleaning those areas around which your dog stays.
For flea allergies, the best solution is to control the fleas and if possible, get rid of them completely. In order to keep fleas at bay, you need to brush your dog’s coat and groom it regularly. Anti-flea products like sprays, foggers and flea shampoos are also effective in curbing fleas.
If your dog is suffering from food allergies try and make modifications in the diet to make it hypoallergenic. Now start introducing a certain type of food at a time and see if your dog reacts to it. This will help you identify the allergen and you can then completely eliminate it from your dog’s diet.
The best way to keep your dog free from allergies is to avoid the allergens that cause the disease in the first place. This will automatically reduce the incidence of allergic reactions and help your pet in leading a healthy life. Therefore, the best cure for dog allergies is prevention.
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