Introduction
Allergies are very common in dogs, with approximately 10-15% of them suffering from allergies to environmental allergens like pollen, dust mites, or mold. Allergies can cause dogs a lot of discomfort and significantly impact their quality of life. Some of the most common symptoms of allergies in dogs include itchy skin, excessive licking of their paws or base of tail, ear infections, and skin infections. Allergies can also lead to skin irritation and hair loss if a dog scratches or licks excessively.
Allergies tend to develop when dogs are young, usually before they are 3 years old. Some breeds like Labradors, Golden Retrievers, Bulldogs, and Poodles are more prone to allergies. There are many ways to diagnose, treat, and manage allergies in dogs to provide them relief and allow them to live a comfortable, happy life. Identifying the specific allergen through testing is key so you can take steps to minimize exposure.
Common Allergens for Dogs
Dogs can develop allergic reactions to a variety of substances in their environment. Some of the most common allergens that cause issues for dogs include:
Flea Saliva
Flea bites and flea saliva are among the most prevalent allergens for dogs. The proteins in flea saliva can trigger severe skin irritation, itching, hair loss, hot spots, and secondary skin infections. Dogs with flea allergies may bite and scratch themselves excessively.
Environmental Allergens
Dogs can develop environmental allergies to things like pollen, mold, dust mites, and grass. These allergies cause respiratory issues like sneezing, coughing, and wheezing. They can also lead to irritated, itchy skin and recurrent ear infections.
Food Allergens
Some dogs are allergic to ingredients in their food, like certain proteins, grains, or preservatives. Food allergies typically result in gastrointestinal issues like vomiting, diarrhea, and gas. They can also contribute to skin conditions like hives, rashes, and itching.
Symptoms of Dog Allergies
Allergies can cause a wide range of symptoms in dogs. Some of the most common allergy symptoms in dogs include:
Itchy skin – One of the hallmark signs of allergies in dogs is itchy skin. Allergens like pollen or dust mites can cause a dog’s skin to become intensely itchy. Dogs with allergies may scratch, lick or chew at their skin constantly in an effort to relieve the itchiness.
Ear infections – The ears are a common site of allergic reactions in dogs. Allergies can cause inflammation and itching in the ears. Dogs may shake their heads constantly or scratch at their ears. These behaviors can lead to recurrent ear infections.
Hair loss – Some dogs with allergies can develop hair loss or bald spots. This occurs when a dog’s scratching or licking at skin leads to damage to the hair follicles. Areas like the belly, legs, paws and armpits are most prone to hair loss from allergies.
Hot spots – Hot spots are red, moist, irritated lesions that can suddenly develop on a dog’s skin. They are often seen in dogs with allergies. Hot spots result from intense licking, chewing, scratching or rubbing of the skin. They require veterinary treatment to resolve.
When to Get Your Dog Tested
If your dog is showing persistent symptoms of allergies, it’s important to get them tested and diagnosed. Allergy symptoms in dogs can include itchy skin, ear infections, facial rubbing, sneezing, wheezing, and gastrointestinal issues. These symptoms can greatly impact your dog’s quality of life.
Before assuming allergies, it’s important to rule out other conditions that could be causing your dog’s symptoms. Parasites like fleas or mites can cause skin irritation and itchiness. Bacterial or yeast infections can also mimic allergy symptoms. A vet will be able to examine your dog and potentially run tests to rule out these other culprits.
In general, if your dog is showing allergy symptoms consistently for more than 2-3 weeks, it’s a good idea to have them tested. The earlier you can pinpoint the allergy source, the sooner you can start managing it and relieving your dog’s discomfort.
Skin Testing
Skin testing is one of the most common and effective allergy tests performed by veterinarians. It works by exposing your dog to potential allergen extracts on their skin and evaluating their reaction.
To perform the test, your vet will first shave a small patch of hair on your dog’s side and clean the area. They will then inject or prick your dog’s skin with small amounts of extracts made from likely allergens, such as pollen, dust mites, molds, and proteins from common ingredients in dog foods. After each injection or prick, your vet will check for signs of an allergic reaction, like redness, swelling, and raised welts on the skin.
Skin testing allows veterinarians to definitively identify which specific allergens trigger an IgE-mediated allergic response in your dog. Since the extracts are placed directly on the skin, it provides rapid results. Skin testing is considered to be very accurate when performed properly.
Blood Testing
Blood testing is another common diagnostic method vets use to identify allergies in dogs. This test looks for antibodies to different allergens in your dog’s bloodstream. A vet will take a small blood sample from your dog and send it to a lab for analysis. The lab will expose the blood sample to various common allergens like pollen, dust mites, molds, and proteins from ingredients in food. If your dog has an allergic response and produces antibodies to any of the allergens, it will show up positive on the test.
Blood tests are useful because they can identify exactly what allergens your dog is reacting to. This helps vets recommend specific allergen avoidance and therapies tailored to your dog. Blood tests check for antibodies to over 100 potential allergens at once with a single blood draw. The drawback is that the tests can be more expensive than skin tests. Blood tests also cannot identify food allergies as reliably as skin or elimination diet tests. But overall, blood allergy tests are a convenient and thorough way to uncover the substances triggering your dog’s allergic responses.
Elimination Diet
An elimination diet can help identify which ingredients your dog may be allergic to. This involves removing certain foods from your dog’s diet, then slowly reintroducing them one at a time to see if any trigger an allergic reaction.
To start an elimination diet, switch your dog to a hypoallergenic formula without common allergens like beef, dairy, chicken, lamb, fish, eggs, corn, wheat or soy. Feed this limited diet for at least 8 weeks. If your dog’s symptoms improve, that indicates a food allergy.
Then reintroduce ingredients slowly, one at a time, while monitoring your dog’s reaction. If symptoms reappear after adding an ingredient, your dog may have an allergy to it. Take this ingredient back out of the diet.
Keep feeding the limited diet that doesn’t cause any reactions. Work with your vet to ensure it provides complete and balanced nutrition. An elimination diet can be challenging but can pinpoint food allergies without extensive testing.
At-Home Allergy Tests
One option for testing your dog for allergies from home is to use a mail-in saliva test kit. These at-home allergy tests allow you to collect a saliva sample from your dog in the comfort of your home and mail it to a lab for analysis. The lab will test your dog’s saliva for IgE antibodies to various environmental allergens like pollens, dust mites, and molds. Within a few weeks, you will receive a report identifying which allergens your dog reacted to.
At-home saliva tests for environmental allergies in dogs are easy to use. You simply need to collect a saliva sample using the included collection swab and fill out a form with your dog’s information. The sample and form are then mailed off to the lab in a prepaid envelope. This can be a convenient way to test for environmental allergies without needing to make a trip to the vet. The disadvantage is that these tests don’t provide information on food allergies or symptom severity. But they can be a good starting point in identifying environmental triggers for your dog’s allergies.
Allergy Shots
Allergy shots, also known as allergen immunotherapy or desensitization, can be an effective treatment option for dogs with allergies. Allergy shots involve administering small amounts of the allergens your dog is sensitive to, with the goal of building up tolerance over time.
To start allergy shot treatment, your veterinarian will first identify the specific allergens that are causing your dog problems through allergy testing. Once the allergens are identified, a specialized serum is created that contains tiny amounts of those allergens.
The allergy shot serum is customized specifically for your dog based on the test results. Your dog will start with a very low dose. At regular veterinary visits, your dog will receive an injection of the serum, with the dosage slowly increased over time. The goal is to gradually expose your dog’s immune system to the allergens so it no longer overreacts to them.
It can take several months for allergy shots to reach maximum effectiveness. However, with consistent treatments, allergy shots can often significantly reduce your dog’s allergy symptoms and need for medications over the long term. Allergy shots are very safe for most dogs but do carry a small risk of anaphylaxis, so shots should always be administered at a veterinary clinic.
Managing Allergies
It can be difficult to completely avoid allergens, but taking some precautions can help minimize your dog’s exposure. Keep your home as clean and dust-free as possible. Vacuum and clean furniture frequently with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter vacuum. Wash bedding often in hot water. Consider investing in an air purifier with a HEPA filter as well. Limit exposure to irritants like cigarette smoke, perfumes, cleaning products, and scented candles.
Talk to your veterinarian about antihistamines or other medications that can help control allergy symptoms. Steroids may be prescribed for short-term use in severe cases. Your vet may also recommend immunotherapy, where small amounts of the allergen are gradually introduced to desensitize your dog. This is very effective for environmental allergies and is typically given as allergy shots.
While it may take some trial and error, most dogs can live comfortably with allergies through a combination of avoidance, medication, and immunotherapy. With diligent management, you can help provide relief and let your pup live their best life.