Allergy Mystery
Spring is right around the corner and with it comes the torrential storm of pollen, the constant sniffles, and the barrage of bees. The season is also filled with beautiful blooming flowers, longer and warmer days, and whispers of summertime to look forward to. Each year, more than 100 million people in the United States suffer from allergies caused by food, latex, pollen, seasonal changes, and prescription drugs. Did you know that the same allergies that give us grief, can also have an impact on our four legged friends? Join me as we take a dive deep into pet allergies and what we can do to give them some relief.
Allergic reactions in dogs often have similarities to allergic reactions in humans. Symptoms usually include incessant scratching and itching, upset stomachs, irregular bowel movements, and even hair loss. Reactions can be triggered by a number of allergens ranging from grasses, pollen, mold, medicines, and more.
If you suspect your dog might be suffering, one of the most vital, yet most difficult parts of getting on a treatment plan is identifying what exactly is causing the allergic flare-ups. Once you know, it’s important to take action and limit exposure to the things causing your dog grief. Sometimes that might mean keeping your dog inside more often. It might call for switching to a new brand of dog food or buying food without certain ingredients. You can also take your dog to a local veterinarian for allergy testing to narrow down the possibilities. And as a last resort, there are allergy injections, pills, and antihistamines that can provide an extra helping hand to calm down the reactions.
Nala and Sasha’s vet mentioned that they might have allergies a few years ago during their annual check up and since then, Kris and I have done a great job of mitigating most environmental allergens to keep their itchiness in check. We make sure to bathe them regularly with puppy shampoo and conditioner that’s gentle and soothing and we rub them down with coconut oil to moisturize their skin and coat. They, like some other dogs, are predisposed to having allergies simply based on their breed.
We recently had one of the biggest breakthroughs in solving their allergy mystery and hopefully our trial and error can help someone out there skip a few unnecessary steps to getting their fur baby relief. We changed their dog food from Pedigree Complete Nutrition to Purina Beneful Healthy Weight and both Nala and Sasha’s allergies flared up big time. Nala started scratching incessantly to the point where she was making herself bleed and Sasha had lots of hives and bumps show up on her back that were uncomfortable to the touch.
We had never seen their allergies flare up that bad and that fast. We were almost at our wit's end when it finally hit Kris that it could be the food they were eating that was making them so itchy. We did some research to find a cost effective food that was available in a store near us and settled on getting them Diamond Naturals Skin & Coat. So far, it’s worked wonders in controlling their itchiness and has provided some much needed relief for our fur babies.
It’s estimated that 10% of all canine allergic reactions stem from food. Food allergies typically cause an immune response like hives, facial swelling, itchiness, vomiting, diarrhea, and in some rare cases anaphylaxis similar to severe peanut allergies in humans. Food sensitivities on the other hand don't cause an immune response, but are gradual reactions to certain ingredients in dog food like beef, chicken, eggs, corn, wheat, soy, or milk. Dogs with food sensitivities usually experience vomiting, diarrhea, itchiness, poor skin and coat, and chronic ear or foot infections.
Unfortunately, just like humans, a good percentage of dogs develop some sort of allergy. Many experts believe up to 20% of all dogs will develop allergies over their lifetime, and the typical time of onset is between 1 and 2 years of age. Figuring out the right course of action quickly will help prevent your pooch from being too miserable and itchy.
They always say the outside is fueled by the inside. We definitely found out that it’s not only true for a person’s moral compass, but for their skin health as well. Eating good, healthy, nutritious food is vital for all members of the family, including those that bark.
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Signed,
Jessica Marie
