If you have a dog or cat that has been diagnosed with allergies, you know how frustrating the condition can be. Allergies cannot be cured, only managed, and while the typical symptoms of itching, chronic skin problems, and ear infections are not life threatening, they certainly adversely affect a pet's quality of life.
An allergy occurs when the body misidentifies a harmless substance as a potential threat and mounts a certain immune response against it. Common canine and feline allergens fall into three categories.
- Environmental triggers like pollen, mold, and dust mites that cause problems when they are inhaled or come in contact with the skin
- Ingredients in food that initiate an allergic reaction (which may be gastrointestinal in nature) when eaten
- Fleas
It is not uncommon for pets to have multiple allergies or to develop new ones, as they get older.
The most important part of allergy treatment is avoiding the triggers that set off the reaction. Flea-allergic pets need to receive a highly effective flea preventative year-round. A food trial is the only way to diagnose what ingredients a dog or cat might be allergic to. Pets must eat absolutely nothing but a diet that does not contain common allergens like beef, dairy products, wheat, lamb, chicken, eggs, and in cats, fish, or one that is made from hydrolyzed proteins (i.e., proteins that have been broken down into such small pieces that they do not stimulate the immune system). If the pet's symptoms improve on the new diet, a food allergy has been confirmed, and owners can either choose to continue with the food used during the trial or reintroduce ingredients one-by-one to identify and subsequently avoid a pet's individual allergy triggers.
Eliminating environmental allergens is more difficult. Intradermal skin testing can let owners know what their pets are allergic to, but completely avoiding contact with pollen, mold, dust mites, etc. is impossible. One often overlooked tool to reduce a pet's exposure to environmental allergens is bathing. A dog or cat's fur traps allergens next to the skin, and a weekly bath is the easiest way to remove them. Medicated shampoos and rinses can also be used to treat the inflammation that is caused by allergic skin disease. Nutritional supplements and topical products containing omega-3 fatty acids and other ingredients help reduce inflammation and enhance the natural barrier function of the skin.
If bathing and supplements do not provide a pet with sufficient relief from environmental allergies, it's time to consider hyposensitization therapy (i.e., "allergy shots") and/or immunosuppressive medications. Hyposensitization therapy is only an option for dogs that have undergone intradermal skin testing. During this lengthy process, frequent injections of a pet's allergic triggers are given to desensitize its immune system. Hyposensitization will often reduce if not eliminate a pet's symptoms. Immunosuppressive medications like prednisone or cyclosporine are typically very effective treatments for allergies, but they can have significant side effects and require that a pet's overall health be closely monitored.
Remember, managing allergies is a life-long endeavor. Talk to your veterinarian about which options are best for you and your pet.
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