Allergies in Pets – Tips to alleviate allergies IN Pet

[anu]

Is your pet coughing, itching relentlessly? One of the primary causes of itching is allergies in pets. Pets like humans can have allergies too. The cause of allergies could be due to allergies to fleas, other pets, food and airborne particles.

Flea: The saliva in fleabite has protein that the pet immune system tries to fight with excessive antibodies which leads to the allergic reaction.

Food: Cats are generally allergic to fish, milk, beef, and eggs. Dogs are generally more allergic to beef, soy, chicken, milk, corn, wheat, and eggs. Food allergies can show up any time in the pet life. If it didn't react to the foods in the past does not necessarily rule out allergy in the future.

Contact: Contact allergens include grass, pollen, molds, wool, cotton and plastic. Cats can get sometime become allergic to cat litter too, albeit rare.

Airborne: mold spores, dust, tobacco smoke, and pollens, will activate airborne allergies. Some breeds are more prone to inhalant allergies then others.

Symptoms

Unlike humans, pets don't get watery eyes and runny and stuffy nose.

These allergies could lead to itching, blisters, continuous licking in the area of the itch till blisters or sores appear which then lead to infection. This can also ultimately lead to hair loss.

Diarrhea and vomiting could also be a symptom of food allergy.

Symptoms may also include skin rash, change in skin color, sores or blisters.

Treatment

A veterinarian can do a skin test for food and airborne allergens to isolate the allergies for your pet.

Flea control: Fleas can be removed / reduced by "bombing" the house with insecticide, spraying the yard, and dipping the dog or cat in the flea control solution.

Bathing: Regular baths in cool water using shampoo.

Grooming: Regular grooming and brushing the pet hair will help eliminate flea related allergies.

Food: Allergies caused by food can be best treated by avoidance. The way to find out what the pet is allergic to is through process of elimination i.e. keeping a log of what the pet eat and monitoring the reaction. If there is a reaction soon after eating certain food then start removing those foods and see if the symptom does not appear. Also check with your veterinarian to do an allergy test. Keep food and water in metal, ceramic or glass containers.

Lotions: Use Aloe Vera and Eucalyptus to relieve itching.

Vitamins: Vitamins and minerals will help the immune system.

House : Allergens can stick to carpets very easily. Keep the pet near a hardwood floor or ceramic tile area and away from carpeted area. If carpet area cannot be avoided then steam vapor cleaning of the carpet should help reduce allergens from the carpet. Avoid air fresheners, newsprints, harsh cleaners.

Petting: After petting another pet or animal wash hands before touching your pet.

Air Filter: Adding HEPA air filter to central heating and air conditioner is very useful in removing allergens from the air.

Medication: Consult a veterinarian for expert advice. The veterinarian could prescribe a steroid based spray or medicine. Please note that long term steroid use is not recommended. They sometimes prescribe antihistamines commonly used by humans too. Immunotherapy, a treatment in which pets are exposed to allergens, has shown to reduce allergies in dogs and cats with very high percentage.

Prevention is better than cure applies here. So avoidance is the best way to remove allergic reaction in pets.

Other source: http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2004/404_pets.html


Author: Anu
Resource box info: http://www.AllergyGeneral.com