Common Dog Allergies

Like humans, dogs can experience allergies that cause itching, sneezing, and rashes. Common canine allergies range from environmental allergies to food allergies and often vary in intensity. As a pet owner, it is important to know the different substances that can cause dog allergies and how you can treat them.

Common Environmental Allergies

Just as we can get allergies from the outdoors, so can dogs. As your dog frolics outdoors, you may notice that you dog is experiencing watery eyes, itching, or sneezing.  Dogs can experience these symptoms from things that surround them every day. Common dog environmental allergies include dust, mites, fleas, mold, and pollen from grasses, trees, weeds, and flowers. Like us, all dogs have different immune systems and react differently to the environment around them. It is important to monitor your pet’s health and note any sudden changes that occur. If your dog does begin to experience negative changes due to allergic reactions, it is important to get your dog the help they need. While environmental allergies cannot fully be cured they can be managed through medicine like Corticosteroids, cyclosporine’s, and allergy shots which are administered by veterinarians.

Common Dog Food Allergies

Have you ever felt sick after eating a certain food? If so, it is possible that you may have an allergy or sensitivity to that food. Like you, dogs can be sensitive to certain foods. In fact, 10% of all dog allergies are caused by food allergies. Common dog food allergies include beef, chicken, fish, dairy, lamb, egg, pork and soy. Food allergies may cause different reactions than environmental allergies. With food allergies, your dog may experience gastrointestinal issues including watery bowel movements and gas. If you begin to notice some of these symptoms in your dog it is important to adjust their diet in order to figure out what food is affecting their digestive system.  If this does not work, testing can be done to determine your dog’s food allergy. The best way to treat a dog’s food allergy is to change their diet to exclude the food/foods they are allergic to.

Common Dog Skin Allergies

Dogs can also experience skin allergic reactions from food and environmental causes. When a dog experiences a skin allergy, they often show the following symptoms, chewing on feet, rubbing their face on the carpet, scratching their skin, hair loss, and recurrent ear infections. If you notice any of these symptoms in your dog they are most likely experiencing a common dog allergy that causes itching. To relieve your dog’s itch, our Fortitude Canine Coat & Skin Formula is manufactured to help relieve dog skin itch and help your dog’s coat.   It is not unusual for your dog to experience allergies. However, it is just important that you know the symptoms, control their symptoms, and get them the help that they need. Keep your dog healthy and happy by controlling their allergies!