DOG ALLERGIES – INHALANT  ALLERGIES

CAUSES OF INHALANT ALLERGIES – Some reasons dogs get allergies can be from inhaling grass pollen or other pollens.

Your dog may show signs of pollen or dust allergies by scratching or biting themselves, licking paws, rubbing their face on the carpet or grass and shaking their head for relief.

Some of these inhalant allergies are only seasonal. Some dogs may deal with grass pollen only in the spring and summer. Whereas some other pollens could be a problem in late summer and autumn.

Other causes can be household dust, mold spores, and other irritants. In these situations, the inhalant allergy is not seasonal, rather year-around.

MEDICATIONS FOR INHALANT ALLERGIES

To help relieve the itching, you can treat your dog by giving him cool baths with shampoos or rinses with the ingredients aloe vera, oatmeal or eucalyptus. These ingredients are soothing to the dog’s skin. His skin will begin to heal as the allergen goes away.

You can alter your dog’s diet eg: including Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids, or by purchasing dog food for allergies. Always read the dog food’s packaging labels to ensure these are included. Giving your dog a healthy diet containing vitamins and minerals will help improve his overall health, coat and skin.

In more extreme cases of inhalant allergies, there are pet meds like, antibiotic and drug therapy treatments. Talk to your vet about what options are best for your dog. Be sure to keep your home, including the areas of the house where your dog spends most of his time very clean. Vacuum the floors, furniture and dust regularly.

Even by proceeding with this routine, it is important to point out that your dog’s allergies may not fully recover. Therefore, you may have to experiment to find the solution that works for your dog. If you find that nothing seems to work, a vet may recommend a pet medication called prednisone (or other type of steroid). This will interfere with the immune system so the dog’s body won’t consider the allergens as invaders.

Steroids should ONLY be used according to the Vet’s recommendations.

Excessive use of steroids can cause dog health problems like liver problems for the dog. For older dogs, it can create a form of Cushing’s disease. Other side effects of steroids are that it can cause the dog to have an increase in appetite and thirst. This can lead to frequent urination, which can cause more aggression for some dogs.

Consult your vet first before you try any pet meds or feed dog food for allergies. Dog allergies can be a serious problem for your dogs and can make his life very uncomfortable.

Reference:  http://www.dogfooddangers.com/news/inhalant-dog-allergies.php