Pets Get Allergies, Too
WE AREN'T THE ONLY ONES WHO SUFFER MISERABLE SYMPTOMS FROM ALLERGIES, OUR PETS DO TOO!
DOGS AND CATS, JUST LIKE HUMANS, ARE PRONE TO ALLERGIC REACTIONS, ONLY THERE'S NO SNIFFLING, SNEEZING OR WATERY EYES TO GIVE THEM AWAY.
DEBBYE TURNER OUR VETERINARY CORRESPONSENT IS HERE TO EXPLAIN HOW YOU CAN SPOT ALLERGIES IN YOUR OWN PET AND HOW THOSE ALLERGIES CAN BE TREATED.
BACKGROUND:
(From healthypet.com)
HOW DO ANIMALS GET ALLERGIES?
The same way humans do. Animals have allergic reactions because their immune system -- the system that protects the body from foreign and potentially infectious substances -- overreacts to some material. Almost anything -- pollen, dust, an ingredient in pet food, a household chemical, an insect bite -- can set off an alarm in the immune system, causing it to pump out large amounts of white blood cells, hormones, and other material called histamines into the bloodstream. The result for animals can be a range of different effects, including itchy, swollen skin -- known as pruritis -- difficulty breathing, or a disruption of the digestive tract such as vomiting of diarrhea. These symptoms are the animal equivalent of a person's sneezing, runny nose or watery eyes.
Allergies can't be cured. They are life-long, chronic problems. The good news is that there is
A LOT you can do to help your pet get better. The best way to start is to find out what your pet is allergic to, so you can keep that allergen out of his or her environment. Animal allergies generally fall under four main categories:
CONTACT ALLERGIES:
These are the the least common type of allergy in animals. They happen when an animal's skin comes in contact with the material he's allergic to - if he rubs his face against a wool blanket, he's allergic to wool. The chemicals in flea collars can cause this as well. (NOTE: WE WILL HAVE A PHOTO OF BOTH A DOG WITH A WOOL REACTION AND A CAT WITH A FLEA COLLAR REACTION) The skin at the point of contact will be irritated -- it may itch, become thickened or discolored and have a strong odor. It will also lose hair due to constant biting or scratching. Contact allergies are usually not hard to solve. You can try removing different materials that your pet touches until you find one that irritates his or her skin.
FOOD ALLERGIES:
Diet can be a complicated factor in pet allergies. Most animals are not born with allergies to food; their immune systems develop an allergic response over time to some part of their diet, often one of the animal proteins. A food allergy can present in a lot of different ways, including the itching, digestive disorders, and respiratory distress already mentioned. (WE WILL HAVE A PHOTO OF A DOG WITH RAW PAWS FROM SCRATCHING) You may have to keep your furry friend on a special hypoallergenic (non-allergy-causing) died for eight to twelve weeks to see how he or she reacts. You may want to do it several times with several different diets before you find one that doesn't cause an alergic reaction. While you're feeding these test diets, you'll have to make sure that your pet doesn't eat any treats, vitamins, scraps or plants. He has to eat the test diet exclusively for the entire eight to twelve weeks to determine whether he has an allergic reaction to it.
INHALANT ALLERGIES:
These are the kinds that humans are most used to. Just like us, our pets get hay fever, meaning they can be allergic to the pollen and mold that fills the outside air during the spring an fall. they can also be allergic to the dust mites, mildew, and mold that can be inside every home. These kinds of allergens usually produce severe itching in pets, which is usually concentrated in the ears, feet, groin and armpits, though it can be spread across the entire body. Dogs in particular may develop hairless, irritated "hot spots" from constantly chewing on and scratching the affected skin. (WE WILL HAVE TWO PHOTOS OF A CAT WITH INHALANT SYMPTOMS) If you find that your pets allergies may be seasonal, you may be able to limit his outdoor time during allergy season. If its an indoor allergy - there's not much you can do to keep him away from whatever he's allergic to, though an air filter and vacuuming might offer some relief.
FLEA ALLERGIES:
This is an extremely common problem for pets, possibly the most common problem. Animals aren't actually allergic to fleas themselves, they're allergic to the protein that fleas secrete in their saliva when they bite. Affected animals can itch severely from a single bite for over five days! (WE WILL HAVE A TWO PHOTOS OF A DOGS REACTION TO A FLEA BITE) If you suspect your pet is allergic to fleas, you're going to have to work very hard to keep the little pests away. Frequent baths are a good idea, as are the prescription flea applications and pills. You also want to treat your pet's environment, including any bedding or carpeting that he comes in contact with.
When the above fails - there are some added things your veterinarian can do to help alleviate your pets suffering:
STEROIDS - reduces animal's immune response to an allergen. Steroid treatment can help your pet even if you can't determine what he' s allergic to or how he's being exposed. There is a big risk -- They can have several side effects, however, and they can affect nearly every organ in the body. Side effects include: weight gain, increased thirst and urination and increased aggression and other behavior changes. Steroid are generally used if the allergy occurs for a short amount of tie, because long-term use makes animals more prone to infection.
IMMUNOTHERAPY - allergy shots are probably the best treatment option but its the most time consuming and the most work. They are one of the safest and most effective ways to treat allergies. The animal is given regularity, almost weekly, amounts of allergens to gradually desensitize the immune system to the allergen. This could take 6-12 months to see improvement.
ANTIHISTAMINES - just like allrgy medicines that people take, these drugs work to block the chemicals released by the immune system called histamines. This reduces the itching and inflammation associated with allergies. Just like in humans, these drugs can cause sluggishness and drowsiness.
SYMPTOMATIC TREATMENT - Even if none of the above treatments are effective, you can still give your pet some major relief by simply treating his symptoms as they come up. Soothing shampoos that contain oatmeal or Epsom salts work. Ointments, sprays or lotions prescribed by the vet may also help reduce itching and irritations. These "home remedies" may give temporary relief, but still do NOTHING to address the cause of the allergy. You must still consult your vet for proper diagnosis and treatment.
COST - BREAKDOWN OF ABOVE VETERINARY TREATMENTS:
These are ballpark figures:
allergy test itself $300 (skin patch test)
steroids - approx. $20 every couple months
immunotherapy - serum costs in the range of $200 over the first year
antihistamines - $20-$30 a month
symptomatic - good shampoos cost $16-20 a bottle
PRE-INTERVIEW(S):
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