Pet Allergies Part 1: Introduction, Causes and Symptoms

Allergies – whether it develops in human or in pet, the key cause behind it is the over-sensitive immune system toward everyday substances (allergens) like dust, mold spores, mites and food additives. With this long list, it seems tentative to determine what is causing your pet to itch so badly. So, as a pet parent, how can you determine the exact cause of your pup’s misery? The simplest way is to increase awareness and keep an eye on the most common signs that point to a pet allergy or intolerance.

In first part of pet allergies, we will explain some common signs and symptoms to look for when your pet is dealing with a allergies and how they develop in pet.

Let’s Take a Glimpse on Symptoms of Pet Allergies:

·         Itchy, reddened, inflamed and sore skin

·         Watery, runny or bloodshot eyes

·         Scratching, rubbing, Licking or nibbling around affected areas

·         Excess of ear wax & inflamed ears

·         Wet Eczema

·         Diarrhea and Vomiting

·         Hair Loss or thinning patches

·         Coughing, shortness of breath, or wheezing

·         Weight loss

·         Loss of appetite

·         Yeasty or odd smell from the coat, ears or skin

·         Dull, dry or brittle coat

·         Some Behavioural Changes

Hope, this list may be eye-opening for pet owners.

Now, Know the Causes of Pet Allergies:

The best way to treat allergies is obviously, pinpointing what is causing them. So, when you determine one of any above symptoms in your pet, you might be able to properly deduce the cause of allergies development.

Basically, an allergic reaction develops when a sensitive pets’ immune system reacts strangely to harmless invading allergens. Mostly, the environmental allergens like house dust mites, mold spores and pollen secrete in pet’s fur and gradually they trigger the immune system of pet. They can lead to frequent itching, scratching and licking and mostly resulting in skin irritation, lesions or chronic. We can not see such microscopic allergens by our naked eye. Within just 15 to 30 minutes of pet allergen exposure, the allergic symptoms can be revealed. Or, may take several hours in some cases.

If your pet only shows his symptoms during certain times of the year, then it might be possible to have seasonal pet allergies that mostly caused by pollens in the air. Another side, it may surprise you that pets can also have food allergies. Of course, the top foods or some ingredients may trigger pet allergies. For example, your pet may be allergic to dairy product, fish, beef and other protein sources.

All breeds have diverse dander, so the reaction of allergies is also varied pet by pet. That’s why some pets become more allergic than others.

Conclusion:

It is imperative for pet owners to be on the alert for pet allergies symptoms and increase awareness for culprits behind allergies. By this way, you can take proactive steps to relieve your pet’s symptoms either through vet visit or topical treatments as well as allergy control pet foods or homeopathy treatment. So, always be a conscientious pet owner and pay careful attention to improve your pet’s quality of life. And, any of above allergies symptoms sounds familiar in your pet, be sure to get checked out so he can get treated.

In Part 2, we will further discuss the different types of pet allergies and ways to treat them.