The Spring Itchies

Spring means pollen, fleas, ticks, swimming, and all sorts of things that make dogs itch.  We hear from clients these days that their dogs have allergies, but what does that really mean?  Simply put, an allergy is an over reaction by the body's immune system to something it perceives.  The three most common reasons for allergies are fleas, environmental allergies (also called atopy), and food allergy.  This post will break down each category.

	Flea
What causes it?	Allergic reaction to saliva of the flea when it bites
What does it look like?	Very persistent itching or chewing on flanks, lower back, tail
Diagnosis	Presence of fleas, flea dirt on pet or in the house
How to treat it	Many products available.  Unfortunately many natural products are not efficacious with heavy infestation
How to prevent it	Flea combs, monthly preventative especially during warm months of year
Other points	Do not have to see fleas!  Just takes one bite!

	Environmental
What causes it?	Allergy to nearly anything in the environment
What does it look like?	May be localized hot spot or can be generalized.  Often seasonal.  May end up with secondary bacterial or fungal infections
Diagnosis	Intradermal skin testing with a dermatologist
How to treat it	May require antibiotics/anti-fungals to get secondary infections down, omega 3 fatty acids, special shampoos, probiotics, diet trial, antihistamines, judicious use of steroids or immunosuppressants in some cases
How to prevent it	Avoid contact with the allergen.  Keep them on hard floors or vacuum religiously.  Use HEPA filters.  Rise feet/legs after walks
Other points	Also called atopy.  May also have some food allergy component to it as well

	Food
What causes it?	Immune system response to proteins in the food
What does it look like?	Vomiting, diarrhea, ear infections, hot spots, red belly, paws, or ears
Diagnosis	Strict novel protein/carb elimination diet for 8-12 weeks.  Note: the food allergy blood test is NOT reliable!  Too many false negatives/positives
How to treat it	Elimination diet, slowly add in potential allergens back in
How to prevent it	Avoid all forms of that particular food, including treats and heartworm meds.  Raw vs cooked may help, but not necessarily
Other points	Food allergies & intolerances are not the same thing, but present almost identically.  Always save at least one relatively obtainable protein source for testing.