If you're like me and are constantly dealing with a runny nose, itchy eyes, and sneezing often, you know the pain. NOONE likes allergies, food, seasonal, or any other type. Guess what, neither does your furry friend.
Because of that, we came up with this helpful guide to the different types of allergies out there and how you can treat them.
Types of Allergies
Dog allergies are caused by three main reasons: the environment, food, and fleas.
Environmental
Environmental factors, such as pollen, dust, and mold can cause your dog to scratch, bite, or lick its paws, face, and around its ears. Usually, these types of allergies occur during certain seasons when the pollen levels may be higher, or there is increased dust inside your home.
Seasonal allergies can cause intense scratching or licking of paws, ear infections, and even some symptoms similar to hoomans, like red eyes and sneezing. Not fun.
Food
Like humans, dogs don’t have severe food allergies, rather they have food intolerances (Per the American Kennel Club). This means that they don’t deal well with certain foods, and their body reacts to them by displaying itchiness, vomiting, or diarrhea. Not fun either.
In some rare cases, such as with stings from bees, during vaccination, or when trying new food, dogs can have an allergic reaction that causes them to enter anaphylactic shock, but these cases are rare.
Just to be safe, though, keep an eye out for your pooch when they are getting any vaccine or trying new foods.
Fleas
Finally, fleas and their saliva, aside from being dangerous for your dog, can cause allergic reactions that lead them to uncontrollably scratch their skin. It can also cause their skin, especially around their tail area, to become red and scabby. Not fun.
Treatment
The Environment
The ole environment. Hard to control this one, but there are some steps you can take to help ease the discomfort caused by these seasonal nuisances. Buying an air purifier for your home, for example, is a great way of clearing the air of unnecessary pollen or dust that may have entered your home.
Cleaning your dog's paws and body with a damp towel after going on a walk during pollen season is also a good way of avoiding the substance from spreading around your home. You can also put some boots on them, if they'll let you!
Avoiding going outside during peak pollen hours, such as the early morning and afternoon, is another good way to limit the amount of pollen your dog is being exposed to. Take a nighttime walk instead.
You can also help your pooch combat the toxins and allergens floating around in the environment by adding supplements to their diet that will boost their immune system and directly attack the cause of their discomforts, like our Allergy and Immunity Chews.
Our immunity chews contain ingredients that help fight all that itching and scratching unsettling your dog. Here’s how:
Betta Berries Antioxidant Blend: helps boost the immune system to support a histamine response. Histamines are chemicals that your dog releases to fight allergens by producing white blood cells called mast cells.
Wild Alaskan Salmon Oil: is essential in keeping cell membranes healthy, which allows for the skin to fight inflammations and reduces the chance of developing skin allergies
YEA-SACC and our Probiotic Blend: are essential in supporting a healthy gut, which leads to a strong and healthy immune system. A robust immune system is vital to fighting off allergens, and fleas and in helping restore skin damaged from scratching or biting.
Apple Cider Vinegar: relives itchiness that is caused by allergies. It is also a great natural repeller of ticks and fleas and used by hoomans as an end-all-be-all cure.
Fleas k
For dealing with fleas, the best way to combat the bother they may cause your dog is by preventing them altogether. There are plenty of flea preventatives out there, but it might be best to consult your veterinarian for which would be best for your best friend.
If prevention is out of the question, there are other forms of treatment such as flea shampoos or flea pills, which use a more direct and chemical approach to dealing with the little monsters.
Food
Food allergies are pretty simple to deal with. Duh. Keeping them away from the foods that are causing skin or stomach issues should do it.
It is good to talk to your veterinarian, however, if you see your dog having allergic reactions be better aware of which foods are causing those responses.
