Finding the Right Allergy Medicine for Your Dog

Your dog can suffer just as much as you do from allergies. One look at your puppy's runny eyes, red ears and flaky skin can let you know there's a problem it's important to have a veterinarian examine your dog to rule out thyroid disease or other types of problems; but often allergens are the culprit.

Allergy medicine for your dog is available. There are to two major types: corticosteroids and antihistamines. A look at each of the types will give an overview of the benefits and drawbacks of these treatments. There also are other, non-medicinal ways to reduce your pet's allergy suffering.

Corticosteroids

Prednisone is one commonly used corticosteroid for dogs. This type of allergy medicine for your dog works well and fast. However, there are a number of side effects, some of which are mild but others that are potentially lethal. Corticosteroids can possibly suppress your dog's immune system. Short-term use of this allergy medicine for your dog is okay but long-term use should be avoided. Give these drugs in as low of a dose as possible.

Antihistamines

Antihistamines are a much safer allergy medicine for your dog than corticosteroids. But it may take a while to find the most effective type for your dog. Also, antihistamines will probably have to be administered to your dog several times a day. Giving pills to your dog is not fun, and doing it three times a day can become a real chore. Antihistamines can also make your dog drowsy and may not work for all dogs, and some experts say antihistamines only work in 20-30% of dogs.

Non-medicinal treatments

Supplementing the allergy medicine for your dog that you decide on with non-medicinal treatment has shown benefits. Often, changing your dog's diet can help as your dog could have a food allergy but this is hard for veterinarians to diagnose. The best way to figure out what's irritating your dog is by process of elimination. Switching to a high-quality, all-natural dog food could be what is needed.

Bathing you dog frequently can also help supplement an allergy medicine for your dog. Use a shampoo with all-natural ingredients, like oatmeal and aloe vera. A bath can help soothe your pet's irritated skin and cut down on the amount of medicine your dog needs.

Helping your dog fight his allergies can improve his quality of life. Finding the right allergy medicine for your dog, whether it's antihistamines or corticosteroids, is important. The right medicine along with non-medicinal supplemental treatment can aid your dog tremendously.

Which Allergy Product is Right for Me?

An allergy product is something produced to minimize or stop the effects of an allergy sufferer. Depending on the extent and type of the allergy, there are many products on the market. Because allergens can be anything from dust to pharmaceutics, the probably of finding an allergy product for a particular sufferer is not difficult, however, the effectiveness of such a product is the key to controlling an allergy attack.

Anaphylactic Shock Prevention

The severest form of allergy, which can cause death, is anaphylactic shock. For those who are so allergic to something that the mere exposure to a substance can result in a fatal reaction, there is an allergy product line that includes an injection kit. The only drug that will work against all the dangerous substances released in this type of reaction is adrenaline, otherwise known as epinephrine. For serious attacks, it must be injected, because inhaling may take too long to work.

Air Quality Control and Filtration

A newer addition to the allergy product line is the HEPA vacuum; these vacuums are said to remove 97 percent of the allergens that pass through the filters. In addition, air purifiers, mildew preventatives, and air cleaners filter offending triggers from the air and have been found to be very helpful in many instances.

Asthma

For asthmatics, the allergy product line includes nebulizers, inhalers, and different breathing systems. Some also take steroids or other oral medications to help with breathing difficulties. Many are not suggested for severe asthma attacks.

Bedding

An allergy to dust mites or materials found in some mattresses or bedding is the basis of an allergy product line of linens mattress encasings. There are also protective coverings for mattresses and pillows, treated pillows and pillowcases, and mattress toppers.

Fragrances and Aromas and Personal Care

Items included as a personal care allergy product could be non-allergenic soap, laundry detergent, fragrance-free sunscreen and deodorant, pain relief, and over-the-counter remedies for anything from hives to dry, peeling, or flaking skin irritations. People allergic to latex, for instance, can find latex free gloves and condoms.


Medication

The sinus and allergy product line of prescription and over-the-counter medications is endless, with some causing disturbing side effects. People react differently to medication, and it is important to find one that works without causing undue drowsiness or agitation. Most physicians have advice regarding the different types of medication and want to know if someone has negative reactions.

ALLERGY SINUS RELIEF

What you should know about allergy sinus relief

Getting allergy sinus relief begins with understanding sinus problems. A lot of sinus victims confuse its symptoms with cold and for a good reason, they are quiet similar - runny nose, itchy watery eyes - this may translate into a serious sinus infection, sinus allergies or even worse a combination of both.

What are sinuses?

Sinuses are four hollow spaces also known as para-nasal sinuses. Their individual names and location is:

* Frontal - Over the eyes next to the brow area
* Ethmoids - Behind the bridge of the nose
* Maxillary - Inside each check bone
* Sphenoids - Upper region of the nose

The tissue lining in the sinuses secrets a fluid called mucus. The mucus keeps the sinuses moist and helps clean away dirt when you inhale and exhale. When this tissue gets inflamed increases mucus discharge. They swell up with time and air cannot circulate as normal. This in turn creates pressure in the head giving you headache known as sinus headache.

Common Symptoms of sinus allergy

Sinus allergy may produce a range of symptoms, some of which are:

* Pain in the forehead (caused by the frontal sinus)
* Pain in the upper jaw and teeth (caused by maxillary sinus)
* Pain around the eyes with swelling (caused by ethmoid sinus)
* Pain in the ear, neck and the top of the head ( caused by sphenoid sinus)

You may also experience fever, fatigue, and body ache. Sinuses draining at the back of the throat can give you a sore throat also cough may be present which will worsen during the night. At this point, one will do anything for allergy sinus relief.

Allergy sinus relief

To get allergy sinus relief you have to first and foremost unblock your sinuses or nasal passages. Over the counter decongestants are usually very efficient. If you have chronic sinus allergies the doctor may prescribe something more specific, such as a steroid nasal spray; using the spray daily will help get you allergy sinus relief.

Another very important factor in dealing with allergy sinus relief is to keep your doctor informed so he can recognize your condition and treat you with the right medication. This will not only get you allergy sinus relief but your doctor will work with you to prevent any outbreaks.

One should also get informed on everything there is to know about allergy sinus relief and prevention. Preventing is better then a cure; it will save you a lot of pain and suffering that is for sure.

Man's Best Friend: Dealing with a Dog Allergy

Having a dog allergy can be tough on both yourself and man's best friend as the battle to keep the dog can intensify your symptoms and cause living with Fido to be quite uncomfortable. Still, many people face the decision of getting rid of the family pet over a child or parent's allergic reaction to the pet every day and it never gets easier. There is, however, an assortment of other tactics and cures you can employ to help with a dog allergy that can save both you and your best friend an awful lot of grief.

A dog allergy can strike anyone at any age, period. There is no age requirement or limit to suffering from a pet allergy, it just happens and that's really all there is to it. Most people that suffer from different pet allergies also suffer from allergies to pollens or to molds as well. It is also highly common for there to be a genetic trait in dealing with allergies to pets, so chances are if it is in the family line it could happen to you as well as anyone in your immediate family.

It should also be noted that no dog is considered non-allergenic because the same allergens are present in all types of pet hair and dander. All dogs produce dander, all dogs urinate and shed skin, and all dogs lick themselves. This makes all dogs an allergenic possibility regardless of their individual hair type. There are dogs that produce less dander but this does not eliminate the presence of dander completely and still makes all dogs a possibility for an allergic reaction.

Dog allergies produce symptoms that are a lot like hay fever or seasonal allergy symptoms.

If you suffer from a dog allergy you might experience runny nose, sniffling, sneezing, coughing, scratchy skin and throat, watery eyes, and other such symptoms that are akin to airborne allergies. This is because a dog allergy affects the same allergenic systems in the body much the same way hay fever and other seasonal allergies do because of the smallness of the allergen, or pet dander in this case.

There are a few tips, though, that can save you a lot of problems with your dog and your family that may be allergic to dogs. For starters, always wash your hands after playing with your dog. This ensures removal of the dander. You might also want to consider changing your clothing or taking a shower or bath for a more thorough treatment. Also, keep dogs out of certain rooms of the home like bathrooms and bedrooms to reduce the areas that the dog's dander will affect. Limiting exposure to allergens is always a good way to limit the actual symptoms of a dog allergy.

ALLERGY RASH

Living with Allergy Rash

The skin condition which manifests as an outbreak of red bumps on the skin surface of the body is known commonly as an allergy rash.

The most common symptoms of rash are:

- Scaly patches of skin not caused by infection.
- Scaly patches of skin produced by fungal or bacterial infection.
- Red, itchy bumps or patches all over the body.

Red, itchy bumps or patches spread all over the body is the way allergy rash manifests. Even if you may find what is written here corresponds with the symptoms you have, do not self-medicate; it is very important to consult a doctor in order to treat an allergy rash correctly.

Things to do when you have an allergy rash:

Most rashes are not dangerous and usually will last only a few days. While some get better on their own, some do need treatment. Some possibilities for treatment include:

- Use an anti-itch cream.
- Use a moisturizing lotion over the affected area.
- Take some antihistamine drugs.

Do not self medicate in any case of allergy rash. Get specialized help in order to treat the allergy. It can be very hard to diagnose, leading to some confusion with medical professionals as to how to prescribe the proper treatment.

An Allergy rash can turn further into the skin conditions called eczema or dermatitis.

Who is prone to allergy rash?

There are 3 main factors that cause allergy rash:

* Genetic predisposition - genetic background play a huge role, a number of genes have been liked to allergy and have been identified on chromosomes 5 to 11; males are more prone to inheriting this genetic predisposition then females.
* Environmental triggers - first year of life is vital. Cigarette smoke, infant diet, air pollution, early use of day care facilities, birth just before the spring pollen are some of the factors that proved in the past to have been the main factor of an allergy rash.


* Locally found protein allergens - early exposure to aeroallergens and allergenic foods seems to have contributed in developing allergy rash as well. Infants are prone to allergies, especially in the first year of life.


If you suspect that you are getting an allergy rash, seek your doctor's advice and treat it as soon as possible. Even if most allergy rashes are not dangerous they can turn very uncomfortable and you should seek help.

Build a Useful Allergy Relief Store of Supplies

Allergy sufferers have to learn, sometimes through trial and error, what methods of control and treatment work for them. This can be especially difficult if you are susceptible to allergens from a variety of sources. It's important to build up a good allergy relief store of supplies to help you deal with and prevent emergencies.

Although you might not need every type of allergy control product on the market, having the following things on hand will be useful, especially if you have guests or family members in your home who are prone to allergies. While some items needed for a good allergy relief store of supplies can be costly, they are worth it in the long run if suffering is prevented or relieved.

HEPA Filters

HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particulate Air filters. These devices are able to filter all air particles down to .3 microns. The filters can remove 99.97% of contaminants of this size or larger. This is ideal for filtering pollen and dust out of the air, with pollen particles being 10-100 microns and dust being around .5-5 microns.

HEPA filters are essential for a good allergy relief store of supplies. Some even have ultraviolet light, which helps kill mold spores, bacteria and some viruses. These filters can be costly and must be replaced often.

Chemical-Free Cleaning Supplies

Chemical irritants in many common household cleaners can quickly bring on severe allergy attacks. It's important that your allergy relief store of supplies has chemical-free detergents, soaps, dusting supplies and floor cleaners. These products must not have perfumes, dyes and irritating additives. No cleaning product should have ammonia.

Medicines

Always have your prescribed medicines on hand. They are essential for your allergy relief store of supplies, so don't be afraid to ask your doctor for a few extra refills so you don't run out. Be sure to check expiration dates and throw out anything that is outdated. Do not store medicines in places with high humidity, like the bathroom or above the stove. Finally, keep all medicines in the original bottles with the correct label and instructions.

Dust Mite Allergy Bedding

Dust mite allergy is the No. 1 indoor allergy -- about 10% of population suffers from it. Encasing your mattress, box springs and pillows in allergy-proof covers will deprive dust mites of the dead skin cells that are their primary food. Specially-made pillows can provide a dust mite barrier. These types of covers and bedding are important to a comprehensive allergy relief store of supplies.

This list is just a start to developing what you need in your home to have a useful allergy relief store of products on hand. It's important to have medicine on hand but it's even better to use these items to help prevent an attack before it happens.

Information about Eye Allergies

Eye allergies are common among Americans. Allergic reactions involving eyes are a common complaint among Americans. Severe eye allergies can be an extremely irritating experience requiring consultations with a qualified medical practitioner. If not taken care of in time, it may even pose a serious threat to the victim's eyesight.

The most common reaction in eye allergies involve the conjunctiva, a clear layer of skin overlying the eyes, and is known as allergic conjunctivitis. Allergic conjunctivitis is divided into several major subtypes, the most common among them being seasonal allergic conjunctivitis (SAC) and perennial allergic conjunctivitis (PAC). Both arise out of an immune reaction involving a sensitized individual and an allergen. Put simply, if you are allergic to a particular substance and then come into contact with it, you experience an allergic reaction such as itching or sneezing.

Common allergens, i.e., substances that trigger eye allergies include pollen, grass, weeds, dust, and pet dander. As their names suggest, problems do not last long in SAC, but lasts throughout the year in PAC.

Apart from the all-too-familiar symptom of itching, other symptoms of eye allergies include redness, tearing, burning sensation, blurred vision, and mattering and/or mucus production

If you have eye allergies but can identify and avoid whatever you are allergic to, your allergy should improve markedly. If you fail to identify or avoid the allergens, it is wise to consult an allergist or ophthalmologist to get it treated. In the case of SAC, you may consult your allergist or ophthalmologist before the season in which you suffer from eye allergies so that treatment can start before the symptoms appear. However, if you have PAC, routine appointments with your allergist or ophthalmologist may be helpful to monitor your eye allergies.

In most cases, your allergist or ophthalmologist can diagnose eye allergies from your complaints alone.

As part of the examination, your eyes are examined to help rule out other problems. The front of your eyes is examined using a special microscope. Using the microscope, called a slit lamp, the ophthalmologist checks your eyes for dilated blood vessels, conjunctival swelling, and eyelid swelling, all of which indicate an allergic reaction. In rare and most severe cases, scraping of the conjunctiva is performed to check for eosinophils.

For treatment of eye allergies, avoidance of the allergens is the best method. When you can identify and avoid the particular allergy-causing substance, your symptoms are likely to improve dramatically. But if the problem remains even after avoidance and other forms of self-care, medical treatment is called for. Numerous over-the-counter medications, such as allergy eye drops and oral antihistamines can be used as directed for mild eye allergies. In addition, many prescription eye drops are also available to help reduce your eye allergies.

Can you recognize allergy in your dog?

Animals are in many ways just like humans. Like humans they to can suffer from allergies. Unlike humans, however, they cannot express their suffering and we need to be able to recognize the signs of illness in the dog. Recognizing allergy in your dog may be a daunting task for the inexperienced but with a little practice it can be done quite well.

What are the signs of allergy in your dog?

You will find that the symptoms of allergy in your dog are very similar to those you have when you have an allergy, i.e. heavy itchy skin, sneezing, heavy breathing with wheezing sound, lethargy, vomiting and diarrhea, runny nose, etc. Observe your dog well when it develops any of these symptoms for seemingly no apparent reason. In case you have a feeling that your dog might be suffering from allergy, then rush it to the vet who will prescribe the required medicines.

There are certain tests which will be able to confirm the existence of allergy in your dog. Hence, the best thing to do if you have any doubt regarding allergy in your pet is to immediately rush it to the vet. Do not wait for the allergy to abate by itself. Sometimes, what seems to be an allergy in your dog could be something much more serious.

A word of advice here: do not attempt to self medicate your dog with over the counter medicines. You will not know the right dosage, even if you stumble upon the right medicine and thereby you will further endanger your dog by making adding complications to its already existing woes. Sometimes, even allergy can be very damaging in their reaction, as well.

What types of allergy are known to affect dogs?

The determination of what causes the allergy, if there in an allergy in your dog, is imperative and most important to the cure. Whether it is caused by fleas, or by certain foods, or any other element in its environment, unless it is identified, the allergy cannot be treated. As in humans, dog can be allergic to certain food items as well as insects such as ticks, fleas and even lice.

If and when the dog has been identified to have an allergy the vet will be able to prescribe a regimen of medicines complemented by the removal of the allergen so the dog can live comfortably in spite of the allergy. It is always good to take the advice of the vet and not attempt to medicate the pet yourself, lest you will add to its woes rather than help it.

SEASON ALLERGY

Make The Best of Your Season Allergy

Dealing with season allergy symptoms has become a fact of life for many of us. This year has been officially called the worst allergy season ever. People who have never suffered of any type of allergies have reported season allergy symptoms such as itchy eyes, runny noses, sneezing etc.

Fact is more then 20% of American population suffers with some sort of allergies; 14 million visiting their doctor and it was estimated 4 million sick days will be taken due to the season allergy. Hartford, Connecticut took the number one position in seasonal allergies this year due to high pollen count.

Here are some myths and facts to treat the season allergy:

* Myth - cold medications. These medications are only efficient for colds and will not help in any way your allergy symptoms. Do not have them even if friends and family tell you they are effective. Only allergy medications will help you get relief.
* Myth - air purifiers. It is true that this will help to a certain degree, because keeping the air clean, which the air purifier achieves, is part of keeping the allergies at bay, however, they cannot clean out pollen.
* Fact - Over the counter medications do work. Those that are available in pharmacies are great provided you already know that you are suffering from season allergy. Do not self medicate.
* Fact - Know your condition and be aware of the foods and places that trigger the allergies. Avoid the following (to name a few): carrots, apples and pears.
* Fact - Have a shower before you get to bed. Cleaning off all the dust and pollen is very effective. You can even take a shower when you get back home for fast relief.
* Fact - sunglasses block pollen from getting into your eyes preventing you effectively from season allergy.

Treating season allergy symptoms is not as simple as some new set of laws do restrict over the counter sale of some decongestants. That is any medication containing pseudoephedrine will be sold only by prescription and that too limited amount a month.
The good news that is many of the over the counter drugs are very effective and can cure you of the season allergy.

Surviving season allergy is not an easy task, it's something you have to constantly be conscious about and in control of; with constant surveillance and organization, care and a lot of love and understanding from your family you should get through even the worst of the seasons.

Allergy Free Air Filter - a Wonderful Tool Against Allergy in Your Home

It has been said that most allergies come from inhaling some type of allergen, be it pollen, mold spores, animal dander, dust mites, and the list will go on and on. A disturbing fact is that more than 80 percent of the air that we breathe in every day actually contains dead skin particles.

What is an allergy?

An allergy is a reaction, some of the times a pretty violent reaction, to a trigger which make the body uncomfortable. Reports have shown that the most common type of allergy is a dust allergy. Dust is made of a million-and-one ingredient, the majority of which as it is mentioned earlier is dead skin. The rest contains dust mites (an active allergy ingredient), germs, possible mold spores (if the area is humid) and so on.

It is always better to prevent a disease rather than look for its cure once it has attacked you. Hence having an allergy free air filter makes a great deal of sense if you are known to be prone to any type of allergy. An allergy free air filter will ensure that the air you breathe in is free of any pollutants that can cause you an allergic reaction. It is a simple yet extremely effective device that everyone should actually have installed, if you are allergy prone.

How does an allergy air filter work for you?

Considering that the most common allergy is indeed the dust allergy, it is okay to surmise that if the dust is removed from the air, the chance of allergy will be minimized. The allergy free air filter does exactly that. It removes from the air all types of particles however small that may cause you or even your pets' allergy. This is why these air filters are placed in the air conditioner, or where the fans are installed; so that when the air is circulated it will go through the air filter which will remove all the harmful particles leaving you to inhale clean and allergy free air.

This is why an allergy free air filter can be an invaluable asset to your home. The presence of such a filter can make a great difference to the way you feel, especially if you live in an area which has exposure to pollen or mold spores. It is worth the minor investment.

What Is an Allergy Symptom?

In this brief article, we will define an allergy symptom and discuss some specific systems and what they mean to you as an allergy sufferer. An allergy symptom is any symptom associated with allergies such as a running nose, itchy eyes, watery eyes, sneezing, itchy skin, and more. We will go into some detail about where a symptom comes from and why they appear as well as a brief discussion about how to cure those symptoms if time permits.

What are some of the symptoms?

Some of the most common allergy symptoms occur for the seasonal allergies such as hay fever and include the itchy watery eyes, runny nose, and sneezing aspects of allergenic symptoms. Other cases of allergies feature more serious symptoms that can be more harmful and troublesome such as absentmindedness, dizziness, trouble swallowing, nausea, constipation, diarrhea, skin rashes, vertigo, vomiting, and other serious cases of health issues that may spring from how the body deals with the allergen itself.

Airborne allergies are, however, the most common form of allergies and tend to feature the most common form of an allergy symptom as well. Most of these symptoms are related to the sinuses as the hay fever and other allergies like hay fever tend to affect those systems of the body. Sneezing, a clogged and runny nose, itchiness in the eyes and throat, coughing, postnasal drip, and swollen eyes (a symptom called "conjunctivitis") are all parts of the airborne allergy symptom repertoire.

Why do these symptoms occur?

Most times, the allergic reaction is coupled with a portion of the allergen. In other words, if the allergen is known for entering the lungs it will likely attack portions of the body related to the lungs and to breathing. An airborne allergy, thus, will likely attach itself to the breathing apparatus and my cause coughing or the nose to run because of the way it affects the system directly. There are other reasons for this that scientists studying allergy immunology are aware of, but the basics of most allergies are that they are "system attackers" in general.

How are the symptoms cured?

An allergy symptom can be cured in a number of ways depending on the actual system it affects and how drastically the body is affected. Many people can simply take, for example, an antihistamine for a hay fever type allergy and go about their day while others simply will not respond to the antihistamine. It is essentially a matter of the biological makeup of the allergy sufferer in terms of how they react to certain medications and how much medication is needed to cure the allergy symptom.

Where is The Best Place to Live if I Have a Pollen Allergy?

The National Allergy Bureau has a network of pollen counters across the country that uses air sampling equipment to capture airborne (pollen) allergens. The number of pollen grains are collected, counted, and recorded. Counting stations generally open in March and April, when pollen counts begin to grow. For people with a pollen allergy, the pollen count is a very important measure in their life.

In warmer climates, the stations remain open all year. A definition of pollen count is the number of ragweed pollen grains in a volume of air over a 24-hour time span, in a particular place. A pollen allergy can be adversely affected by high local pollen counts. Pollen allergy counts are generally based on a count of 1 to 12. A low count is four and under; moderate is 4-8; high is 8 or higher.

Since a pollen allergy is seasonal, there are places within the United States that might be better for some people to live where the count is lower. Many have considered Arizona and Nevada ideal because of the lack of plants that would spread wind-borne allergens. However, some cities have become more popular and residents bring plants and flowers with them; there has been an increase in pollen and, hence, pollen allergy sufferers.

Some people move to avoid certain plants or allergens, and sometimes this is helpful. Mountains and forests generally have a low degree of weed pollen but may have quite a bit of tree pollen. Mountains, however, if bare, would not have the same result. Areas with a lot of human population including homes and farms generally have a high amount of grass pollens. The Pacific Northwest has a lower degree of weed pollen but has standard amounts of all other types. These are indicators that someone with a pollen allergy must consider on a daily basis.

The Importance of Being Aware

No matter where one lives or vacations, it is important to heed the local pollen count and stay indoors and/or away from allergens as much as possible to keep a pollen allergy from interfering in the pursuit of a healthy and happy life. There are various prescription and over-the-counter medications that can prove helpful in dealing with annoying symptoms.

Avoiding a pollen allergy does not ensure that one will not have allergic reactions to other substances; for instance, smog, air pollution, and cigarette smoke are often more bothersome than pollen. An allergist or family practitioner can advise about relocation efforts or simple steps to take to make life more pleasant.