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.