We usually don’t stop to think about how the allergies we suffer from could also be affecting our pets.  Canine allergies can cause so many problems we never think about.  The allergies affecting our dogs can make them miserable and grouchy just like they do us.  Canine allergies have been known to make dogs extremely sick. Left untreated, the conditions only worsen so it is important to be aware of these conditions.

Fleas Cause Canine Allergies

Many of the canine allergies will fall into one of three categories.  The first one is fleas.  This can be so hard on an animal.  The poor dog can do nothing but scratch and itch and scratch and itch.  His or her hair may start to fall out.  Sores can start to develop.  The dog is just plain miserable.  Symptoms can range from simple scratching to skin infections.  Because the dog is constantly biting and chewing on themselves, you may notice hardly any fleas.  It is actually the saliva from the flea which causes the canine allergies.  Although there are remedies which can alleviate the symptoms, there is no cure.  You will just need to take precautions to keep your dog from having fleas to avoid this particular canine allergy.

Canine Allergies from Food

Canine allergies can also be related to foods.  Just as humans are allergic to certain foods, so are dogs.  Some of the most common of food canine allergies among dogs are beef, chicken, wheat, and eggs, which many people will be surprised by, given what most dog food is made of.  While no-one knows what causes these particular canine allergies, there are preventive measures you can take.  You may want to put your dog on a hypoallergenic diet for 2 to 3 months.  This will allow your dog to be relieved of some of the symptoms associated with the canine allergies to certain foods.  Once the symptoms are gone, you can slowly add foods back into the diet, one ever two weeks or so.  If you start to notice the symptoms returning, simply remove the added food from the diet as that is probably what is causing this particular canine allergy.

Environmental Canine Allergies

It is difficult to understand but canine allergies can also be caused by the environment.  Common dust particles and airborne moulds can cause the dog to have allergic reactions.  The problem with Atopy is that it is considered a lifelong condition.  The animal will always suffer from the itching and other symptoms.  The treatment for canine allergies due to the environment is through medications, medicated shampoos or seventy-five percent of canine allergies, though, so the odds are good.

The best thing to do when you first notice symptoms or behaviour in your pet which you attribute to canine allergies is to have them checked out by your vet be they dog food related or otherwise.  This way you can catch the problem before it gets out of hand.  Your dog will love you even more for trying to get canine allergies under control as quickly as possible. 

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