Perhaps you have noticed your dog seems to be scratching more than usual or maybe they are licking their legs or feet consistently. You have probably checked for fleas, and have found nothing. It is very likely that your dog has developed a skin allergy. Skin allergies are very common in most dogs but some breeds are more prone to skin allergies than others. Golden retrievers, Poodles, Dalmatians, Boxers and Terriers can often have difficulties with these conditions. Dogs with double coats such as Akitas, Chows, Newfoundlands and other dogs are also potentially at greater risk as the double coat holds allergens to the skin and allows bacterial growth to occur more readily than in a single-coated dog breed.

Symptoms Of A Skin Allergy

Dogs will often display one or more of the following symptoms when they have a skin allergy:

1. Biting or chewing at the skin
2. Licking of the feet, legs and belly area
3. Rubbing of the head
4. Scratching
5. Bare patches of skin
6. Irritated or red patches
7. Dry or flaky skin

The behaviour will come and go depending on the exposure to the particular allergen. The exposure can be through mites, fleas, insects, the environment, cleaning products, changes in diets or medications. The dog first encounters the irritating compound and the body begins to build antibodies to attack the substance the next time the dog is exposed. They body simply overreacts to the exposure causing irritation and the behaviours listed above.

How To Control Allergies

Just like with humans there is no way to