Introduction
Anyone who has ever seen a dog scratching at its body or chewing on its feet has likely seen a dog with allergy problems. Whether caused by inhalants in the air, flea or other bug bites, or food, allergies can be simply irritating to the skin or even develop into infections on the skin or in the ears. What’s worse is that they are notoriously hard to diagnose in some cases.
Diagnosing Allergies in Dogs
Luckily, the most common form of dog allergy is also the easiest to diagnose. A dog that seems to develop allergies at about the same time every year most likely is allergic to something in the air at that time of year, like pollen.
If the problem tends to last longer and occur randomly, it may be something else. Allergy testing, either through skin testing or blood testing, is an option. A less invasive way to diagnose the cause of allergies would be to remove possible allergens from the animal’s environment until the problem subsides. Fabrics, household items made of rubber or plastic, and even excessive dust can be allergy-inducing, so they should be considered in these cases.
In case of a suspected food allergy, an elimination diet can be used for diagnosis. In this case, a diet of protein and carbohydrate sources foreign to the dog is prescribed for a few months. The dog is monitored during this period to see if the allergies subside. If they don’t, other foods may be tried. If they do subside, then the dog’s normal diet can be reintroduced. If the allergies return with the normal diet, then the offending food source can be pinpointed.
It is important to determine the source of any allergy in dogs. Simply treating the affected area may help temporarily, but the allergy can easily return at another point and cause more problems.