When an infection or bug bite gets red, itchy, and swells up it is due to inflammation. This is your immune systems normal (and useful) response to something potentially harmful, like a virus or parasite. An allergy is essentially the immune system over-reacting this way to something harmless.
How Allergies Work
Allergies can develop to virtually anything, including pollens, foods, or molds. However, it’s not “peanut butter” or “juniper bushes” that trigger the allergy – rather, the immune system reacts to very specific, small proteins in those things. These specific triggers are referred to as allergens. The majority of pets (and people) with allergies don’t just have one or two triggers – they react to lots of allergens.
The degree of reaction to any given trigger can vary from very mild to very severe; in most cases, the actuall signs of allergies we see in pets are not due to any single allergen, but the cumulative effect of multiple mild allergens. Exposure to one or two mild allergens might cause no issues for your dog, where four or five might cause mild itching, and if you mix in a couple more they may chew themselves raw. This means even if we can’t manage all of a pet’s allergens, if we can reduce exposure or response to some of them we often see major improvements.
Signs of Allergies in Pets
Allergies in pets most commonly cause skin problems, such as itchy unhealthy skin that is prone to sores and secondary infections. Respiratory issues like congestion or watery eyes can also occur, but are much less common pets than humans.
Managing Allergies
While allergies are frustrating and rarely completely eliminated, we have lots of tools to reduce their effects and improve quality of life. First, we have to make sure the problem is due to allergies, screen for secondary issues like bacterial or parasitic infections, and then identify specific allergens if possible:
- Basic bloodwork and specific tests to look for bacteria, fungus, or parasites are usually needed. We have to make sure the problem is due to allergies, not something more serious, and screen for secondary infections from bacteria, fungus, or parasites.
- Bathing one to two times weekly is recommended for pets with chronic/frequent problems; this removes potential allergens from the coat. Using a good quality pet shampoo also improves skin health, making a better barrier to allergens.
- Daily fish oil supplementation is also recommended, as omega 3 Fatty acids improve skin health and directly help calm the immune system.
- A food allergy trial should always be performed in pets with chronic allergies. A special elimination diet is used to rule out dietary ingredients that could be triggering your pet.
- Specific allergy testing and targeted immunotherapy injections may be an option for pets with chronic issues as well, just like in humans.
- Since allergies are due to an “over-reactive” immune system, management is usually targeted there. Drugs like prednisone, cyclosporine, ocalcitinib (Apoquel), and Cytopoint can all be useful, though safety varies and close monitoring is always needed.
- Antihistamines are usually not very helpful for pets, though they are safe and usually worth trying.