Allergy is a genetic disorder manifested by an unwanted or inadequate response of the immune system to exposure to food or environmental components.
Allergens are substances that enter the body by inhalation or through the skin, respiratory tract or gastrointestinal tract, stimulating the immune system to release histamine and other markers of an allergic reaction.
Disease in animals comes in food and non-food reactions. A food reaction is caused by what the dog consumes along with food and other products. Non-food – by what surrounds the animal: bites of ectoparasites and products of their vital activity, dust, mold, blooms, flour mites, fungi. Read more about how allergies in dogs manifest themselves in this article.
Do dogs have allergies?
Of course, it can be in any animal, including dogs. It manifests itself individually in each individual, and it can be a feature of a particular breed.
Symptoms
Allergic reactions in dogs most often manifest themselves in a cutaneous form. This is a range of clinical signs and symptoms.
First of all, owners of allergic dogs observe excessive itching in them. It has a certain localization, or manifests itself all over the body.
A frequent cause of itching is a bacterial infection of the skin or pyoderma. It depends on the degree of the animal’s lesion:
- superficially;
- on the upper layers of the skin;
- in the deep layers.
Allergic reactions in dogs most commonly manifest in a cutaneous form. This is a range of clinical signs and symptoms.
First of all, owners of allergic dogs observe in them excessive itching. It has a certain localization, or manifests itself all over the body.
A frequent cause of itching is a bacterial infection of the skin or pyoderma. It depends on the degree of the animal’s lesion:
- superficially;
- on the upper layers of the skin;
- in the deep layers.
It is worth mentioning that the skin normally has some bacteria, such as Staphylococcus intermedius, and fungi, such as Malassezia. This is the normoflora. When allergic reactions occur, the protective barrier of the skin is reduced. This increases the number of opportunistic microorganisms on it, developing itching. During these processes, the animal tends to traumatize the skin, so the owner notes crusts, scratches, red spots.
Thus, the main signs of allergies on the skin will be:
- itching;
- papules (red nodules without pus);
- pustules (pimples);
- excoriations (scabs, scratches, ulcers with bloody crusts);
- changes in skin pigmentation;
- unpleasant odor;
- alopecia (baldness);
- skin hyperemia (redness);
- urticaria.
Allergies in dogs may manifest themselves only by localized lesions, for example, in the ear area. Otitis media may be the only symptom. Many owners believe that ear problems in a dog are an independent disease. But in most cases, this is a secondary problem that manifests itself against the background of hypersensitivity or allergies.
In addition to this cause, otitis appears due to the anatomical features of the auricles in some breeds (cocker spaniels, Labradors, Golden Retrievers), as well as when an infection gets into the external ear canal during bathing or frequent ear cleaning.
Otitis is manifested by restlessness and itching in the ears. The dog may shake his head, scratch the ear flaps. Sometimes owners note an unpleasant smell from the ear canal, a large accumulation of discharge of different consistency and color.
Common symptoms:
- Swelling of the eyelids (blepharitis);
- hyperemia of the eyeballs;
- excessive discharge from the eye slits.
This also includes allergic rhinitis
Important: the above symptoms are more often found in conjunction with systemic pruritus and skin lesions. Much less often as independent and sole signs.
Food reaction, in addition to the complex of the described symptoms on the skin, can often be accompanied by unpleasant symptoms in the gastrointestinal tract. This is due to the initial contact of the allergen with the walls of the stomach and intestines, which can cause its rejection. In this case, the dog will experience nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
