Dogs with Allergies

Is your dog protected against ticks and fleas, yet still scratches, and scratches, and scratches? Does your itchy dog get ear infections and have weepy eyes? Do they have a tendency to vomit after certain meals? If so, they might be suffering from allergies.

Local vets report that it is quite common for dogs to have allergies, although working dogs seem to be more robust in this regard. Common contact allergies in our region include grasses such as Couch and Kikuyu grasses, as well as plants as diverse as Canola and Sage, and trees such as Acacia, Olive, Willow, and Elm. It can be very tricky to ensure that your dog stays clear of grasses in particular, but help is at hand as your vet can prescribe topical ointments to reduce the irritation. Some dogs suffer from contact dermatitis caused by flea collars and even ordinary dog collars. The answer here is to discard flea collars (anti-flea medication is a good replacement) and remove the offending collar. If your dog is allergic to a webbing-type collar try a leather collar: it’s very much a matter of experimentation.

Common food allergies include chicken, rice, and oatmeal. If you suspect your dog has a food allergy try an elimination diet to identify exactly what’s causing the issue. A raw food diet that avoids troublesome foods is recommended because this way you are not adding preservatives into the mix.

If you find that no matter what you do, your dog is still suffering, then it’s a good idea to talk to your vet about an allergy test for your dog. This involves your vet taking a blood sample and sending it away to a laboratory. A comprehensive report is then sent to you, which you can then discuss with your vet. This is exactly what happened recently to a local canine patient who was found to have numerous contact and food allergies. Thanks to diet adjustments in particular, his guardians report that the dog is recovering nicely, and in a surprisingly quick timeframe.

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• Pets and Animals
• Rural Roundup