Have you started to see your dog scratching and itching more than normal? Is the scratching causing open sores and disappearance of fur on your best friend? If so, this is a possible sign that your canine may well be suffering from dog allergies. Dogs don't display the characteristic blotchy eyes and a runny nose like humans do when we are dealing with an allergy. Other warning signs may consist of unordinary licking of a specific area, or biting of the paws to the point of bleeding.

What Causes Skin Allergies in Dogs?

An allergic reaction occurs when a dog's immune system overreacts to given allergens. The body manufactures antibodies as a type of protection when the cause of the dog's allergy passes into the body. The antibodies will subsequently join to immune cells in the skin and other body organs. As a result, when the allergens slowly penetrate the tissue, the antibodies cause immune cells to discharge strong chemicals (called histamines) into the surrounding tissue. This will then cause inflammation and itching in the dog.

There are various factors to take into account when trying to locate the origin of skin allergies in dogs. An allergy that affects a dog's skin is usually triggered by one (or several) of the following: food, fleas, and airborne particles.

Flea Dermatitis also referred to as Flea Allergy is typically triggered by the saliva of the flea. This is why it's especially significant to relieve your canine of fleas regularly.

The atopic allergy is incited by the the breathing of airborne allergens in the environment, consisting of dust, mold spores, pollen and tobacco smoke, instigate atopic allergies. If a dog is allergic to pollen, the pet will exhibit signs, even when kept in the house as the allergens will come inside. Wheezing, coughing and sneezing often go along with this type of allergy.

Food allergies are the next most common form of dog allergy. The most likely causes for food allergies in dogs are:

chicken, soy, milk, corn,

eggs, beef and wheat. Vomiting and diarrhea generally are signs of this kind of dog allergy.

Contact allergy is the least frequently seen sort of allergy in pets and is triggered by contacting something. Triggers can include wool, grass and plastic. A few pets might suffer from allergic reactions to specific chemicals in the home, however, this is not very common.

Diagnosing Skin Allergies in Dogs

A veterinarian might be able to diagnose the problem, though it may call for a system of elimination to detect the root of the dog’s allergy and might perhaps refer the dog to a veterinarian who’s a skin specialist. If fleas are ruled out, your pet might be put on an elimination food regimen for 10 weeks. Your pet is fed food he or she has not eaten in the past, for example, chicken, venison, and potatoes, with the previous food being brought back slowly until the allergy reoccurs.

The allergen is believed to be one or more ingredients if the animals scratching is lessened by about 50 percent of what it was previously. To check for contact and atopic skin allergies, veterinarians use an intradermal allergy exam that operates by slightly anesthetizing the dog with minute amounts of prospective allergens that are injected into the shaved section of the skin. If the animal is allergic to a particular substance, the skin will become inflamed surrounding the area of injection.

Treatments for Allergies in Dogs

Keeping the dog away from allergens and curing the symptoms of skin allergies in dogs are the best methods of treatment. Medicines like antihistamines and steroids could be advocated to alleviate effects of itching and swelling in pets, although like all drugs they might be accompanied by undesirable side effects and the long term effects are unknown.

Long-term usage steroids is discouraged since these drugs work by suppressing the immune system. Extensive steroid use could eventually leave your pet at risk in regards to infections, diabetes and further conditions.

Homeopathic Treatments

Luckily for pet lovers, there are lots of non-toxic and all-natural homeopathic and herbal treatments for pets afflicted with skin allergies.

Melaleuca alternifolia is frequently used as a topical to promote skin health and keeping your pet’s skin clean while Althaea officinalis root is an excellent and well known remedy for repairing the skin. Homeopathic remedies like Apis and Ledum have exceptional soothing characteristics and are especially helpful in healing reddened and itchy skin, or minor bites and sores.

this page on skin allergies in dogs to learn more about treatment options. Go here to find out how a distressed pet owner saved her dog's life with the use of a natural cure for allergies in dogs.