Allergies in Dogs
Allergies are an over-reactivity or hypersensitivity to a particular substance, called an allergen. The most common allergens in dogs are pollens, molds, dust/storage mites, fleas, and grasses. Dogs can also develop allergies to components of their food, such as wheat, chicken, lamb, soy, beef, etc. While allergies in humans include sneezing, runny nose, and runny eyes, the symptoms in pets presents mostly as dermatological. Symptoms can include itchy skin, lesions/welts on the skin, licking at feet, etc.
Dogs can also develop a contact allergy to something that their skin is coming in contact with. These typically develop on their chest/abdomen or feet. Common causes for contact allergies are pesticides used on the lawn, grasses, bedding, detergents, synthetics used on carpet, etc. Dogs can develop localized rashes and lick/chew themselves raw.
Allergy testing is a great way to identify the underlying cause of your pet’s allergies. This testing is a blood sample that is taken at our clinic and sent to a immunology lab in Colorado. There are many allergens that you can minimize and/or eliminate completely from your pet’s life such as fleas, grasses, cats, or foods. However, certain allergens may be difficult to eliminate completely, such as tree pollen or dust mites. For pets that are allergic to many different things or allergens that are impossible to eliminate, we can pursue immunotherapy that helps lessens the immune system’s hypersensitivity to the leading causes of your pets allergies. Given your pets specific allergens, geographical location, and history, the doctors at HESKA will develop immunotherapy for your pet. The immunotherapy comes in either an injection or sublingual drops that go under your pet’s tongue. While every pet is different, most patients see improvement in 3-6 months. The list of all the allergens we can test for can be found here.
The goal of treating allergies is to manage symptoms during the body’s “flare up”. Treatment with anti-inflammatories and anti-histamines can block or lessen the allergic reaction. Dex/Depo injections can be given during a seasonal allergy flare up or every 6-8 weeks to manage chronic symptoms. Temaril-P is a pill that can be given at home to reduce inflammation and slow itching. These medications are very effective, however the cortisone can increase thirst and urination for a few days. If your pet needs to receive cortisone therapy long term to control their symptoms, we recommend basic bloodwork every 6-8 months to evaluate liver function. Long-term effects of cortisone therapy can include excessive hunger, change or thinning of coat, abdominal distention, stomach ulcers, and steroid hepatopathy.
There are now newer alternatives to cortisone that aim to block the chemical signal from the brain that causes dogs to itch. Apoquel is a daily pill that controls the sensation to itch and also has some anti-inflammatory properties to help reduce dermatitis. This medication is given twice a day for 2 weeks, then decreased to a once a day maintenance dose. Mild GI side effects have been reported in some cases. While this medication is more expensive than cortisone therapy, it works well for most patients. Cytopoint is a once a month injection that essentially “turns off” the urge to itch in the brain. It is effective in quickly reducing itch in most patients, however it does not treat the underlying inflammation so redosing every month is needed in most cases. Both of these therapies are most expensive than corticosteroids, but they have been proven to be more effective in many dogs.
Frequent bathing with a mild, hypoallergenic shampoo can be soothing for itchy, inflamed skin. This will also help rinse out any allergens that are irritating your pets skin. Omega-3 DHA/EPA supplements are also recommended as a natural anti-inflammatory and to help promote a healthy skin and coat.
Dogs can also develop a contact allergy to something that their skin is coming in contact with. These typically develop on their chest/abdomen or feet. Common causes for contact allergies are pesticides used on the lawn, grasses, bedding, detergents, synthetics used on carpet, etc. Dogs can develop localized rashes and lick/chew themselves raw.
Allergy testing is a great way to identify the underlying cause of your pet’s allergies. This testing is a blood sample that is taken at our clinic and sent to a immunology lab in Colorado. There are many allergens that you can minimize and/or eliminate completely from your pet’s life such as fleas, grasses, cats, or foods. However, certain allergens may be difficult to eliminate completely, such as tree pollen or dust mites. For pets that are allergic to many different things or allergens that are impossible to eliminate, we can pursue immunotherapy that helps lessens the immune system’s hypersensitivity to the leading causes of your pets allergies. Given your pets specific allergens, geographical location, and history, the doctors at HESKA will develop immunotherapy for your pet. The immunotherapy comes in either an injection or sublingual drops that go under your pet’s tongue. While every pet is different, most patients see improvement in 3-6 months. The list of all the allergens we can test for can be found here.
The goal of treating allergies is to manage symptoms during the body’s “flare up”. Treatment with anti-inflammatories and anti-histamines can block or lessen the allergic reaction. Dex/Depo injections can be given during a seasonal allergy flare up or every 6-8 weeks to manage chronic symptoms. Temaril-P is a pill that can be given at home to reduce inflammation and slow itching. These medications are very effective, however the cortisone can increase thirst and urination for a few days. If your pet needs to receive cortisone therapy long term to control their symptoms, we recommend basic bloodwork every 6-8 months to evaluate liver function. Long-term effects of cortisone therapy can include excessive hunger, change or thinning of coat, abdominal distention, stomach ulcers, and steroid hepatopathy.
There are now newer alternatives to cortisone that aim to block the chemical signal from the brain that causes dogs to itch. Apoquel is a daily pill that controls the sensation to itch and also has some anti-inflammatory properties to help reduce dermatitis. This medication is given twice a day for 2 weeks, then decreased to a once a day maintenance dose. Mild GI side effects have been reported in some cases. While this medication is more expensive than cortisone therapy, it works well for most patients. Cytopoint is a once a month injection that essentially “turns off” the urge to itch in the brain. It is effective in quickly reducing itch in most patients, however it does not treat the underlying inflammation so redosing every month is needed in most cases. Both of these therapies are most expensive than corticosteroids, but they have been proven to be more effective in many dogs.
Frequent bathing with a mild, hypoallergenic shampoo can be soothing for itchy, inflamed skin. This will also help rinse out any allergens that are irritating your pets skin. Omega-3 DHA/EPA supplements are also recommended as a natural anti-inflammatory and to help promote a healthy skin and coat.
