Atopy and food pet allergies are among the top reasons why pet parents take their furry companions to see the vet. Allergies and their symptoms are usually first seen between 6 months and 4 years of age and as late as 6 or 7. These symptoms are the result of the all-important immune system being hyper-sensitive and over-reacting to allergens or antigens to which it's exposed.
The symptoms
The common observed reactions to these foreign substance irritants is the itching of the skin (pruritis), mostly affecting the face, paws, lower legs, armpits (axillae), and groin. Less common but not unusual is sneezing and maybe wheezing along with possible eye (ocular) and/or nasal discharge when the respiratory system is affected; diarrhea and/or vomiting when the G.I.T. (gastrointestinal tract) is involved.
Watching your pet being uncomfortable is very distressing, and finding the exact cause of the symptoms can be described as real detective work for you in concert with your vet. Itching that is subtle at the beginning and gradually worsens is more often associated with atopy, food allergy, bacterial or yeast infection, and seborrhea.
Symptoms that seem to come and go with the seasonal changes are a good indicator for being atopy; however, 70% to 80% of dogs with atopy will demonstrate continual, year-round symptoms. Scratching, licking the feet, chewing, and red irritated skin are all symptoms of atopy.
The Detective Figure-it-Out Stage
The veterinarian might suggest a hypoallergenic or homemade diet for weeks to months to see if there is any improvement in the symptoms; this will help rule out allergies associated with food that are responsible for roughly 10% of allergies diagnosed in pets, and will help narrow the possibilities pointing to atopy (the canine equivalent of hay fever affecting around 10% of dogs). However, 10% of dogs with atopy can also have food allergy, and up to 80% of the dogs that are diagnosed with food allergy also have atopy. This explains the high rate of failure that exists when treating food allergies with diet alone.
Dogs with food allergies react to one or more ingredients in their diet. Common culprits are milk, fish, wheat, whey, corn, beef, pork, chicken, eggs, soy, and, one of the biggest offenders, preservatives. Many animals have also shown to be allergic to lamb as well, once thought to be a hypo-allergenic food.
What Else Can It Be?
Besides the flea bite allergy which, as with scabies or drug hypersensitivity, typically begins suddenly and rapidly gets worse (one single bite can cause a reaction for five to seven days), atopy is by far the most common cause of allergies in dogs.
A dog with an allergic skin rash can develop further problems by scratching or licking the area, creating an opportunity for secondary bacterial skin infections (pyoderma), ringworm, and fungal infection such as yeast (Malassezia) that also itches.
Then What?
Conventional prednisone treatments can work to suppress symptoms and bring relief in 12-24 hours from the time of injection. Prednisone may also be given orally and may be medically necessary for some suffering dogs dealing with flare-ups. Prednisone is not without risk for long term treatment. Steroids may become less effective over long term use and can possibly cause complete immune system suppression and weakening, liver damage and diabetes.
Antihistamines such as diphenhydramine alone and, depending on the severity, along with steroids to lessen the amount of steroids used, can be implemented for relief. It is also accepted that the omega fatty acids along with any treatment can have a significant affect on improvement by reducing inflammation that may lead to skin sores. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and steroids do not treat the allergy; they just offer relief from the uncomfortable conditions created by the symptoms.
However, be aware that there are holistic allergy care solutions that can deal with the problem at its root cause that work extremely well and can often alleviate symptoms or, even better, heal the problem without the risk of serious side effects a good percentage of the time. That information will be given at the end with a warning.
When to Test
Allergy testing leading to treatment should be considered when your pet is suffering from apparent allergies that occur for more than four months out of the year, and it does not respond to traditional treatment, after a complete diagnostic workup is performed. This is necessary for ruling out other potential causes of skin problems such as fleas, mites, bacterial, fungal and yeast infections as well as hypothyroidism.
The Blood Test
A customized solution starts with a blood test that checks for antigen-induced antibodies in the dog's blood. A blood sample is taken and sent to a lab where it is screened for a reaction to a broad range of allergens that are common to the geographical area where the dog lives to establish a positive diagnosis for a few contact allergies and those allergens that are breathed in (inhalant dermatitis) such as ants, dust mites, mite feces, mosquitoes, cockroaches, moths, dust, pollen, grass, mold, human dander, wool, feathers, and tobacco. Allergy testing is rarely done to diagnose food allergies.
There are two standard and very similar blood tests that are used. The first is called a RAST test (radioallergosorbent), and the other is called an ELISA test (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). Most veterinarians seem to prefer the ELISA test for more accurate results.
The ELISA test maybe more preferred over the RAST. However, neither is a perfect diagnostic tool without possible problems. Since both tests were originally developed for humans, there can be a lot of false positives, meaning allergens maybe identified that are not. Because of those possible limitations some veterinarians and especially those specializing in dermatology and allergies may prefer when possible to perform a third type of test that offers the most reliable results, called intradermal skin testing.
Intradermal testing does require sedation with an area on the dog's side to be shaved, exposing the skin, and it is best to be performed during the season when the allergies are at their worst. For the test to show accurate results, the dog must not have been treated with steroids or antihistamines for several weeks to months before the test. A small amount of antigen is then injected into the dog's skin and is then observed for a resulting reaction that must be evaluated by a trained eye.
There are circumstances where even the preferred intradermal skin testing would not be appropriate and the ELISA or RAST would be the best option. This would be the case where the dog is very young, and where a long period without corticosteroids or antihistamines cannot be sustained, to name a few.
Avoidance is the best method of control even with allergy shots; it is best to avoid the allergen altogether. Molds can be reduced by using a dehumidifier. Dusts and pollens can be controlled with an air cleaner with a HEPA filter. Air conditioning can reduce significant amounts of airborne allergens because windows are closed.
An Effective Weapon and Strategy to Fight Back
When an allergy to a specific substance can be established as the irritant, an appropriate immunotherapy serum is customized for that specific dog, and treatment can begin by receiving immunotherapy (hypo-sensitization injections) over a period of weeks, months, and even up to a year until the dog or cat develops immunity to the agents. Hypo-sensitization has shown good results in reducing the symptoms of allergies in many dogs. An occasional booster may have to be given during periods when the allergens are at peak periods and break-thorough of the desensitizing occurs.
Some allergens may be absorbed through the skin and frequent bathing will assist in lowering or eliminating the amount of allergen exposure by also minimizing the amount of antigen on the fur and skin. Using hypoallergenic shampoos strictly formulated for dogs that contain eucalyptus and aloe vera can help relieve the itching that your dog experiences until the skin heals. Note that shampoos for humans are not appropriate for animals because their bodies' PH chemistry is different.
Please do not be one of those people who is responsible for your pet's health and well- being and not put forth the effort or necessary expense to bring relief by solving the problem. If the frequent baths will help, you would want someone to do it for YOU. If food supplements might help because of therapeutic ingredients, such as bovine colostum and omega fatty acids, that are an added expense, you owe it to your pet as its responsible guardian. Whatever it takes, recognize that it is the responsibility of pet guardianship.
WARNING: Unless You Want a Natural Solution with Huge Success, Don't Read
Depending upon the severity of the allergies and the vitality of the animal, herbs and natural remedies do work; dosages may need to be adjusted and fine-tuned to the individual situation. Keep in mind, you will find many "alternative" treatments, holistic treatments and herbal treatments being advertised as the latest and greatest but be careful about what you believe. However, there are good holistic possibilities that will help you treat the symptoms while avoiding conventional pharmaceuticals along with their negative side effects.
What Has Shown Not to Work:
Aspirin, High doses of vitamin E and C, Doxycycline, Dilantin, Tetracycline, Zinc Methoinoine and many holistic treatments (but not all).
A Most Promising Way to Go with a Tremendous Record of Success
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It is a Powerful Natural Weapon in the Allergy War
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"PRP from colostrum can work as a regulatory substance of the thymus gland. It has been demonstrated to improve or eliminate symptomatology of both allergies and autoimmune diseases. PRP inhibits the overproduction of lymphocytes and T-cells and reduces the major symptoms of allergies and autoimmune disease." -- Dr. Zoltan Rona, The American Journal of Natural Medicine, March 1998.
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