Pet Article

ALLERGIES IN CATS AND DOGS

One of the most common health problems for cats and dogs is allergies. Just like us humans cats and dogs have allergic reactions because their immune system (the system that protects the body from foreign and potentially infectious substances), overreacts to some materials. Does your cat groom half their hair off, or your dog lick his paws until their raw? If they do they could be experiencing some kind of allergy. Almost anything, pollen, dust, ingredients in pet food, household chemicals and insect bites can set off an allergy and in turn cause the immune system to pump out large amounts of white blood cells, hormones and histamines into the bloodstream. The results for our cats and dogs can be a range of different effects, these include itchiness, swollen skin (pruritis), difficulty in breathing or a disruption of the digestive tract like vomiting or diarrhea. These symptoms in your cats and dogs are the equivalent of a human sneezing through allergies or having a running nose and watery eyes.

If your cat or dog is showing these kind of allergic symptoms then they will be pretty miserable. Normally allergies cannot be cured, they are life long and can cause chronic problems. But it's not all bad news, there is also a lot you can do to help your cat or dog to feel better and keep their allergies at bay. Firstly you need to find out what your cat or dog is allergic to, you can then attempt to keep this allergen out of their enviornment. There are various allergies, the four main being:

CONTACT ALLERGIES: These are the least commong type of allergy in cats and dogs. They usually happen when a cat or dogs skin comes into contact with the material they are allergic to. The skin, at the ponit of contact will be irritated, it may itch, become thickened or discolored and have a strong odor. Contact allergies are generally not hard to solve, they are usually confined to a specific area of your cat or dogs body and the allergen should not take too much work to discover. You can always try removing different materials that your pet may touch until you find the one that may be causing the irritation of their skin.

FOOD ALLERGIES: Diet can prove to be a complicated factor in pet allergies. Most of our pets are not born with allergies to food, their immune systems develop the allergic responses over time to some parts of their diet, often one of the animal proteins. Food allergies can be present in a variety of different ways, including the itching, digestive disorders and respiratory distress already mentioned. They can prove to be a real challenge to sovle, however you can try to figure out what's causing your cat or dogs allergic reaction by feeding them different diets, but remember the allergic effects of food can stay in the system for around eight weeks. You may have to keep your cat or dog on a special hypoallergenic diet for 8 to 12 weeks to see how they react and you may have to do it several times, with several different diets before you find the one the does not cause an allergic reaction. Whilst carrying out these feeding tests, you will need to make sure that your dog or cat does not eat any treats, vitamins, leftovers and scraps, or even plants and things around the house. Your cat or dog must only eat the diet exclusively for the entire 8 to 12 weeks so you can determine whether they have an allergic reaction to it.

INHALANT ALLERGIES: Inhalant allergies are the kind us humans are most used to. Just like us, our cats and dogs can get hay fever, which means they can be allergic to the pollen and mold that fills the outside air during the spring and fall. They can also become allergic to dust mites, mildew and mold that can be inside all our homes. These types of allergens usually produce severe itching in cats and dogs, usually concentrated around the ears, feet, groin and armpits, though in some cases in can spread across the entire body. Dogs in particular may develop hairless, irritated hot spots from constantly chewing on and scratching the effected skin. Most animal that become allergic to airborne particles are usually allergic to more than just one. Often, they will only experience itching during the pollen heavy seasons of the year, just like us humans with hay fever. If you think your cat or dogs allergies are seasonal, you may be able to limit their outdoor time during the allergy season. Your dog or cat may also be reacting to an indoor allergen however, or an allergen that does not vary by season. If this is the case, there is not much you can do to keep them away from whatever it is they are allergic to, though an air filter may provide some relief.

FLEA ALLERGIES: Flea allergies are an extremely common problem in cats and dogs, possible the most common allergy of them all. Cats and dogs are not actually allergic to the fleas themselves, but to the proteins that fleas secrete in their saliva when they bite. Your cat or dog does not necessarily have to be a walking flea circus either to suffer from an allergy. Cats and dogs affected can itch severely from just one single flea bite and therefore, if your suspect that your cat or dog is allergic to fleas, you are going to have to work very had to keep these pests away. Bathing your animal often can be a good idea, as are flea applications like Frontline and Advantage, pills such as Program. You should always consult with your veterinarian if you choose to use these products. You will also need to treat your dog or cats environment, including their bedding and the carpets in your home that your pet comes into contact with.

Allergies can be hard to deal with simply because you are not able to find the cause of the allergy and therefore remove it from your cat or dogs environment. This is where you may need to consult your veterinarian, you and your veterinarian will be able to work together to determine the best treatment, or combination of treatments for your pet. You may have to go through a series of trying different solutions, waiting to see how your cat or dog reacts to it.

Your veterinarian has a whole host of different tools to help determine the source of your cat or dogs allergy. Intradermal (scratch tests) involve making small abrasions in your pets skin and inserting small amounts of materials that you and your veterinarian may suspect your pet might be allergic to. If your pet is allergic to one of the materials, their immune systems will react to it and that particular scratch will become inflamed. There are also a number of blood tests your veterinarian can use to analyze the amount of certain chemicals that the immune system release into the bloodstream when exposed to different allergens. These tests can be used to tell whether your pet is having an allergic reaction or whether the problem is caused by something else.

Your veterinarian may use steroids, these work to suppress the immun system and make the allergic reaction less severe. Steroid treatment an help your pet even if you cannot determine what they are allergic to or how they have become exposed. Unfortunately steroids can have several side effects, they can affect every organ in the body, they can cause weight gain, increased thirst and urination as well as increased aggression and other behavioral changes. Steroids tend to be used if the allergy occurs for a short amount of time, because their long term use makes cats and dogs more prone to infection as well as susceptible to diabetes and seizures.

Immunotherapy is one of the safest and most effective ways to treat allergies, but it also takes the longest amount of time to work. In immunotherapy, cats and dogs are given weekly vaccinations that contain small amounts of the substance they are allergic to. It gradually desensitizes the immune system to the allergen, which means that as time goes on the immune system gets reprogrammed and stops reacting to the allergen as strongly. Unfortunately it takes quite a time for the immune system to readjust, in some cases as long as 12 months before animals show any improvement from this treatment.

Your veterinarian may use antihistamines. Antihistamines are very similar to the allergy medication that humans take. They work to block the chemicals released by the immune system. They are effective at reducing itching and inflammation and are relatively safe to use. The only drawback of antihistamines is that they can cause sedation and your cat or dog may become drowsy and sluggish. Occasionally they have been known to change an animals energy levels enough to affect their quality of life.

If none of the above treatments have been effective, you may still give your dog or cat some relief from their allergy by simply treating their symptoms as and when they come up (symptomatic treatment). There are a number of soothing shampoos on the market that contain ingredients like oatmeal or epsom salts, your veterinarian may also be able to suggest ointments, ear treatments or sprays that will make your pet more comfortable. Be wary of using some home remedies or herbal treatments, becuase you could damage your pets skin or aggravate the allergic reaction further. You should always remember whilst giving these symptomatic treatments, they will only provide temporary relief and will not cure the allergy. If your cat or dog still seems to be uncomfortable, despite the baths and other treatments you have used, consult with your veterinarian about long term treatments.

Whatever treatment decision you and your veterinarian come to, rest assured that the patience and determination it can take to treat allergies is well worth it. Though it may take a lot of time and effort.

Mark Woodcock
1 Flea Control