Does your pet have dog allergies?
Dog allergies are more & more common in today’s households.
Even pets that have never had a problem with an allergy can suddenly come down with them. To prevent and cure this stubborn problem you may have to visit the vet but before you go here are some tips and symptoms to look out for.
The truth and myths of dog allergies.
Here is a list of the Symptoms of Allergies in Dogs.
- Licking feet
- Rubbing his face on carpet
- Scratching
- Ear infections
- Hair loss
- Fleas
Skin Allergies:
If the dog’s body is Inflamed by allergies they will rub their face against the carpet or the couch, trying to rub the sides of their body where it itches against furniture or anything that will relieve the itch. If your dog has skin allergies read detailed information
Ear infections:
Ear infections are skin lesions caused by allergies in the wax glands and ears. These can get serious very quickly.
usually occur because the dog bites or scratches. The skin may be dry, oily or red depending on the dog. It is very common to have both ear infections and skin allergies occur at the same time if bacterial infections exists.
Pets are commonly allergic to trees, grass, pollen, fabrics such as wool or nylon, plastic or rubber materials, food additives, dairy products, mites and of course flea bites and insects. The body responds to these allergens by becoming itchy, the dog scratches and then there is the perfect place for a bacterial infection to manifest itself.
The reason why these allergens cause itchy skin is that, allergens that are inhaled, eaten or gets on the body of the dog causes the immune systems to produce a protein called IGE. This protein is in certain cells of the skin. When these cells are combined with the protein IGE the dog’s body releases histamines.
I am very allergic to spider bites. I’m not afraid of spiders but if they bite me, my entire arm swells up and hurts really bad. I called my family physician about this and he told me to take an over the counter antihistamine. So in fact what the antihistamine does is counter the histamines that the body makes and causes you to scratch.
One trick I learned from living in Hawaii is if I am bitten by mosquitoes to get some clear nail polish and paint it right over the bite. If air is able to reach the bite then histamines are produced which make you itch which only makes you worse.
Dog Food Allergies
If you knew the ingredients in canned dog food you wouldn’t feed it to a dog, let alone your best friend.
I did more research on dog food and was startled to learn just what is in most all of the popular dog foods sold in markets and pet shops.
If you think your dog is suffering from dog food allergies, please read the article on the ingredients in dog food.
It may surprise you that there is so much junk in dog food.
Most of our family pets are just that, family. We wouldn’t feed unhealthy food to one of our family. So why do we buy into this multimillion dollar industry that produces extruded, rancid grease incrusted meat by-products for our best friends?
I know lots of pets in our little micro city and many of their owners complain to me about something that is wrong with their pets. Sometimes they have some kind of stomach problem or red skin with bumps and rashes
Skin Allergies or Food Allergies?
I have two West Highland White Terriers. Spooky and Elle. Elle is one year old, strong and naturally healthy but Spooky has had problems since he was a small puppy, with vomiting blood, diarrhea and blood in his stools I visited different vets every few months, could this be a dog allergy causing my West Highland White Terrier to vomit his food?
After $1200.00 dollars in examination, x-rays and drugs, they all told me that it was probably a dog food allergy because they couldn’t find anything wrong in the blood work or examination. They sent me home with a special diet of “Duck and potatoes”, “Venison and potatoes” and finally “Salmon and potatoes”. Nothing worked so they switched me to a hypoallergenic dog food at an exorbitant price. Still my Spooky-boy would loose his appetite, refuse to eat and vomit bile.
I was frantic so I finally went to see a vet in San Mateo who told me Spooky had Colitis along with food allergies. We kept him on the anti-allergy formula but added bran to his diet. He improved and started eating more, gained weight and looked happier. We hope we can give you some hints on how to keep your Westie or any other dog with food allergies in tip top form.
Did you know that most of hypoallergenic dog food that you buy from Veterinarians cannot be bought anywhere else but at the vet’s? Did you also know that veterinarians mark up the food 40% to 50 in California but in other states they have price wars on these specialty dog foods? Of course they are going to encourage us to buy it when such an easy profit can be made.
Homemade Dog Food for Canines.
Do I still buy that dog food for Spooky? No. I’m tapering off of the Vet food. Since my doctor told me I had to cut down on fats and sugars, my diet has changed considerably. I eat fish or chicken and steamed veggies. It takes time and energy but I supplement my dog’s vet food with wholesome food I cook at home for my own dinner. Pretty soon I will be making their entire dinners with what I eat.
Hopefully the questions about allergies I raise here on this site will cause you a moment to pause and decide if vet food is what you really want to feed your dog.
Let me also say that if you have a sick dog the first thing you must do is visit the vet and find out what is wrong. It could be something so serious that a change in diet will not help. Be safe and sure and have your dog checked first.
Now, are you ready for What’s really in dog food?
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Any information contained on this site relating to various medical, health, and fitness conditions of Westies and their treatment is for informational purposes only and is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own veterinarian. You should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing a Westie's health - you should always consult your own veterinarian.
