This time of the year is connected, besides enjoying sun and awakening nature, with annoying allergic reactions for many. However, has it ever occurred to you that your dog companion could be allergic to pollen as well? How can you recognize it and what can you do?
For many of us who suffer from pollen allergy, this time of the year is not only full of sunshine, rising temperatures and longer days. Nature awakens, everything starts to bud and blossom. It is certainly beautiful, but allergic people can’t really enjoy it that much because of swollen eyes, sneezing and blocked-up nose. However, has it ever occurred to you that your dog companion could have allergy to pollen as well?
Dogs’ reactions to allergens are different from people’s, so we don't get to see them with the above-mentioned watery eyes or allergic asthma very often. The most typical sign of pollen allergy in them is the so-called atopic dermatitis. Therefore, it is more difficult to find out the cause of the problems because allergy to food, domestic fungi, mites or flea bites have the same manifestations. However, it is characteristic for atopic dermatitis that’s caused by pollen allergy that it disappears during autumn and winter.
Although this may be surprising, allergy is not a rare health problem in dogs. Some breeds are even predisposed to them. Pollen allergy usually occurs before the dog is three years old for the first time and its manifestations deteriorate over time. You may notice your companion more often intensively scratches or licks itself due to itchy skin, mainly on the head, in armpits and in the surroundings of the rectum or between toes. Such mechanically damaged skin then becomes susceptible to bacterial and yeast inflammation. This may result in reddish, bald or moist nidus. In this case, these infections must be addressed primarily before the allergy itself.
Specific allergens can often be detected by blood tests and the determination of antibody levels. Of course, we cannot cure an allergy, but identifying its cause will help us at least eliminate its impact on the dog. The symptoms can then be reduced by regular bathing in clean water or a special shampoo designed to reduce itching which reduces the contact between the pollen and the skin. Administering unsaturated fatty acids, such as those contained in salmon oil, will also help the dog with itching. In some more serious cases, the vet may also prescribe antihistaminics (but never give the dog any human drugs without consulting him/her!). In the most serious cases when itching is unbearable, corticoids need o be administered.
If antibody tests were performed and we know the allergen, immunotherapy is possible with the dog. However, you shouldn’t expect the effect to be immediate, the improvement will be slow. However, as the pollen allergy season is quite short, it does not complicate the dog’s life so much, so no stronger treatment is needed.
Do you suspect your dog companion is allergic to pollen? Even though it’s usually enough to bath the allergic dog as mentioned above, it is good to at first exclude the possibility it is allergic to food. Ignoring such allergy for a longer period of time could have adverse effects on the dog’s health.
If you have decided to buy a purebred cat, you still have a lot of questions ahead of you. Which breed should you choose? A female cat or a tomcat? A kitten or an adult? Only if you consider everything carefully, you'll get the right companion for...
Lots of rabbit lovers choose this breed mainly by its appearance. The cuter, the better. But maybe they don’t know that a certain kind from the order of lagomorphs lives in nature, and hardly any domestic rabbit can match it in its cuteness. The same...
If you've noticed that your fluffy friend excessively licks and nibbles at his paws, you should not leave it like that. It might have several causes. Whether it's a psychological problem, allergy, yeast or other problem, the situation must be...
Did you know that our senses include the perception of the magnetic field? While we have almost lost this ability already, dogs still have it and use it every day. Do you know for what?
The British Shorthair cat is without a doubt the most popular cat breed not only in the Czech Republic, but also in the rest of Europe. This is caused not only by its appearance of a small Teddy bear, but also a mild, trouble-free nature.
In individual rodents, we’ll find breeds that are more popular with breeders than others. One of those is the American Teddy, typical with its peculiar hair structure that gives it the appearance of a teddy bear.
There is certainly no doubt that the Labrador belongs among the best known and most popular dog breeds. The reason is his extraordinary versatility, adaptability, intelligence and loyalty. Like the British Shorthair cat, the Labrador Retriever can be...
To spend a few days outside of civilisation - in the forest, on the ridges of the mountains - away from the hustle of the cities, in the wilderness and ideally with your dog. An imaginary return back to nature is the trend that did not avoid even the...
Hunting and exercise. If the dog loves both these activities, then coursing is the perfect activity for it. This cross-country race is based exactly on the desire of the dog to catch its prey.
No matter how thorough we are with the prevention, a situation might come up when a dog or a cat will get to a poisonous thing, whether it’s by our inattention or it's somebody else’s fault. That’s why it’s not off-topic to prepare yourself for the...
Under the name of dogtrekking, imagine an orientation walk with the dog. Official rules rank it among extreme dog endurance sports.
There may be more causes of dog fear. And the first step to eliminate it is to find out its origin and cause.
