Ask a Vet: Allergies in Dogs
September 23rd, 2008 by Dr. Donna SpectorQ: I’m at a total loss with my long-haired dachshund. I follow the Spot’s Stew recipe. She doesn’t get any processed/store-bought food of any sort.
However, she licks her front paws constantly. We had an allergy test done on her and were told she was basically allergic to almost every type of grass/pollen there is. Besides using vetwrap on her front paws, is there anything I can do?
A: The most common dog allergy symptom is itching. Dogs with allergies will lick their bodies or feet, rub their faces on the floor or furniture, scratch their ears, bite around their tail or scratch under their arms. Their hair may turn reddish in areas and they lose large amounts of hair. The first step, which you’ve already done, is to talk to your veterinarian, who can provide a diagnosis and treatment plan that will give your best friend relief.
For some additional things you can do at home to minimize your dog’s allergy symptoms, as well as information on different types of allergies, please click here to read more.
Dr. Donna Spector, DVM, DACVIM
Do you need vet advice? Post a comment with your veterinary questions and we will send them to Dr. Donna Spector to be answered in a future column.
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September 23rd, 2008 at 1:46 pm
Very Helpful.
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:32 pm
When we moved from Atlanta to Savannah in 2007, our blue heeler mix became horribly stuffy, his life nostril caked over, and he was constantly sneezing. We took him to the vet (turns out to have been the wrong one), where she decided to do a biopsy instead of allergy tests. She clipped a vein, and the day he came home he sneezed and almost bled to death that night. After two weeks of nosebleeds, and one more near death experience, his nose finally clotted. He was still stuffy all summer, but we thought he was out of the clear.
This past Spring he got all stuffy again (nose blocked) and his nose started bleeding again! Just like last time it was a faucet of blood. Last year his rbc was 14, when he took him to the er this year it was 17. Another transfusion, but this time I had to keep his nose clear, put Lil’ Noses spray in is nose twice a day, saline solution to keep it moist (ever pick dog boogers? YUCK!) and feed him Zyrtec and prednisone. Allergy season is finally over, sorta, and we dread next Spring.
We really don’t want him to suffer another Spring of almost bleeding to death (not to mention the 2,000 price tag). He’s miserable all summer just sneezing and all snotty. We did allergy tests with the vet, but nothing jumped at them. The only thing I can think of that was different from Atlanta and Savannah were pine trees. We didn’t have them up there (but we did have oak, maple, etc).
Suggestions on how to keep the bloody faucet and near death experience from not happening this Spring would be great. Thanks!
September 27th, 2008 at 6:30 pm
Good allergy info.
My 6yr old cat Emma has been scratching her head behind the ears, on her neck quite often, she also has been shaking her head. When i pet her on the head/ears she shakes her head or moves away. I took her to the vet (Banfield) for a check up, stated my concerns which lasted no more than 15 min (didnt think very thorough), nor informative - took her into back area and was back 5 minutes or less). I was merely given a sheet/checklist and eyes, ears, weight, etc was checked as good. Any ideas as to the causes, could it be ear mites, etc? Also how can this be treated, etc.