Allergies are always a real pain, whether to humans or animals.
Unfortunately, your dog is not an exception to hardships related to allergies if they have allergies.
The relieving news is that apart from your doctor’s medications, there are a few things you can do to relieve allergic reactions on dogs.
In this article, we share more on the signs and symptoms of dog allergies and what you can do to relieve the allergic reactions.
Signs Your Dog Might Have Allergies
Your actions will lean on the symptoms you can see on your pup and the allergens involved.
Therefore, it is essential to know the symptoms associated with your dog’s allergies.
You might want to confirm with a vet if your pup has allergic reactions or what you see is a sign of something else.
However, before you visit the vet, you need to know what to do if you notice some signs and symptoms of a dog suffering from allergies.
The most common symptom of allergies in dogs is itchy skin. Sometimes, your dog may be scratching all over or just a part of its body.
Apart from this one, there are other symptoms you can look out for.
So, before we share what you can do when your dog has allergies, below are the allergy signs in dogs you need to watch out for:
- Sneezing
- Runny nose
- Dry flaky and itchy skin
- Watery eyes
- Skin patches
- Scratching one or both ears
- Paw or anus licking
- Smelly ears
How to Deal With Dog Allergies
After carefully examining your furry friend for allergy signs and the vet confirming your dog has allergies, what do you do?
Do allergies in dogs have a cure? Unfortunately, dog allergies do not have a cure, and you cannot prevent them.
The only thing left to do is help your dog relieve the symptoms.
Sure your vet might recommend some OTC drugs to give to your dog, but what else can you do?
Below are a few things you can possibly do to help relieve your dog’s allergy symptoms.
Supplement Their Diet
When your dog has food allergies, you will be forced to change its diet most of the time. You can give them some hypoallergenic foods before you can directly point to the allergen food.
Most vets will recommend that your pooch goes through a food trial to determine the type of food causing allergic reactions.
However, the whole process may take 8 to 12 weeks which means that your pup will still go through some allergic reactions.
During this period, you can give your hound fish oil or a fatty acid such as Omega 3 or Omega 6.
The two supplements will help improve your pooch’s skin health and help with the itching.
As mentioned, itching is a common sign of allergies in dogs, so the fatty acids and the oil may be a sure way of reducing the discomfort.
In addition to the fish oil and the fatty acids, coconut oil is also excellent for improving their skin health and reducing itchiness.
Also, as a fur parent, you need to be extra vigilant about the food that your fur baby is eating.
Consider purchasing the best dog food for allergies from companies that genuinely have dog allergies in mind, like Cornucopia Organic Pet Foods.
Give More Baths
Bathing your pup is not only fun, but it can also be an allergy reliever for him or her.
For example, if your dog is used to two baths a week, you can add these to four or more baths a week. More baths can help reduce dry and itchy skin for a dog.
With a vet’s help, look for a hypoallergenic anti-itch shampoo to help soothe your dog’s allergy symptoms.
Sometimes medicated soaps are an excellent choice to help with the skin infections that may result from itching.
Oatmeal shampoo is also an excellent option for your dog’s skin. It is soothing and healthy for the health of your hound’s fur and skin.
Adding more baths to your dog’s regular bathing routine helps soothe and relax their skin.
Some dog owners even take some time to soak their pups in shampoo to help relieve the dog’s skin.
Clean Their Bedding
Your dog’s bedding may be covered with allergens with time. Be sure to clean the bedding once every week with hot water.
Also, you can try to cover surfaces – both yours and theirs- with towels and blankets to prevent your dog from coming into contact with allergens.
Always make sure that their food and water bowls are always clean. The water and the food should also be changed regularly to avoid the consumption of allergens.
You should also regularly clean your favorite toys to eliminate any allergen that might be on them.
In conclusion, make sure that anything that your fur baby comes into contact with is clean.
All of these might seem like a lot of work for you, but you want your pooch to be well, so don’t sleep on it!
Clear the Air
Inside your home, there may be airborne allergens causing your dog to have allergic reactions.
Make sure that you regularly change the air filters to keep off the airborne allergens.
Mold may also be a good source of allergens, and therefore you should ensure that your home is not damp. For example, you can run a dehumidifier or air conditioner to get rid of moisture in your home.
This way, you will have gotten rid of mold.
In addition, if you know of damp places where your dog spends their time, you can try to stop them or limit the time they spend in such areas.
Also, vacuum once every week and clean the rugs in your home to avoid dust build-up.
Change Your Walk Routine
Routines can be difficult to change but to try and minimize the allergies, you need to act on them.
If you have a regular early morning or a late afternoon walk, try to change it. During this time, pollen levels are at their highest levels.
Also, if you are used to having walked in gardens and parks, you need to avoid it or limit your walks in these places.
These gardens have allergy-triggering plants that can trigger your hound’s allergic reactions.
When you go back home, ensure that you clean your dog’s paws with a damp cloth or a hypoallergenic wipe to get rid of any allergen they might have carried.