Understanding Pet Allergies in Dogs and Cats
The majority of animals can suffer from some form of allergy and our most popular pets, cats and dogs, appear to have a heightened sensitivity towards antigens and allergens. It’s important, therefore, that pet owners have an understanding of pet allergies and their causes if they’re to maintain their pet’s health.
The most wide spread cause of allergies in dogs and cats are those caused by antigens, with flea bites topping the list. Slightly less common are allergens which are found in ingested and air-borne substances such as food stuffs and cigarette smoke. Both antigens and allergens can adversely affect your pet’s health and should be treated with a good quality medication.
Pet allergies can be broken into three groups:
• Those that your pet eats: including additives, preservatives, food storage mites, and the actual food itself.
• Those that your pet breathes: including pollen, perfumes, cigarette smoke and some wood preservatives.
• Those that your pet touches: including fleas, dust mites, wool and detergents.
Pet allergies are also divided into two types, atopic and non-atopic. Simply put, if a cat or dog is atopic (has atopy), it has an inherited disposition towards pet allergies with a higher tendency to react to air-borne allergens being present.
Further, there are three ways in which pet allergies manifest themselves:
• Itching of the skin, either localized (affecting one area) or generalized (affecting your pet’s skin as a whole).
• Respiratory problems, resulting in coughing, sneezing and wheezing. There may also be nasal or ocular discharge present.
• Digestive problems, resulting in vomiting and diarrhea.
Why Pet Allergies?
The immune system is designed to protect your pet’s health against threats from dangerous bacteria. Unfortunately, sometimes a pet’s immune system lets it down causing an overreaction to substances that aren’t potentially dangerous, such as yeast, rice and flea bites. This is because histamine is released into the pet’s system causing blood vessels to dilate and produce a fluid that again causes the skin to become hot, puffy and itchy. Luckily, these problems can be treated with either antihistamines (such as Benadryl) or steroids (such as Prednisone).
Risk of Allergies
It’s clear that some breeds of dog are more prone to allergies than others with Retrievers and Terriers topping the list. In fact, almost all Labrador Retrievers will develop a food allergy and some Setters, Boxers, Dachshunds, Cocker Spaniels, Collies, Dalmatians, Miniature Schnauzers and Shar Peis also have a heightened tendency to develop allergy related health problems.
Unfortunately it’s not been as easy to define which breeds of cat are most likely to experience pet allergies, although it’s suspected that Siamese cats are more prone than others.
Age also plays a role in the likelihood of allergies affecting your pet’s health, with young and middle-aged pets being those most likely to be affected. At least senior pets have something to be pleased about!
With allergies being the most common cause of skin complaints among pets, it’s extremely important you speak with your vet should your cat or dog be experiencing any kind of skin problem; your pet’s health could be seriously jeopardized otherwise. Breathing problems, running eyes and coughing can also be allergy related and must always be checked.
Once you have your pet’s allergies under control, not only will your pet be happier, you should also have many years of pleasurable companionship ahead of you.
