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ITCHY ALLERGIES
by Rita Ruple, D.V.M.
published in the Northeast Times
Persistent scratching, licking, chewing, rubbing – does this sound familiar to you? These are all too familiar signs associated with allergies in our pets. Allergies are one of the most common health problems veterinarians see on a daily basis. They are not only an annoyance to the pet, but also a bother to the pet owner who must watch their pet be miserable.
So what exactly are allergies?
Allergy is a state of hypersensitivity in which exposure to a harmless substance known as an allergen induces the body’s immune system to “overreact.” Just like in humans, our pets can suffer as well. Almost anything--pollen, dust, molds, an ingredient in pet food, a household cleaning or fragrance chemical, an insect bite--can set off a cascade in the immune system, causing it to release large amounts of white blood cells, hormones, and other material called histamines into the bloodstream. The result for animals can be a range of different effects, including itchy, swollen skin--known as pruritis—chewing or licking all hair off on a particular body part, watery or goopy eyes, difficulty breathing, or a disruption of the digestive tract such as vomiting or diarrhea.
What causes allergies?
There are a few main types of allergies: flea allergies, food allergies, inhalant allergies, and contact allergies. Close observation and history of your pet’s problems, location of itchy spots or hair loss on your pet or other clinical signs can help determine what type of allergy affects your pet. Sometimes pets can have multiple allergies, making it harder to find the source of your pet’s discomfort. Also secondary complications to allergies can contribute or prolong itching and scratching such as secondary bacterial or yeast infections of the skin and ears. Management of these problems first, then addressing the allergy is essential to providing relief to your pet.
Flea allergy is probably the most common allergy of all. Animals aren't actually allergic to the fleas themselves, but to proteins that fleas secrete in their saliva when they bite. Even though you don’t see fleas on your pet, it doesn’t mean they are not there or could be causing problems. For a flea allergic pet, a single flea bite can cause your pet to be extremely itchy, scratch or chew at their fur until all hair is gone and the skin is raw or bleeding - all within 15 minutes of a bite! Flea allergy pets can be any age and are typically most itchy over their tail, lower legs and thighs in the dog and around the head and neck of cats. Treatment for flea allergy is 100% flea control for your pet and their environment. The most important target will be the environment because 90% of the fleas are not on your pet but in the areas they live in. It is important to vacuum all floor surfaces, wash all bedding, treat the house and yard for fleas (a professional exterminator may be of great help here) and treat all other pets in the household that could be carriers of fleas. For flea treatment of your pets, there are great products available to apply such as flea shampoos, topical spot treatments, or oral medications that prevent or kill fleas.
Food allergy is another type of allergy that can be frustrating to the pet and owner. Food allergies occur because your pet becomes sensitive to a particular component or allergen in their food – such as a protein or carbohydrate source like beef, chicken, lamb, soy, wheat, corn or dairy. Preservative and additives in the foods can also be a source of allergy, but less likely. Food allergy pets can begin having problems when they are less than three years of age but can be older when problems develop. They are usually most itchy over the face, ears, feet, front legs, and armpits in dogs and face and neck in the cat. It is also important to know that food allergy pets could eat a food for more than a year before showing an allergy to it. Many times even if the food is changed to another commercial diet, problems will persist because of the similar ingredients in all foods. Food allergies are diagnosed with a food trial – placing your pet on a special diet from your veterinarian for 8 or more weeks. A food trial means that nothing else passes the lips of your pet but this special diet – this includes no flavored heartworm tablets, vitamins, chew toys, raw hides, etc. Diets used in food trials include hypoallergenic diets or novel protein diets. Hypoallergenic diets will contain hydrolyzed proteins, meaning the proteins are broken up in such small particles that the body does not recognize them as a potential allergen. Novel protein diets are diets that include proteins your pet has never been fed such as fish, rabbit, venison, duck and an alternative carbohydrate source such as white or sweet potatoes. If your pet improves on this special diet, after 8 weeks your pet is challenged with their old diet. If the itching, scratching, chewing or licking returns then your pet may have a food allergy and need a special diet for the rest of their life.
Inhalant allergy, also known as allergic dermatitis or atopy, is an inherited predisposition to develop allergic symptoms following repeated exposure to some otherwise harmless substance such as pollen, dust, mold, grass, trees, etc. Most dogs begin to show their allergic signs between 1 and 3 years of age and can start with mild scratching or licking at certain times of the year to full blown intense itching, chewing, red/raw skin and hair loss all year round. Many times your pet will be most itchy on the face, feet, ears, armpits and groin areas but can spread to full body itching. The best way to diagnose inhalant allergies is with intradermal skin testing. Just like humans, animal can be allergy tested too. Intradermal skin testing is taking many different common allergens (like plant and tree pollens, animal and human molds, and dusts) and injecting a small amount under your pet’s skin. If a large red swelling appears, it is likely positive your pet has an allergy to that allergen. Treatment for inhalant allergies is difficult because it is not always possible to remove your pet completely from the allergen they are allergic to. Many times it falls to managing our pet’s allergies with the least amount of drug side effects.
Management of atopy includes the use of antihistamines, steroids, fatty acid or dietary supplements to the food, or special topical shampoos and sprays to provide itch relief. Another tool in management is immunotherapy, agents that work on the level of the immune system to reduce the inflammatory response to different allergens, in the form of oral medications or injectable hyposensitization shots.
Lastly, contact allergies are also a form of itching and scratching in our pets. It is probably the least likely type of allergy to your pet. Contact allergies occur when your pet come in contact with something they are allergic to – such a cleaning chemical you use to clean hard surfaces or a laundry detergent used to wash bedding or clothing. Usually your pet will become very itchy on one part of their body where they came in contact with the offending agent. Removing the source of allergy and bathing your pet generally eliminates the problem of contact allergies.
What makes allergies frustrating and hard to deal with is that in many cases, you either won't be able to determine exactly what is causing the reaction or won't be able to completely remove the offending agent from your pet's environment. It is also important to remember that allergies cannot be cured and you will be looking at life-long treatment for your pet. This is where your veterinarian comes into the picture. You and your veterinarian will probably have to work together to determine the best treatment, or combination of treatments, for your pet's allergy. You may have to go through a series of trying a possible solution, waiting to see how your pet reacts to it, and moving on to another solution.
Our ultimate goal is to control allergies with the least possible side effects to your pet and improve the quality of life for both you and your pet.
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