· Immunotherapy is an effective, but expensive, form of dog allergy relief. When your vet chooses this form of dog allergy relief, it involves a series of injections of the allergen, with the active parts, or those that induce the symptoms, removed. Over time, you will find that you achieve dog allergy relief, as your dog becomes used to the allergen.

· There are many topical solutions for dog allergy relief. Various sprays, powders, shampoos, creams and lotions can be applied to the skin to reduce itching and other symptoms. These types of dog allergy relief often contain cortisone, and will be prescribed by your vet.

· If your dog has a food allergy, giving your dog allergy relief is as simple as switching to a hypoallergenic diet. This can be expensive, but you could also cook your own, using ingredients like chicken and rice, or try to isolate the ingredients that cause a reaction by a process of elimination.

· As with food allergy, contact allergies are allergic reactions to a specific item in the environment. And as with food allergies, the easiest way to give your dog allergy relief is to remove the allergen or the item causing the reaction from the area. Since dogs can develop allergies at any time of their lives, take care when introducing new items to their environments – watch them for a few hours or days.

· When your dog has a flea allergy, the method of giving your dog allergy relief is simple – keep fleas away from him! Invest in shampoos, sprays, powders and collars and you shouldn’t have any further trouble.

These are just a few of your options to give your dog allergy relief – speaking to your vet will undoubtedly reveal many more. New therapies are being developed all the time too, so if you have a dog that has had an allergy for a while, return visits to find new ways to give your dog allergy relief are always a good idea.

You might find that your vet prescribes an oral medication that will give your dog allergy relief, or there may be another therapy that your vet recommends. It may take some time to find the right way to give your dog allergy relief, but don’t give up! Once you find the solution, you may be surprised at just how easy it is to live with!

If someone you know has been diagnosed with an allergy to dogs, you may be wondering just how serious it is. What exactly are the symptoms of allergy to dogs? How severely will you or your loved one be affected by an allergy to dogs?

Knowing the facts can help you to decide whether your, or your loved one’s allergy to dogs is a reason to avoid dogs altogether, or whether you can find ways to live with an allergy to dog. It also helps to know what you’re getting into, and when you should begin thinking about making tough decisions.

Mild Symptoms

Mild symptoms of allergy to dogs include a scratchy throat, runny nose, and sneezing. It can be annoying, but is easily treated with anti histamines, and by implementing a few subtle changes to your lifestyle. This kind of allergy to dogs is not a concrete reason to re home your dog, or avoid all contact with dogs, unless you want to.

Severe Symptoms

Severe symptoms of an allergy to dogs can include serious respiratory ailments. If you notice your, or your loved one’s experiencing difficulty breathing, wheezing or anything similar, even up to twelve hours after being around a dog, you probably have a severe allergy to dogs on your hands. This type of allergy may not be treatable, however, and if you do have these symptoms of allergy to dogs, you may need to consider not having dogs in your home.

Treating Allergy to Dogs

Except for the most severe allergy to dogs, most are treatable, if you really want to keep pets. The secret is to find a specialist in the treatment of allergies, and in particular, allergy to dogs. New treatments are being developed all the time, and a treatment plan made up of several medications, therapies, and actions within your home.

What Causes Allergy to Dogs?

Another important secret to finding a way to treat allergy to dogs, is to know what causes it. The first thing you should know is that allergy to dogs isn’t called by hair. It’s a combination of proteins in the dog’s saliva, and dander, or dead skin, that cause the symptoms of allergy to dogs. For this reason, even hairless breeds can induce symptoms, although usually to a lesser extent. Shaving your dog won’t help!

When this fine dander becomes airborne, it lands on the eyes, nose and is breathed into the throat. The body’s immune system reacts to this dander, and the allergen, by causing the symptoms we know as allergy to dogs. It’s for this reason that air filters, vacuuming, and wiping your dog with a damp towel are recommended treatments to the symptoms of allergy to dogs. By doing these things, you minimize the amount of dander, and your chances of reaction.

If you’re a dog lover, you may be wondering if it’s possible to avoid allergies to dogs in your children. You may be planning to start a family, and wondering if there’s any way to ensure that the new addition to your family does not have allergies to dogs.

The good news is that recent studies have found that there is a surprising way to avoid allergies to dogs in children – and if you already have a dog, you already have the treatment on hand!

How to Allergy Proof Your Children

According to the findings of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, exposing your children to dogs in their first year of life can greatly reduce their chances of developing allergies to dogs later in life. If you already have a dog living in your house, you should be fine, but if not, and you want to avoid allergies to dogs in your children, why not take them to visit people with dogs, or consider adopting one?

Guide dog associations also often have puppy fostering programs, so you could combine your desire to prevent allergies in dogs with doing something wonderful! Foster a puppy for a year, and during that time, you’re also making sure your child will have less likelihood of developing allergies to dogs.

How Effective Is It?

Now, you may be wondering just how effective something so simple will be in avoiding allergies to dogs in your child. According to the research, there’s a fourteen percent reduction in the likelihood of developing allergies to dogs if you choose to expose your infant to dogs during the first year of life!

In fact, children who are not exposed in this way are thirty three percent likely to develop allergies to dogs! That’s a third of the children born! Children who have been “allergy proofed” in this way are only nineteen percent likely to suffer from allergies to dogs, which is less than one in five.

What Guarantee is There?

Of course, this is not a completely fool proof method, and there is still a chance, in spite of your efforts to reduce the likelihood of allergies to dogs in your children by exposing them to your pooch (or someone else’s!) However, even if you’re not a gambler, the odds seem a whole lot better for those who are not exposed to canines in their first year, than in those who are, to develop allergies.

Allergies to dogs, particularly if severe, can limit your child’s choices – they may not be able to visit certain friends and family, and there are some careers that may be off limits to them. Then again, you might have trouble moving house – dog allergens can remain in a building for months after the dog has left! All in all, while it’s not a guaranteed method of preventing allergies to dogs, this does reduce your child’s chances significantly, and since we all want to give our kids the best, it might be worth considering.

You may be one of millions of people who have allergies to dogs. Or maybe one of your close family members has allergies to dogs. The trouble is, maybe you’re a dyed in the wool dog lover. The question is, do you have any options?

Luckily, except in very extreme cases, the answer is yes. Either by taking specific steps to remove the causes of your allergies to dogs, or even choosing a breed that is less likely to cause symptoms of allergies to dogs. Here’s how.

Choose a Hairless Breed

They may not be the prettiest of creatures, but they are lovable, and they are dogs. If you don’t already have a dog, and you or someone you love have allergies to dogs, consider adopting a Chinese Crested or Mexican Hairless. Less (or in this case no) hair, means less of the causes of reactions to allergies to dogs. Plus, no shedding, and bathing is a breeze!

Try A Variety of Breeds

If you or a loved one has allergies to dogs, and you can’t face the thought of a hairless dog, there are other breeds that may induce fewer symptoms of allergies to dogs. In fact, the reaction of a particular person can vary greatly from breed to breed, so if you’re looking for a new puppy, take the person with the allergies to dogs along, and gauge their reaction.

Short coated dogs, like dachshunds, and wire coated dogs, usually produce less of a reaction in those who suffer allergies to dogs.

Take Precautions

If you do already have a dog, or even if you are planning to get one of the dogs mentioned above, there are steps you can take to minimize the reactions experience by those with allergies to dogs. For a start, make sure that your dog sleeps outside, or in an area of the house far away from the person with allergies to dogs. Next, limit their access to areas of the house with carpets and upholstered furniture, and vacuum regularly.

Make sure that you bath your dog regularly, and remember that even wiping them down with a damp towel can minimize the reaction of those with allergies to dogs. When you do bath, brush or groom your dog, do it outdoors, or send them to the doggy parlor. In most cases, with these tips, and perhaps an anti histamine, sufferers of milder allergies to dogs can happily live with their four legged friends. Don’t give up too easily, but also remember that if you or your loved one has very severe allergies to dogs, you may not be able to keep a dog.

If you do find that you can’t keep a dog because someone in your family has allergies to dogs, why not volunteer at your local animal sanctuary? You’ll be doing the animals a big favor, and you’ll still get to enjoy the company of man’s best friend. Sounds like a win win situation to me!

• The first step in finding a dog allergy remedy is to limit the contact between the dog, and the allergy sufferer. Make sure your pooch never ventures into the sufferers room, and definitely not on their bed. In fact, if you could limit your dog’s access to the house to areas where there are tiles and minimal upholstered furniture, you’re part of the way to a dog allergy remedy already!

• Next, you need to remember that it’s often the dander, not the dog, which causes the reaction. So, vacuuming the living areas that the dog has access to is a part of your dog allergy remedy, as is installing air filters.

• Make sure that when you are looking for a dog allergy remedy that you don’t ignore your furniture – dander, the main cause of allergies, loves adhering to upholstery! Or, restrict your dog’s access to areas where there are upholstered pieces of furniture.

• Once you’ve got a routine for your home, your next step is to make sure that your dog is well groomed. Believe it or not, but regular bathing and brushing of your dog is a big part of a successful allergy remedy. Just make sure you do it outside, or have your dog professionally groomed, away from your home.

• Finally, speak to your doctor about a dog allergy remedy. This can vary from anti histamines to immunotherapy, depending on how severe the allergy is. There are many treatments though, so it may be a case of trial and error. If one dog allergy remedy doesn’t work, then try another one, until you find one that does.

While finding a dog allergy remedy is not easy, it is possible, and if you really want to keep your pooch, chances are you will find a dog allergy remedy that works for you. Sometimes, it’s a particular breed of dog that is the problem, so if you don’t already have a dog, but want one, you may find a breed that allows you to forego the dog allergy remedy, or at least scale it back a little.

Of course, the allergy may be so severe that it becomes a life threatening condition – a rare occurrence, but a possibility. In that case, none of the dog allergy remedy options is likely to work, and the only option may be to rehome your dog. Don’t give up though – you might just find that dog allergy remedy that works! When you do, you should be able to live quite comfortably, and with little interruption to your ordinary life.

Allergy Related Skin Rashes
Whether your dog has a contact allergy, a food allergy, or a flea allergy, dog skin rashes are a common symptom. Usually, they show up as hives, and usually within a day or two of contact with the allergen. Treatment is possible using a combination of anti histamines, immunotherapy, steroid treatment, and removing the allergen.

Eczema
Another of the very common cause of dog skin rashes is eczema. This, as in humans, is a flaky, itchy rash, which can occur anywhere on the body. Topical treatments, including lotions and creams are usually effective in treating these kinds of dog skin rashes. Your vet may recommend bathing your dog in a special shampoo for this skin disorder, or even prescribe medication.

Ringworm
Just like humans, dog skin rashes might actually be ringworm. This fungal infection is commonly identified by its circular, or ring shape. Treatment with anti fungal topical lotions and creams will usually solve the problem.

Consult Your Veterinarian
These are just a few of the common causes of dog skin rashes, however, identifying them is the first step in treating them, and with so many other common causes of dog skin rashes out there, your first step in identifying the problem, and finding an appropriate treatment, should be to visit your veterinarian. He will examine the rash, and may be able to identify the cause from that examination. Alternatively, he may decide to run tests, which can pinpoint more complex problems.

Establish a Treatment Program
Once your veterinarian has established the cause of your dog skin rashes, you will be provided with a treatment plan, which may include medication, dietary changes, topical treatments like lotions, shampoos or powders, and other possibilities. It’s very important that you stick to these guidelines, and monitor their efficacy.

Stick to the Recommendations
If, for example, you see no change in your dog skin rashes, you may need to alter the treatment. If the treatment does help clear up the problem, you can be assured that your dog has been correctly diagnosed. Always remember though that in the case of dog skin rashes caused by allergies or similar ailments, exposure to the cause will cause a relapse, so make sure you remain vigilant!

Whether your dog skin rashes are from allergies, eczema, ringworm or any other cause, there is a treatment out there, and you owe it to your dog to find it. Dog skin rashes are as uncomfortable and unpleasant as those in humans. You wouldn’t expect your kids to live with the itching and burning would you? So make sure your dog skin rashes don’t go untreated, and keep your best friend happy and healthy.

• If your dog has another illness, it could lead to your dog’s loss of appetite. This could be something minor, or something far more serious, like parvo virus or another canine disease. If your dog’s loss of appetite is linked to other symptoms, like vomiting, or loose stools, particularly if there is blood in them, do not hesitate to take your dog to the vet immediately! Swift action, in some cases, is the difference between life and death.

• If your dog’s loss of appetite is linked to an event, like moving home, or the death of another pet or family member, your dog’s loss of appetite may be psychological, rather than physical. Just like humans, dogs get depressed, and they may stop eating. If this is the case, shower your dog with more affection, and try to tempt him with his favorite treats.

• Dog’s loss of appetite may also be linked to a change in diet. Some dogs will eat anything and everything that is put in front of them, but others have more discerning palates. If you suspect that a change in diet has caused your dog’s loss of appetite, try introducing the new food gradually, mixing it with their regular food, gradually increasing the proportion of the new food to the old.

• If your dog’s loss of appetite is linked to behavioral problems, like digging, chewing on objects that they should not be, or even excessive barking or howling, it may be a symptom of separation anxiety. In this instance, getting another dog, to keep your dog company may be a solution to the problem of your dog’s loss of appetite, and the behavioral problems.

• If you notice your dog losing weight, but your dog’s loss of appetite is negligible, or nonexistent, that may be a symptom of a stomach parasite, or it could be a sign of a more serious disease. Try giving your dog deworming tablets, and if that does not work, approach your veterinarian, to rule out more serious problems.

When you notice your dog’s loss of appetite, a warning signal should go up. Never ignore this, and if your dog simultaneously stops drinking water, or shows any other symptoms of illness, go to your vet immediately. With some canine diseases, a delay of a few hours can be the difference between survival and death.

Most dogs will not simply stop eating for no reason, and whether the cause of your dogs’ loss of appetite is physiological, or psychological, you need to find the root cause, in order to effectively solve the problem.

Of course, the prevalence of the different allergies of dogs varies, as does the treatment of the condition, but here are a few of the basic facts relating to allergies of dogs that might help the process go a little bit smoother.

Contact Allergies
Contact allergies of dogs are allergies to something in the environment. It may be a specific plant, item or even something in the air or it may be something more general, like an allergy to grass. For contact allergies of dogs, the ideal treatment is to remove the cause of the allergy from the environment – easier said than done in cases where the allergen is a common one!

Other options for allergies of dogs, where the allergen is something the dog is in contact with, are anti histamines, immunotherapy, or even steroid treatments, all of which can be used with varying success on dogs with allergies of dogs like these.

Identifying an allergy may be quite tricky. Of course, contact allergies of dogs that begin suddenly, shortly after the introduction of something new in the environment are easy to spot, but if the dog suddenly develops an allergy to something that has been in the environment for some time, allergy testing may be required to identify it.

Flea Allergies of Dogs
More common than contact allergies, flea allergies of dogs can still be a tricky problem to treat. Far from an ordinary reaction to a few fleas, pooches that suffer from flea allergies of dogs will have a severe itching, scratching and biting reaction to even one flea!

Anyone who’s ever tried to keep even a non sufferer of flea allergies of dogs from getting fleas will know that it requires vigilance, and a good arsenal of anti flea products to do so!

You’ll have to invest in a spray for the environment, anti flea shampoo for the sufferer, and any other dogs you have, anti flea dip, and probably a flea collar. Medication, including steroids, may also be prescribed in severe cases. If you have a sufferer of flea allergies of dogs, try to check the dog, and his sleeping area, regularly, and if you see even one flea, take immediate action!

Food Allergies of Dogs
Another fairly common of the allergies of dogs is an allergy to specific foods. Often, these types of allergies of dogs are to common foods or ingredients in commercial dog food brands. Typically, your dog will display generic symptoms of allergies of dogs, including itching, scratching, biting and hives.

When diagnosed, your vet will typically put your dog onto a hypoallergenic food, or recommend a hypo allergenic diet like chicken and rice, and usually, if you adhere to the dietary guidelines, your dog will stop having any symptoms of allergies of dogs.