Signs of food allergies in dogs. What to give your dog if he has an allergic reaction. Skin allergies in dogs

Dogs with allergies experience severe scratching.

The penetration of an irritant into the body is perceived by the canine immune system as a factor of aggression. Allergy is a kind of protection.

To appear specific symptoms necessary formation of hypersensitivity to irritants .

The initial intake of an allergen helps trigger the synthesis of antibodies focused on the structure of a specific antigen. When it enters the dog's body further, an attack of antibodies is observed. Then immune complexes are formed. They settle on cells that have substances that promote development inflammatory process. These include bradykinin and histamine.

Allergy symptoms in dogs are different from human symptoms. The main difference is that the animal shows signs of skin pathologies. Against the background of painful itching, severe scratching occurs, accompanied by inflammation, which is infectious in nature. Against this background, complications often develop.

Main types of allergic reactions

The most common development is:

Atopic dermatitis in a dog.

It is not always possible to identify the irritant. The body’s reaction can appear either a few minutes after its exposure or 2–3 days later.

Features of atopic dermatitis

Dust can act as an allergen.

The disease is based on the dog’s individual hereditary predisposition to produce antibodies when the stimulus is active. The allergen usually enters the body through the paw pads, respiratory tract, as well as through the digestive tract.

Secondary exposure to the stimulus provokes the development skin diseases. Atopic dermatitis is diagnosed in 3–20% of animals. The allergen may be:

• feathers;
• mold;
• dust;
• pollen of flowering plants.

Allergy symptoms are often caused by feed and atopic forms . This makes therapy significantly more difficult. Itching is usually localized on the abdomen, muzzle or hearing organs.

It does not disappear after the use of antibiotic drugs. It may decrease slightly when taking antihistamines or corticosteroids.

Symptoms usually intensify in spring and summer.

Features of flea dermatitis

Fleas can cause allergies.

Flea dermatitis - seasonal pathology. Aggravation is observed in summer and autumn. This is explained by the fact that fleas actively feed before hibernating.

Symptoms

Excruciating itching is the main symptom of flea dermatitis in dogs.

The main symptoms of flea dermatitis include:

• the appearance of skin rashes;
• painful itching;
• accompanied by discharge from the hearing organs;
• focal loss coat;
• intestinal disorders.

If a secondary infection occurs, small pustules appear in the area of ​​the croup, back and tail.

Features of food allergies

Food allergies account for from 20 to 40% of cases . Its symptoms are nonspecific, and therapy requires selectivity. Today, food allergies are among the most difficult to diagnose pathologies. This is especially true for those dogs that are treated with special food.

Food allergies are difficult to diagnose.

Protein poisoning

With this pathology, the animal’s body cannot absorb large amounts of meat. , the stool is disturbed. The most common symptom is diarrhea.

In case of protein poisoning, meat is poorly digested.

Skin rashes are accompanied by painful itching. The pet is scratching heavily and whining. , .

At food allergies There may be discharge from the eyes.

The main signs of food allergies, in addition to skin itching, should include:

1. Changing the shade of certain areas skin.
2. Appearance of a rash.
3. Discharge from the organs of vision.
4. The appearance of mucus from the nose.
5. Wetting of certain skin areas.
6. Strong "dog" smell.
7. Diarrhea.
8. outer ear.

The rash is usually localized near the anus, as well as on the face, armpits, and stomach.

Risk group

Food allergies are more common in:

• French bulldogs;
• English bulldogs;
• Shar Pei;
• East European Shepherds;
• American Staffordshire Terriers;
• Dalmatians

Statistics show that the symptoms affect white animals.

Natural provocateur products

Fermented milk products can cause allergies.

Food allergies can be triggered by:

• dairy products;
• fermented milk products;
• fish;
• egg yolks;
• semolina;
• millet;
• Hercules;
• soy;
• beef;
• chicken.

In addition, fruits and vegetables should be given to the animal with great care.

Allergenic feed

Food allergies are caused by low-quality, inexpensive dry food. Some dogs develop specific symptoms even after consuming premium products. The most allergenic foods include Royal Canin and Pedigree.

Pedigree food can be classified as allergenic.

Canned food also causes a reaction. But most often itching appears precisely because of “drying”. In addition to food, allergies are triggered by special dog treats containing flavors and dyes.

Carrying out a food test

Purina brand food can be given to dogs.

In order to determine what exactly your pet is allergic to, you need to conduct a food test.

1. It is recommended to feed the animal with new sources of carbohydrates and proteins. This diet must be followed for 3 months.
2. The dog can be fed rice, rabbit, duck, rutabaga. It is also allowed to give special foods of the brands Exclude, Purina, Hill*s.
3. You cannot give your pet anything other than the selected food.. Puppies undergoing a food test can be fed a ready-made, balanced food.
4. If the animal has a decrease or disappearance of symptoms, then in this case it is allowed to transfer it to a regular diet. Veterinarians call this moment a “provoking test.” It plays a very important role in clarifying the diagnosis.
5. If symptoms persist when returning to normal food, this indicates that the animal is suffering from a food allergy.
6. Repeated testing with a different set of products is allowed. This can be done 5–7 days later.

Treatment for atopic dermatitis

For atopic dermatitis, you can use special shampoos.

Treatment involves immunotherapy. The duration of the therapeutic course is 6 months. Injections of hormonal medications help relieve painful itching.

If a secondary infection occurs, antibiotic therapy is administered. And the animal is also prescribed antibacterial and antifungal medications.

Use permitted special ointments and shampoos. Recommended for hair restoration vitamin supplements.

Treatment for flea dermatitis

At severe form flea dermatitis requires injections.

Collars and drops are only effective against small numbers of fleas.

It is important to remember that there are always fleas on your pet. Especially it concerns long-haired dogs and those animals that live in warm regions with a mild climate.

Provocative foods should be excluded from the animal’s menu. Medicines that help remove irritants from the body are allowed.

Most often, the veterinarian prescribes the use activated carbon and Enterosgel . But they are also appointed medicines activating drainage functions kidneys and liver.

One of the most effective drugs is Tykveol. It has a gentle effect, contains fatty acid and vitamins that help normalize metabolic processes. To achieve the best effect, this remedy is used for a long time. The duration of the therapeutic course is 30 days.

If observed acute form allergic reaction, the animal is prescribed the following:

Proper nutrition is of great importance. If it is not possible to determine what type of protein the animal has developed an allergy to, it can only be given specialized food. In them, all molecules undergo hydrolysis. Such proteins do not contribute to allergies.

conclusions

You cannot feed your dog food from the table.

A special menu must be followed throughout your life. Even during training, you should not give your dog treats. Otherwise, the entire effect of the treatment will disappear. You cannot treat your animal with food from your table even after all allergy symptoms have disappeared.

Video about allergies in dogs

Simply because it is often confused with food intolerance or food hypersensitivity, which are much more common. Read our article on how to distinguish between these diseases and how to treat food allergies.

What is a food allergy?

A food allergy is an abnormal, inadequate reaction of a dog’s immune system to a substance that comes from food. For some reason, immune cells recognize it as foreign and begin to actively attack, causing unwanted reactions.

You must understand that this substance is not necessarily some kind of “harmful”; most often it is completely benign food products that are healthy for dogs, for example, different kinds animal protein.

How to distinguish allergies from intolerances?

Food allergies in dogs should not be confused with food intolerance, or, in other words, food hypersensitivity, which are in no way related to the functioning of the immune system, but are a consequence of various functional disorders, for example, dysbiosis, insufficient production of enzymes for the absorption of a particular type of food, diabetes and other metabolic diseases.

The main difference between food intolerance and allergy is that it manifests itself immediately. Roughly speaking, the dog has eaten - diarrhea begins, and if you neglect this symptom, then very soon it will be joined by a deterioration in the condition of the coat, loss of appetite, lethargy and other manifestations.

Food allergies, on the contrary, are characterized by a cumulative effect; a dog can eat the same food for a long time, sometimes for years, until, finally, you encounter the first signs, which will look much more menacing.

How food allergies manifest in dogs and their signs

Sometimes there is profuse discharge from the ears and eyes, which is also complicated by secondary infection, causing allergic conjunctivitis and otitis media Occur with allergies and digestive disorders - in general, a wide range of disorders can occur.

Excess histamine

You should not be surprised at how food allergies manifest themselves in dogs - when an allergen enters the body, a large amount of a substance such as histamine is released. It plays an important role in quickly blocking the spread of pathogenic substances, including allergens, and removing them from the body, and as a “side effect” it leads to phenomena such as swelling, discharge and itching.

The latter calls high concentration histamine in the skin, leading to constant irritation of nerve endings. We often call these symptoms signs of illness, but in a strict sense, they are the result of the body's immune system.

Causes of food allergies in dogs

The exact causes of food allergies are unknown. According to research data, no genetic predisposition to it has been identified in dogs, although in some breeds there is more frequent occurrence of this disease.

In a global sense, the occurrence of immune system failures is explained by sudden changes in the lifestyle of people and, of course, their closely related domestic animals. So, according to one of scientific hypotheses, the fault is the excessive “sterility” of our environment.

The immune system, “programmed” for constant war, remains almost idle and, like generals in peacetime, is actively searching for the enemy.

What to do? Is it really possible to reduce your pampered pets to the level of construction workers, among whom, by the way, food and all other types of allergies are extremely rare? Of course not, because our dogs are family members, they live nearby, sleep in the same beds with us, eat from our hands, lick our children... Food allergies need to be dealt with in other ways.

Treatment of food allergies

Let's say right away that food allergies cannot be cured. The only way relieve symptoms - once and for all eliminate from food the component that acts as an allergen. But how to detect it? According to veterinarians, the only in a reliable way Determining the allergen specifically for food allergies is an elimination diet, that is, an exclusion diet.

This is a long path, sometimes taking several months, but it is worth going through in order to resolve the issue as efficiently as possible.

What to exclude?

The essence of an elimination diet is to gradually eliminate foods that can cause allergies from your diet. According to observational data, most often food allergies in dogs occur to various types of animal protein - chicken, beef, lamb, eggs, as well as grains and herbal ingredients- corn, wheat, soybeans.

You need to start by eliminating those components that have been part of your dog’s diet for a long time. If it was grain feed, then it is better to immediately switch to diets without adding corn, wheat, or soy. Symptoms don't go away? Then the culprit is most likely some type of animal protein.

If used to be a dog If you ate food with chicken, then you can try a diet with lamb, if lamb is suspected, then with fish, etc. You need to feed each food for at least 6 weeks, carefully monitoring the dog. If the symptoms disappear, then veterinarians Usually a provocation is prescribed - it is recommended to give the dog old food.

The manifestation of symptoms makes it possible to accurately determine whether it is this type of protein that causes the allergy.

Food for dogs with food allergies

When feeding commercial feeds with treatment using an exclusion diet, difficulties often arise, because in many of them the same type of protein can be contained in different types. For example, the main meat component may be lamb, but chicken fat is added, there is no chicken fat - but there are eggs, etc.

That's why choose industrial feed for an elimination diet it is so difficult. However, nothing is impossible - you just need to carefully analyze its composition.

ACANA Singles: One Source of Animal Protein

Let's look at this using the example of the ACANA Singles food line, which contains four products - based on, and.

Each of them contains only one type of animal protein, and this applies not only to the meat itself, but also to fat, as well as additional sources useful substances: liver, heart, cartilage. These foods do not contain grains or eggs, as well as isolated animal and plant proteins or hydrolysates, which may harbor allergens.

Moreover, the food in the ACANA Singles line is absolutely identical in terms of the balance of key nutrients and components, so they can be changed without following a lengthy transition procedure. We recommend that you first purchase an animal protein diet that your dog has never tried before and feed it to your pet for six weeks.

Don't feed anything

If the symptoms do not go away, then you can choose another food from this line. It is very important not to feed the dog anything during treatment - exclude any treats and treats from the table. If one of the foods suits your pet, then you can feed it throughout his life.

ACANA Singles is a complete food for dogs with food allergies, so you can be absolutely sure your pet is getting everything they need to live a long, healthy life.

Certain irritants can cause different reactions in dogs. Some animals eat chicken without any side effects, while others develop health problems. Some simple things are perceived by the animal body as harmful or dangerous. Visually, this reaction manifests itself in the form of skin irritation, itching, rash, etc. This article discusses in detail the main types of allergies in dogs, associated symptoms, treatment methods and provides useful tips from veterinarians.

Reaction to fleas in pets

Flea bites can be distinguished visually, but the pet’s body is not always able to react normally to foreign protein. With a normal reaction of the immune system to flea bites, the redness disappears quite quickly, and the animal does not itch for long.

Symptoms

If an allergic reaction occurs, the following symptoms can be observed:

• the dog itches from 3 hours to 2 days;
• papules, crusts, scabs appear on the skin;
• hair falls out on the back near the tail or genitals.

Afterwards, there is a risk of developing chronic dermatitis.

Treatment

To determine the most accurate diagnosis, the following methods are used:

When the diagnosis is determined correctly, the veterinarian prescribes a course of treatment.

In more complex situations, dogs are given medications containing a lot of iron, as well as immunostimulants to increase the production of a hormone that improves adrenal function.

Experts recommend using ointments, all kinds of repellent sprays and other means for prevention. You need to understand that a dog with high sensitivity for flea bites timely treatment and taking the right preventive measures. U individual breeds allergies are extremely difficult.

The most commonly prescribed drugs are:

• Suprastin;
• Tavegil;
• Zyrtec;
• Fenistil.

Only a veterinarian can determine the appropriate medications for flea allergies on a case-by-case basis.

Allergy to fleas in animals falls into the environmental or insect category. The reaction to flea saliva can manifest itself differently depending on the state of the immune system, breed and age of the dog.

Food allergies

Dogs are very susceptible to food allergies. The immune system may negatively perceive some components that enter the pet’s body. The most common causative agents of allergies are various protein compounds.

Food allergies often occur after consuming food dyes and all kinds of artificial additives included in feed. Soy, foods containing grains, and dairy products can provoke diseases. There are known cases of anaphylactic shock.

Often an allergic reaction occurs after eating chicken or fish. Industrial poultry production often uses too many antibiotics, various hormones growth. To keep products in a suitable form for sale, they are often spiked with all sorts of preservatives.

Symptoms

Symptoms of food allergies:

• skin color changes in some places;
• rash;
• discharge from the eyes;
• unpleasant odor;
• mucus flows from the nose;
• some areas of the skin may become moist;
• the pet develops diarrhea;
• external ear.

Often the rash appears on the stomach, face and near the anus.

If symptoms are detected, you should contact a veterinary clinic for testing. After this, the doctor will prescribe medications or tell you which specific foods need to be completely excluded from the dog’s diet.

Treatment

Treatment involves taking measures to strengthen the immune system. A standard therapeutic course can last 6 months. So that the itching can be stopped, shaggy friends give hormonal drugs.

If the infection appears a second time, doctors prescribe antibiotics. Additionally, the pet is given antifungal and antibacterial agents.

At home, you can use shampoos and ointments recommended by your veterinarian. To improve appearance wool, dogs are given special vitamin supplements.

1. The pet is given new foods for 3 months.
2. Doctors recommend rice, duck or rabbit meat, rutabaga. You can give your animal Exclude, Purina, Hill's food.
3. Puppies are given special balanced food.
4. When the dog’s symptoms decrease or completely disappear, you can switch to simple diet. In this way, a provocative test is performed, allowing a more accurate diagnosis to be made.
5. If all symptoms return after switching to regular food, then your pet has a food allergy.
6. The room in which the dog lives must be constantly checked. It is not advisable to smoke near an animal. You need to use detergents that do not contain toxins.
7. If the animal seasonal allergies on plant pollen, you need to limit its stay on the street or walk it where it is least.
8. Animals should not be given water containing fluoride. heavy metals go any contaminants.
9. It is not advisable to deviate from the recommended intake medications, since they prevent the immune system from acting, thereby providing suitable conditions for the development of diseases.

After about 5-7 days, you can repeat the test with a different list of food products.

Preparations:

• Suprastin;
• Tavegil;
• Diphenhydramine.

The dosage of the drugs is determined by the breed and age of the dog.

To prevent food allergies from occurring in your pets, you need to be careful when choosing food.

Contact allergy

This type of allergic reaction is extremely rare in dogs and is highly sensitive to things such as:

• personal hygiene products;
• household chemicals;
• toys;
• synthetics.

Often, a reaction occurs with prolonged interaction with an allergen.

Symptoms

Let's look at the main symptoms:

• hair loss;
• irritation;
• severe damage to skin tissue in areas of contact with the allergen;
• erythema;
• acne;
• hives;
• scratching.

If symptoms appear, tests should be carried out at a veterinary clinic.

Treatment

After receiving the results, the specialist doctor determines the appropriate medications and course of treatment.

Preparations:

• Cytherizine;
• Bicafren;
• Cyprodine.

The dosage and course of treatment are determined taking into account the animal’s body weight, breed and age.

Contact allergies may occur seasonally, after exposure to pollen or other factors. environment.

Atopic dermatitis

Symptoms:

• incessant itching, the dog is constantly scratching;
• skin damage on the face, on the fingers, tears, cracks, inflammation, formation of boils;
• formation of focal lichenification after scratching;
• dry skin;
• instant reaction of the body to the allergen;
• external form of otitis;
• external manifestations of staphylococcus.

The complexity of the disease is determined by the duration of exacerbations and the size of the affected skin area:

• in mild cases, symptoms appear a maximum of 2 times a year for 2-3 weeks;
• for dermatitis medium degree typical manifestations are 3-4 times a year with a total duration of 1-2 months;
• in severe cases, remission is completely absent or its duration is a maximum of 1 month.

Difference in affected area:

• at mild degree small single spots appear;
• medium is characterized by numerous skin irritations;
• the severe degree is characterized by a large number of merging lesions, gradually turning into erythroderma.

Treatment

For treatment atopic dermatitis It takes a lot of effort and patience. In most examples, this disease manifests itself in animals throughout their lives.

To make an animal’s allergies less pronounced, you need to buy special food for it, ensure an influx of fresh air into the room and control the humidity level. You will also need special ultraviolet emitters.

Providing the right conditions to eliminate atopic dermatitis in dogs requires considerable expense, so many owners simply leave everything as it is.

Treatment requires regular use of antihistamines. You need to buy only types of feed that are guaranteed to be safe. The room in which the animal is kept must always be clean.

Only 15-30% of animals show a positive reaction to antihistamines. Most effective drug Cyclosporine is considered to help eliminate allergies in its various manifestations.

To teach the immune system to fight allergens, their components are introduced in very small doses into the animal’s body. This method is called hyposensitization. However, this method of eliminating allergies requires relatively considerable costs.

Also helps with atopic dermatitis non-steroidal drugs, relieving inflammation. It is not recommended to use folk remedies to treat such a disease. Such methods will not bring the desired results and can only harm the animal.

As soon as all signs of the disease are stopped, antibacterial and antifungal agents. In this case, you can use shampoos specially made for such purposes. To improve the functioning of the immune system, a special diet is developed for the animal.

During treatment the following medications are prescribed:

• Toloxtaton;
• Amitriptyline;
• Trimipramine;
• Peritol;
• Suprastin;
• Benadryl;
• Prednisolone;
• Dexamesaton.

Constant movement is beneficial for the animal, so frequent active walks on the site are recommended.

Examples of what allergic diseases in dogs look like in real life

In the photographs below you can see certain cases of allergies in dogs. different breeds and ages:

Eczema around the nose

Minor rashes on the muzzle

Ear dermatitis

Allergic reaction to the eyes

Large rash

Flea dermatitis

Rare examples of atopic dermatitis

Let's look at several rare types of atopic dermatitis in dogs:

1. Allergy to the sun. It is recommended to walk animals with this disease in the mornings and evenings in the absence of sunlight.
2. Allergy to the owner himself. The animal reacts to specific components found on the skin and hair of the owner.
3. Irritation may occur from certain types of perfumes.

Regardless of the type of allergy, the symptoms may be almost the same except for some features. The most common skin irritations occur in the armpits, around the eyes, face, abdomen and paws.

The penetration of an irritant into the canine body is perceived by the immune system as an aggressive factor and promotes the synthesis of antibodies that react to the structure of the antigen certain type. Allergy in dogs is a defense, and for the first symptoms to appear, hypersensitivity to the allergen must develop.

Symptoms of skin pathologies are difficult to notice, since they are located under a layer of fur, and become visible when severe scratching appears against the background of painful itching and developing inflammation. Treatment depends on the type of allergy and is prescribed only by a specialist.

Show all

Allergies in puppies

The causes of allergies lie in poor nutrition, untimely treatment of the pet for fleas, the use of low-quality hygiene products and other factors. Most often, animals are allergic to food. A reaction is provoked by substances entering the body that cause specific responses from the immune system, these include common proteins and their complex combinations.

Malaise occurs due to use food additives contained in prepared animal feed, namely dyes and substitutes. Food allergies occur in dogs small breeds, and among representatives of large species, the reaction of both is no different. Less often as food allergens Soybeans, milk and dairy products, cereals are used.

If treatment is not started in time, the animal will grow up to be allergic; at the peak of the disease, anaphylactic shock, which often leads to death.

Drug allergies manifest as mild ailments or develop into serious ones. pathological form. Some types of skin manifestations in response to medications used are inherited. An immune response occurs to the use of the following medications:

• antibiotics;
• preparations containing white streptocide;
• suspensions and serums based on living microorganisms;
• morphine;
• vitamins (especially group B);
• painkiller and sedative medication chloral hydrate.

Various causes of illness

Damage to the pet's body occurs due to fungi, worms, dangerous microorganisms and other types of infection. Severe allergies can occur to chicken, cold - the list of all irritants is extensive, so the main types are classified according to the causes of their occurrence:

• food products;
• medications and substances;
• contact with chemicals;
• infectious damage to the body;
• insect type (irritation from bites of fleas, insects and other bloodsuckers);
• autoimmune responses (rarely) are associated with a violation of the body’s defenses, which ceases to distinguish between foreign and self-proteins.

The course of the disease manifests itself in two types:

1. 1. Cumulative form, when the reaction does not occur immediately, but after a certain period of time after the allergen penetrates the body.
2. 2. Instant response - almost immediately after contact with the stimulus.

The first form makes it difficult to search for an allergen, since it does not allow establishing the relationship of the antigen with the appearance of symptoms of the disease.



Allergic scratching



Characteristics of atopic dermatitis

The disease is caused by the animal's hereditary predisposition to produce antibodies when exposed to an allergic agent. The allergen enters the body through the pads on the paws and digestive system. Penetration of the irritant leads to the development of skin manifestations. The hereditary form with atopic dermatitis is detected in 20% of dogs.



Specific allergy symptoms

Allergy symptoms depending on its origin:

Signs of anaphylactic shock

Regardless of the cause, anaphylaxis has a standard course. It can manifest itself in individual places or be systemic in nature, with the first type often flowing into the second. Symptoms of painful illness:

• with the first type, urticaria appears in the form of a rash, redness and itching, angioedema is noted in deep-lying tissue layers or located subcutaneously;
• systemic disease is characterized by variable agitation of the animal and depression, vomiting, difficulty breathing, all signs of cardiac and vascular insufficiency, sometimes the pet loses consciousness.

If such symptoms develop, the owner has about an hour to provide assistance, and self-treatment is completely excluded - the animal must be urgently taken to a specialist.

Treatment of the disease

Typically, symptom relief is carried out according to a standard treatment regimen; each manifestation requires effective intervention:

Treatment methods for anaphylaxis



Doctor veterinary clinic According to the established scheme, treatment begins immediately:

1. 1. Administer 0.2 mg/kg a or Suprastin intramuscularly.
2. 2. 0.02–0.5 mg/kg Cordiamin is injected into the animal’s vein or replaced with a subcutaneous injection of 0.2 mg/kg Sulfocamphocaine.
3. 3. Gives a subcutaneous hormonal injection of 0.5–0.9 mg/kg Hydrocortisone, Dexone or Dexamethasone. Helps intramuscular injection Immunofana in a dosage of 1 ampoule.
4. 4. Medicine is infused into a vein from ascorbic acid and glucose.



After the attack subsided, about a day later:

• the dog is given calcium chloride to drink from a spoon, 1–5 times per day;
• water is replaced herbal decoctions sequences;
• itching is relieved with hydrocortisone aerosols.



Antihistamines



IN medical practice Most often, medications are used that reduce the response to histamine and relieve spasm of smooth muscles. List of antihistamines:

• Diphenhydramine It has both a sedative and antihistamine effect and reduces inflammation. Used for all forms of allergies (including drug allergies).
• Diprazine (Pipolfen, Phenergan) helps with skin dermatitis when the affected areas itch and irritate the animal. The medication is administered by injection or prescribed in tablets.
• Diazolin (Incidal, Mebhydrolin) used in cases of unknown etiology of the disease. The drug affects the functioning of the central nervous system.
• Suprastin acts on all types of allergic processes. Has a slight sedative effect.
• Tavegil (Clemastin, Angistan) The action is similar to Diphenhydramine, but the effect lasts longer.
• Ketotifen (Zaditen, Astafen) actively helps with anaphylaxis, bronchospasm of a histamine nature and long-term systemic allergies.
• Astemizole prescribed in food forms, it reduces the symptoms of urticaria and runny nose. The medicine is used orally; it is not recommended to give to bitches during false pregnancy.
• Cetirizine Effectively treats allergies without causing drowsiness.
• Loratadine or Claritin prescribed to reduce lacrimation and pathologies in the form of allergic rhinitis.
• Bicarfen has wide range indications for use - medicinal and food forms, atopic dermatitis, hay fever, neurodermatitis, lacrimation.



Hormonal agents

The most commonly used drugs in treatment are corticosteroids, such as Mstil, Prednisone, Dexamethasone and Prednisolone. To treat animals, weak-acting drugs are chosen and minimal dosages are used. Such drugs remain in the blood of dogs for about 30 days from the moment of intramuscular administration.

In puppies side effects are much less common than in humans. Appearance unwanted effects related to duration of therapy and dosage daily norm.TO side complications relate:

• dyspnea;
• increased appetite;
• insatiable thirst;
• a large amount of urine discharge, some bitches experience incontinence;
• sometimes irritation;
• with prolonged use, obesity and weakness develop.

After graduation monthly course treatment, the drug is discontinued within a week. If an animal is prescribed annual treatment courses for a month, then the functioning of its adrenal glands is suppressed; practice shows that the drug should be given to dogs every other day. High dosage leads to decreased immunity.

Hormonal ointments for skin allergies



Local remedies do not have such a pronounced hormonal effect, as drugs used internally. But it should be borne in mind that the substance is absorbed through the surface of the skin, so lubricating large areas of the animal’s body unless absolutely necessary is unacceptable. The following ointments are common for the treatment of dermatitis:

• Advantan- is a new generation drug, therefore it is allowed long-term use for three months, the ointment is thinly applied to the affected areas once a day, avoiding contact with healthy skin;
• Sinaf- because of strong action It is not allowed to use it in treatment for more than 10 days, since the ointment is a first-generation medicine and causes side effects;
• Comfoderm- has a gentle effect on allergies skin rash, its terms of use are discussed with the veterinarian;
• Elidel- is a unique hormonal medication, its use is stopped after disappearance skin symptoms, but the withdrawal is carried out gradually so that the dog does not develop side syndrome cancellation, the ointment is applied twice a day.



Non-hormonal creams and ointments



To cleanse the skin surface under the fur, antiallergic medicinal compositions are used for topical application. Their action is not as dangerous for the body as hormonal drugs, so there is no need to monitor clear application boundaries. The following medications are usually prescribed:

• Skin cap– the ointment is highly effective, one of the latest developments, applied to problem areas under the fur in the morning and before bed;
• Zincointment- has a low price and is used for weeping eczema and dermatitis to dry the skin; before use, it is recommended to treat the skin with an antiseptic drug;
• Bepanten or Panthenol heals the damaged structure well and helps reduce allergic rash, is not used for weeping dermatitis, as it moisturizes the epidermis;
• Belosalik used for any form of allergy accompanied by a rash, the skin can be treated for a month.

Antiallergenic ointments with antibiotics



Such drugs are often used in the second stage of therapy, when hormonal compounds are no longer safe to use. Similar ointments include:

• Levomekol- contains chloramphenicol, the ointment is used once a day, used in the form of a small compress with gauze or a bandage, which is fixed for a day;
• erythromycin ointment- can be used to lubricate the eyelids of puppies with watery eyes and purulent inflammation eye, can be used for two weeks;
• Fucidin- used in therapy allergic rashes no more than 10 days, but can be applied about three times during the day.

Compositions for quick relief from irritation



Flucinar ointment acts immediately after application in the first minutes, itching and swelling quickly subsides. Lubricate the affected areas twice every day, gently rubbing the composition into the skin. Due to high efficiency there is no need for long-term treatment antiallergenic agent.

Akriderm refers to medicinal compositions new generation and will quickly relieve your pet from itching and inflammation on the surface of the skin. It should be used under the supervision of a veterinarian and only for 7 days. Apply in the morning, at lunchtime and at night at equal intervals.

Allergy is an abnormal reaction of the immune system of humans and animals to a certain factor that normally does not cause any painful manifestations. Allergies in dogs are usually food in nature, and can also develop in response to flea bites or certain substances that enter the body through contact or inhalation.

The immune system

Highly organized warm-blooded animals, which include both dogs and humans, have a powerful and multi-level system for maintaining the constancy of the body’s composition - immunity. It is not located at a certain point of the body, but is “scattered” in the form of clusters lymphoid tissue, some organs (for example, the spleen), cells and protein molecules of the blood.

The task of the immune system, in a simplified formulation, is to recognize and destroy everything foreign - structures that differ in structure from one’s own cells and tissues. The process of determining on the basis of “friend or foe” is the responsibility of special cells that “compare” substances or cells entering the body with their own genetic structure. When differences are detected, a set of reactions is launched aimed at destroying the “stranger.”

IN Everyday life a dog’s body constantly receives a huge amount of substances, living or inactive cells from the environment - with food, drinking water, inhaled air by absorption through the surface of the skin. IN normal situation Almost all of them do not cause a reaction from the immune system, since there is a natural “indifference” (refractoriness) to them, developed over the previous period of life.

An immune response in a healthy animal occurs only if there is real threat– introduction of pathogenic microorganisms or detection of one’s own modified cells.

Allergy: causes and mechanisms

Allergies can be figuratively called “shooting sparrows with a cannon.” In an allergic animal, an immune response occurs in a situation where it is not necessary. Admission a certain substance is perceived by the immune system as a factor of aggression with the formation of a defensive reaction.

The very first arrival of an allergen triggers the synthesis of antibodies, which are strictly specific - they are focused on the structure of only this antigen. With all subsequent entries of the antigen into the animal’s body, the antibodies will attack it and form immune complexes. They can settle on some cells that contain substances in an inactive form, causing inflammation(histamine, bradykinin, etc.).

Activation of histamine and its release into the bloodstream causes an inflammatory reaction - tissue swelling, spasm of the muscles of the bronchi and intestines, skin rashes, increased salivation, etc. Another mechanism in which an allergic reaction occurs is direct damage by immune complexes to small vessels (capillaries).

In some conditions, it is possible to change the structure of one’s own tissues: they begin to be perceived by the immune system as foreign and cause an attack by antibodies or lymphocytes (this is how psoriasis occurs).

Was described above general mechanism, which underlies all allergic reactions. How allergies manifest in dogs in each specific case depends on the type of allergen, the routes of its entry into the body, the degree of sensitization of the animal and other factors. Examples of manifestations are dermatitis, asthma, Quincke's edema, intestinal disorders, etc.

Food allergies

Causes of food allergies

Food allergies in dogs most often occur after the second year of life, occur in males and females, do not depend on the animal’s sterilization or lack thereof, and can be immediate or delayed.

The most common causes of food allergies are the following foods:

• beef;
• poultry meat (especially chicken);
• dairy products;
• chicken eggs;
• soy and products based on it;
• red-fleshed fruits and vegetables;
• corn;
• food containing yeast;
• wheat.

In addition, there are products and food components that are, in principle, contraindicated for dogs, since they can very often cause health problems for the animal - chocolate, sugar, spices, smoked meats, pickles, fried foods.

Increased sensitivity to allergens is provoked by the dog’s constant consumption of large amounts of carbohydrates, cereals, and flour products.

Signs of food allergies in dogs

The most common manifestations of food allergies in dogs are:

• hair loss, usually uneven, in the form of focal bald spots;
• itchy skin accompanied by scratching;
• ear infection, difficult to cure, and allergic otitis - the dog begins to experience severe anxiety in the ears, constantly shakes its head, the ear canals become clogged with secretions, sometimes flowing out, the ears look “bruised”;
• recurrent skin infections;
• frequent bowel movements;
• constant licking of the front paws and anal area;
• the appearance of an unpleasant odor coming from the animal - from the mouth and from the whole body;
• the appearance of wet spots on the dog’s skin;
• lacrimation, accumulation of mucus in the corners of the eyes.

It should be noted that these signs are characteristic not only of food, but also of almost any allergy in a dog.

Diagnosis of food allergies

If a food allergy is suspected, one of the effective but rather time-consuming diagnostic methods is to switch the dog to food that it has never consumed before. It can be natural or ready-made food from well-known manufacturers.

The “trial period” must last at least several months, during which the dog receives nothing other than the chosen diet. If while on a diet painful symptoms disappear, and after returning to a normal diet they quickly return - the dog really has an allergy to the food (more precisely, to one or more components included in it). Sometimes this test must be repeated several times with different combinations of products before the allergen is finally identified.

Other methods for diagnosing food allergies in dogs, based on determining the antibody titer in the blood serum or method skin tests, are expensive and unreliable specifically in the case of food allergies. The above method of conducting food tests, despite its duration, is the most reliable.

Treatment of food allergies

How to treat allergies in a dog when its food nature is confirmed? The main treatment areas are as follows:

• Hypoallergenic diet. In addition to completely eliminating the allergen identified through food tests from the animal’s diet, it is not recommended to give the dog vitamin supplements, chewing toys, treats, or foods high in carbohydrates.
• Antibiotics and antifungal drugs for the treatment of chronic infection and secondary complications.
• Antihistamines and glucocorticosteroids to suppress itching and hypersensitivity.

In addition to food allergies, there is food intolerance, which has very similar clinical manifestations, but is not associated with abnormal immune reaction. The causes of intolerance to some foods may be genetic defects digestive enzymes or their reduced synthesis. Insufficient breakdown of protein or carbohydrate molecules occurs, which enter the bloodstream and cause secretion from specialized tissue cells histamine, which is responsible for the appearance of allergic symptoms.

Skin allergies in dogs

Allergic dermatitis in a dog can occur due to an abnormal reaction of its immune system to a variety of substances and environmental factors, which most often include:

• fur of other animals;
• organic components of dust (human epidermis, dandruff, dust mites);
• synthetic fabrics (carpets, curtains, clothing);
• household chemicals, perfumes, pesticides;
• medications, vitamin supplements;
• hygiene products (shampoo, soap);
• pollen, mold spores.

Skin allergies more often manifests itself in young individuals. The occurrence of symptoms resembling allergic dermatitis in mature animals may indicate the development of cancer or the development of autoimmune pathology.

Symptoms of allergic dermatitis

As mentioned above, in the section about food intolerance, the symptoms of allergies in a dog are very similar for any cause (most of them were listed there). Peculiarities external manifestations for skin allergies the following:

• Itching is localized in the distal (farthest from the body) parts of the limbs, ears, nose, and stomach.
• Itching does not disappear after the use of antibiotics, but decreases or disappears with the use of corticosteroids and antihistamines.
• A dog has a lot of dandruff (although this symptom often occurs with food allergies).
• Exacerbations of atopic dermatitis are often seasonal (symptoms worsen during warm time of the year).

Allergic dermatitis in a dog

Diagnosis of atopic dermatitis

It is necessary to differentiate between skin signs of allergies in dogs and diseases of a non-immune nature that have similar symptoms. These include:

For staging correct diagnosis it is necessary to carry out laboratory tests blood and urine, taking skin scrapings, bacteriological culture of pus in pyoderma, examining stool for the presence of helminth eggs, conducting skin tests with allergens.

Treatment of skin allergies

Treatment allergic dermatitis in dogs comes down to the following measures:

Sensitivity to flea bites (the proteins in their saliva) is individual, so the manifestation of allergy symptoms varies in severity in different animals.

The disease is seasonal and worsens in the summer-autumn period, which is associated with the active feeding of fleas before hibernation.

Symptoms

Reaction to arthropod bites, or allergic flea dermatitis, manifests itself in the form of skin rashes, intense itching, otitis media with copious discharge from the ears, intestinal disorders, and focal hair loss. The addition of a secondary infection due to skin damage due to scratching causes the appearance of purulent wounds in the tail, back and croup.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis is made based on data external examination(visual detection of fleas), wet paper test (intensive combing of fur over a sheet of moistened paper is performed white in order to detect fleas), the characteristic behavior of the animal, a positive reaction to specific treatment.

Treatment

Treatment of allergies in dogs caused by flea bites should begin with the complete elimination of arthropods in the room, for which it is repeatedly treated with pesticides.

The animal must be washed with a special shampoo, after which prophylactic agents in the form of collars impregnated with pesticides, or preparations for application to the withers in the form of drops.

Owners are often interested in what to give their dog for allergies to reduce itching. The peculiarities of this type of hypersensitivity in dogs are manifested in the fact that histamine is not involved in the reaction, therefore antihistamines are not used. Corticosteroids in the form of ointments provide a good antipruritic effect. Steroids should only be used after consulting a veterinarian and should not be used for long periods of time to avoid side effects– fluid retention in the body, decreased immunity. The latter fact is a contraindication for the use of steroids in purulent complications.

Bronchial asthma

The causes of asthma are a reaction to allergens that enter the dog’s body through inhalation, food and through the skin. This could be an infection or any substances to which you are intolerant.

Symptoms

Symptoms of asthma in dogs - sneezing, profuse liquid discharge from the nose, rubbing the eyes with paws, breathing problems (convulsive inhalations and difficult exhalations).

Diagnostics

Characteristic symptoms, skin testing with allergens.

Treatment

• Eliminating contact with the allergen.
• Antihistamines.
• Glucocorticosteroids.
• Drugs for dilation of the bronchi (ephedrine).

What to do in case of any manifestations of allergies in a dog should be decided by a qualified veterinarian after a thorough examination of the animal. Unprofessional treatment can lead to deterioration of the animal's condition or its death.