Allergies and the dogs we love

Canine allergies are frustrating–it can be difficult to diagnose what the source of the dog allergies and even once the source is pinpointed, it can be hard to avoid the allergens.

For instance, many dogs are allergic to certain ingredients in dog food. (The most common source of dog health allergies when it comes to food is the protein source, so often switching your dog to a single protein source food can make a big difference.) Other dogs are allergic to pollen or other environmental elements, or even everyday household chemicals like laundry detergent.

In short, if you can be allergic to it, chances are good so can your dog. And, given that even though allergy tests for people have come a long way in the last few decades, doctors can still have trouble isolating exactly what’s causing your watery eyes or other symptoms… Well, let’s just say veterinary medicine isn’t much better when it comes to diagnoses.

So, what can you do to help your dog be healthy with allergies? Three things my vet recommended:

1) Start by talking to your vet, but explain that you’d like to avoid medication if possible. Vets often assume pet owners want the easiest solution, and that’s usually allergy pills, so be clear that you’d much prefer resolve the problem than mask it.

2) Reduce allergens in the home. It’s a lot easier to determine the cause of allergies if you restrict as much as possible for a little while–keep your dog home from doggie day care, keep him inside as much as possible, and wash everything he comes into contact with with the simplest detergent you can find.

3) Simplify your dog’s diet. Talk with your vet and find out if you can feed your dog rice and chicken for a few weeks (that tends to be the easiest choice–but any two-ingredient, home-cooked diet would work). Do get your vet’s guidance on this as portions will vary widely by dog, and for some dogs, restricting their diet can be harmful in other ways.

Getting to the root of dog allergies can be a little time consuming, but improving your dog’s health and resolving those allergic reactions is well worth it! Do you have an allergic dog? What have you done to help reduce allergens?