Maybe That Itching And Skin Irritation Is A Skin Allergy

Skin allergies present as a rash or irritation of some sort on skin. There are many causes of skin allergies in humans as well as pets.

A skin allergy can be the result of an ingested food (hives are common) or contact with an allergen (such as when an allergic person touches poison ivy or another allergenic plant or substance). The cause of the allergies and skin rash should be investigated so the affected person can avoid the allergen in the future.

Allergies and skin rashes are not only seen in humans. Animals are frequent allergy and skin rash sufferers, too. Like humans, finding the cause of the animal’s allergic reaction is essential to learning to control animal allergies.

It is not uncommon to see a skin allergy in horses, but most often as pet owners we see skin allergies in dogs and cats. Learning how to treat dog or cat skin allergies begins with recognizing when your pet’s itching is the result of feline or canine skin allergies.

Symptoms Of Animal Allergies

There are two main symptoms of feline and canine skin allergy.

The first symptom of animal skin allergies is itching. This is also one of the most noticeable symptoms of a cat or dog skin allergy. Animal allergies do not differ significantly from human allergies. The constant scratching we see in our allergic pets is simply an attempt at relieving the constant itching pets with allergies endure.

The second symptom that is seen in cat or dog skin allergies is excessive licking of parts of the body. Animals with allergies often develop atopic dermatitis, an immune system response causing skin disease. A cat or dog that excessively licks or chews their paws, abdomen, or rear feet may have atopic dermatitis. Another sign to look for in a dog with atopic dermatitis is staining of the armpits, groin, and between the toes. The staining is from the animal’s saliva, and in light-colored pets will look reddish-brown in color.

Causes Of Animal Allergies

Animal allergy triggers are different than allergy triggers in humans. It is important to work with a veterinarian to determine the cause of an animal’s allergies so the allergen can be avoided and the animal’s allergies can be controlled.

The three main causes of pet allergies are:

Flea allergies. The allergy trigger is not the flea itself, but rather the flea’s saliva. Controlling fleas though bathing, grooming, and good hygiene controls the allergy.

Food allergies. Not unlike humans, dogs can be allergic to what they eat. In addition to skin allergies, food allergies might present as ear scratching, vomiting, diarrhea, head shaking, or behavioral changes.

Allergies from bacteria. Allergies to bacteria are the most common cause of allergies in dogs. The very common staphylococcus bacteria that live on dog skin can be an allergen to some dogs. It may be accompanied by hair loss, and is more common in some breeds of dogs. This type of skin allergy in the Yorkshire terrier are not uncommon.

An estimated twenty percent of dogs are thought to suffer from allergies. Like humans, skin allergies in animals are a source of constant distress that requires management and treatment. Identifying skin allergy triggers and finding effective treatment solutions allows both animal and human skin allergy sufferers to live in comfort.