Your puppy is driving you crazy with a bout of reoccurring ear infections or constant licking, scratching and chewing at his skin. The more the puppy scratches, the more hair loss there is. You are worrying that you may soon end up with a bald dog if the itching continues.
What can you do? Schedule an appointment with the puppy’s veterinarian. There is a good chance your dog has one or more allergies and the first order of business is to find out what is causing the problem. It is almost impossible to determine the cause of most allergies on your own. However, there are allergy tests that can be performed by a veterinarian to figure out what your puppy is allergic to.
One such test is a skin test, which is very similar to those done on humans. The veterinarian will shave off a small area of fur. Tiny amounts of allergens are either applied to the skin or injected underneath the skin. Your dog will show a reaction if he or she is allergic to any of the injected allergens.
Another method of checking for allergies is to have blood drawn for the purpose of running allergy tests. A blood test can tell you what the puppy is allergic to as well as how allergic he or she is to something such as dust, grass, fleas, food or pollen.
One advantage of having the blood test done is that the results can help dictate the treatment. Laboratory representatives that check blood for allergic reactions can help create an antigen therapy that will help the puppy desensitize. In essence, the puppy will get injections of small amounts of whatever he or she is allergic to. This helps the puppy begin to build a tolerance to the pathogen. Unfortunately, this type of treatment can take months to build up a tolerance, but it is worth it in the end.
Most puppy allergies result from actual contact with the allergen. It is possible that allergens can be inhaled, but such allergies are far less common among dogs.
Dog food allergies are becoming much more common because of increasing amounts of chemicals and additives. If you suspect your puppy is allergic to food, you can try diagnosing that one on your own. You will have to change foods and allow ample time to see if the change yields any answers.
Remember that you should never change a puppy’s diet all at once (unless recommended by a veterinarian). It should take a couple of days to make the transition from one food to another. On the first day, decrease the old food by one-quarter and replace it with the same amount of the new food you are introducing. Decrease the old food by one-quarter and add one-quarter of the new food each day until the puppy is eating the new food only.
You may have to feed the new food for a couple of weeks to see if the old food was the culprit that sent your puppy into a scratching frenzy.
Detecting food allergies can take time. If the first change of food does not work, you may have to repeat the process again.
Dog breeders and veterinarians can be a big help when it comes to recognizing food allergies.
Related posts:
- Understanding Allergic Reactions
- Hypoallergenic Puppy Breeds and Information
- What to Do About a Puppys Bites Or Rashes
- Canine Food Allergies
- Detecting Early Signs of Common Puppy Problems
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