Episodes > 110 > Pet Vet

Itching and Scratching is No Fun!

Is your dog keeping you up at night or driving you crazy with all his itching and scratching?  And you got him checked for fleas?  Well, it might be allergies!  That’s right…dogs and cats can actually be allergic to a variety of things, and Pet Vet Dr. Jenna Castner has some advice:

Your dogs excessive itching could be his or her body reaction to something that is foreign to them. The three main types of allergies in dogs are:

1. Flea allergies
   Surprisingly, with flea allergies, your dog doesn't have to be infested with fleas to have a reaction. Many dogs may only have one bite and react with a serious skin condition. There are many products to help combat flea allergies but the best solution is prevention. Occasional spot check of your dog will help insure he is not getting eaten up by fleas.
   
   
2. Food allergies
   One thing Dr. Jenna warns is that food allergies don't happen overnight. Actually about 70% of dogs that develop a food allergy have been on the same diet for over two years, making impossible to predict and hard to detect right away. Most people will not have the patience or experience to do a trial-and-error food test, so it may be best to see your veterinarian for quicker results.
   
   
3. Environmental allergies
   Dust mites, pollen and mold are some of the most common environmental allergens that give dogs problems. Blood testing and skin testing is always an option which will help your vet come up with a specific vaccine that is ideal for your dogs allergenic needs. This can be expensive, but in the long run it actually will end up saving you money as it will reduce or eliminate trips to the vet for your dog.

According to Steve Crane, Assoc. Manager of Technical Information Services at Hills Pet Nutrition:

"Most of the time an allergy will not be food related. Far more animals will have reactions to fleas, pollen and other external allergens than all foods combined. The best choice is to make an appointment with your veterinarian to determine what the cause is. 'Allergies' or the more proper term 'adverse reaction to food' are very commonly misdiagnosed for a couple of reasons: An individual animal may be reacting to fleas and pollen and a food at the same time. If one of the problems is removed - either flea, pollen or food - the animal appears clinically normal because the overall cumulative reaction has been reduced. Another common source of misdiagnosis occurs when a pet owner changes foods and the symptoms appear to go away. The animal may not have been reacting to the food at all, but simply the new food has a higher level of Omega 3 fatty acids than the old food. It's very easy to misdiagnose a true adverse reaction to food."