Pets Have Allergies, Too
Just like people, pets can suffer from allergies. Animal Dermatology Center of Chicago can diagnose and treat these allergies, helping your pet feel better and making your lives happier and healthier. We hope that this page will give you some helpful information.
Atopy
Download our handout on Atopy.
Atopy is an itchy skin condition sometimes referred to as atopic disease, environmental allergy, inhalant allergy, or “hay fever.” It may occur in dogs, cats, and many other animals. In dogs, it is a common and often hereditary problem that can occur in any breed, but terriers, retrievers, spaniels (especially cocker spaniels), German shepherds, bulldogs, pugs, Lhasa Apsos, Shih Tzus, boxers, Dalmatians and Shar-Peis seem to be more likely to have this problem. Cats have not demonstrated a clear breed predisposition.
The most common sign is itching. You might see this as foot licking, leg chewing, face rubbing, scratching at the armpit, or belly and groin licking. Head shaking and ear infections are also very common. Coughing, sneezing, and runny eyes that are common with human allergic reactions may occur but are much less frequent in animals. Allergy-causing agents are absorbed through the skin and inhaled to a lesser degree. Cats can show any of the signs seen in dogs, but their normal grooming behavior can be difficult to differentiate from the excessive licking seen in atopy. Cats sometimes only show “miliary dermatitis,” so-called because the lesions look like millet seeds, or other unusual skin lesions as the only noted problem and may not always be itchy.
Diagnosis is based on your pet’s history, clinical signs, and eliminating all other problems that can cause similar symptoms. This may be a time-consuming process. There is still no laboratory test such as a blood test to diagnose atopy. Confirmation of atopy is based on intradermal or blood tests; however, these tests are not 100% accurate and cannot be used alone to diagnose atopy.
Secondary Infection: If your pet has had an allergy flare-up, we always check for secondary infections. If one is present, it may seem as if the medications used for the allergy aren’t working. Microscopic cytology of skin samples is taken to determine if bacteria or fungi are present. If they are, anti-bacterial or anti-yeast medication is combined with the therapy to control atopy.
Remember: Allergies may be controlled but cannot be cured. Treatment of allergic pets depends on the severity of the symptoms and the history of the pet patient. Avoiding items that cause allergies is ideal but often difficult.
Food Allergies
Download our handout on Food Allergies.
Food allergies can occur in animals as a reaction to any component in their diet. Most often, this is a protein, such as beef, chicken, fish, or egg, or a carbohydrate, such as corn, wheat, or soy, but may also be an additive or preservative. The onset of the problem is usually not related to any diet change and it can start at any age.
The most common sign is itching. This is seen as foot licking, leg chewing, face rubbing, scratching at the armpit, or belly and groin licking. Inflammation and redness of the skin may occur. Head shaking and ear infections are also common. As long as the offending food is present in your pet’s diet, the symptoms will continue.
The only method to diagnose food allergy is to feed your pet a restricted diet for 8 to 12 weeks and see if there is improvement. Then we will “challenge” once again with the original diet and watch for a recurrence of clinical signs. If there are any secondary infections present, such as bacteria or yeast, these will be treated during the diet trial and re-challenge period.
Remember: Allergies may be controlled but cannot be cured. Treatment of allergic pets depends on the severity of the symptoms and the history of the pet patient. Avoiding items that cause allergies is ideal but often difficult.
Flea Allergy
Download our handout on Flea Allergy.
Fleas are likely to be present in all environments that dogs and cats frequent, even during the winter months.
Ctenocephalides felis is the most common flea found to bite dogs and cats. Other types of fleas exist but they are much less common. This flea is also found on foxes, ferrets, coyotes, opossums, and several rodent species. Any pet with allergies, sensitive skin, or a disease affecting the skin is likely to be affected when a flea bites them, and their general skin condition may worsen. The flea life cycle can vary from 13 days to 2 years. During this lifetime, a single flea that enters your household can produce 20–50 eggs per day and as many as 2,000 total eggs that will hatch into new fleas.
Diligent flea control is necessary in all veterinary dermatology patients and their housemates. If a pet has allergic skin disease or is suspected of being flea allergic, exceptionally diligent control methods need to be put into place. Remember that if a pet has allergies, a single incident of flea bites can result in discomfort and itching that lasts up to 7 days and also leads to secondary infections that may persist for months.
